On Sunday, the Clemson women’s basketball team fell to No. 13-ranked North Carolina 53-51 in a close battle at Littlejohn Coliseum. The game marked the Tigers’ fourth consecutive loss to an ACC opponent.
The Tigers (11-13, 4-9 ACC) sit No. 13 in a conference loaded with talent. The Tar Heels (21-4, 9-3 ACC) came into the game riding a hot streak after winning eight of their last 10 games and two consecutively before facing off against the Tigers.
Despite the loss, head coach Shawn Poppie’s team played one of its best games of the season and looks to have shown improvement from their last few matchups. With the ACC tournament quickly approaching, the team will look to rewrite this season’s script and emerge victorious against the remainder of its 2025 opponents.
Clemson came out of the gate with one of its best efforts of the season so far. Guards Maddi Cluse and Hannah Kohn led the charge with two 3-pointers each to close out the first quarter and provide the Tigers with a 15-12 lead heading into the second quarter. However, it wasn’t just the offense that put on an impressive performance during the first half; the Tigers’ defense also proved dominant at the beginning of the game. Poppie’s Tigers held the aggressive North Carolina attack to just 4-for-18 (22.2%) from the field during the first period of play.
The Tigers maintained their pace throughout the second quarter. Guard Loyal McQueen and forward Raven Thompson both contributed to the Tigers’ lead. They commanded the paint and executed key layups to propel the Tigers to a 25-22 lead heading into the second half. The team converted on many of its attempts during the first half, posting a 40% field goal percentage in the second quarter.
In the second half, the Tar Heels rallied back, scoring a couple of key baskets and achieving a 31-28 lead at the halfway point of the third quarter.
Head coach Courtney Banghart came out of the half with an aggressive game plan, which allowed her standout stars, guard Reniya Kelly and forward Maria Gakdeng, to find their groove as they poured in buckets. Kelly scored 17 points and recorded eight rebounds, and Gakdeng scored 12 of her own while pulling down nine rebounds.
Clemson fought to take the lead back as transfer Anya Poole cashed in her first basket of the game on her former team. The third quarter would hold six lead changes as North Carolina eventually closed out the third quarter, clinging to a 37-36 lead.
The Tigers trailed 49-45 with just over three minutes to play when Kohn was fouled on a 3-point attempt, during which she converted all of her free throws to cut the deficit to just one. Later, guard Madi Ott converted a triple from the right wing to give Clemson a 51-49 lead with just over two minutes left to play.
However, North Carolina would answer back, scoring on their next two possessions. Kohn would then have a 3-pointer rim out, and the Tigers found themselves with the ball on an inbound play in the game’s final seconds. A Tar Heel deflected the pass-in, and North Carolina retained possession as time expired.
The Tigers will be back in action on Thursday, Feb. 13, when they face off against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at 7 p.m. at home in Littlejohn Coliseum.
