Clemson Hangs On To Defeat Virginia, 84-74
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CLEMSON, S.C. – Virginia was defeated on the road by Clemson, 84-74, Sunday afternoon at Littlejohn Coliseum. Freshman guard Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.) scored a career-high 19 points to lead UVa.
Franklin finished 7-for-12 from the field, connected on a career-high four 3-pointers and finished the game as the team’s leading scorer for the first time. She became the ninth different Cavalier to be a leading scorer in a game this season.
The loss dropped Virginia’s record to 12-11, 1-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference action. With the victory, Clemson improved to 10-13, 3-5 in league play.
The Cavaliers trailed at halftime, 42-29, thanks in part to Clemson connecting on seven of its 11 three-point attempts. UVa trailed 40-21 at the final media timeout of the half and put together an 8-2 run to end the half down 13.
In the second half, Virginia cut the deficit to six points when a lay-up by Jazmin Pitts (Mosely, Va.) in transition with 16:48 left made the score 46-40.
From there, Clemson countered with an 11-1 run over the next four minutes to extend the lead back to 16 points at 57-41 with 13:08 left in the game.
At the final media timeout (3:43), Virginia had cut the Clemson lead to eight points, 72-64. An old-fashioned three-point play by Paulisha Kellum (Upper Marlboro, Md.) with 2:23 left reduced the Tigers’ lead to six points and a free throw by Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) got the Cavaliers within five points at 75-70.
Shaniqua Pauldo finished a lay-up on an assist by Kirstyn Wright with 52 seconds left to put Clemson up 77-70 and the Cavaliers did not get any closer down the stretch.
Clemson’s leading scorer was Sthefany Thomas (22 points). Wright added 17 points and Pauldo finished with 16 points for the Tigers.
For UVa, four Cavaliers scored nine points – Simone Egwu (Odenton, Md.), Moorer, Chelsea Shine (Wayne, Pa.) and China Crosby (New York, N.Y.).
Virginia was out-rebounded, 43-32.
Up next, Virginia returns home for two-straight games. First up is a Thursday, Feb. 3, match-up vs. Wake Forest at John Paul Jones Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.