The Clemson women’s basketball team found itself on the losing end of the scoreboard for the third straight game, falling to No. 10 Duke, 74-55, in Durham, North Carolina. With the loss, the Tigers have lost seven of their last eight games.
Following a decent first-half effort from the Tigers, they found themselves down 32-27. However, Duke came out fast in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 23-12 in the third quarter, significantly boosting its lead. Duke could then close out the game in the fourth quarter and ensure that Clemson had no chance of a comeback win.
Despite the loss, Clemson did have some strong performances in the game, with the best performance coming from guard Maddi Cluse. Cluse led the team with 19 points and drew fouls at will, drawing six in the game. Cluse is one of Clemson’s few returning players from last season and has seen a significant increase in her games played this season, playing all but one.
The team also shot 7-for-13 from 3-point range, which has continued to be a key piece in how the new-look Tigers run.
Rebounding was a success for the team, as the Tigers out rebounded the Blue Devils (18-5, 9-2 ACC) 30-28. Turnovers were the issue for head coach Shawn Poppie’s squad, as Clemson recorded 27 turnovers. Duke turned those into 35 points.
The Tigers came into the season with a roster consisting mainly of transfers and uncertainty regarding how the team would fare in a difficult conference like the ACC. At this point in the season, Clemson is 4-8 in ACC play, and with just six games remaining before the ACC tournament, it will need to find a way to make some noise late in the season if the team wants to have a chance at making the NCAA Tournament.
Despite some lackluster results this season, Poppie has been a bright spot for the program, providing Clemson a new sense of life. Poppie’s ability to bring in transfers and his history of winning has allowed fans to look toward the future of the Tigers. Poppie landed two top 100 recruits for next season, allowing the hope for the future to grow.
The Tigers will be back in action on Sunday when they face No. 13 North Carolina at 2 p.m. at Littlejohn Coliseum.
