Tigers Fought but Fell to Notre Dame

Coach Shawn Poppie and the Clemson Tigers fought hard against the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame won 67-58. (Photo By: Charles Mays)

The Clemson Tigers women’s basketball team ended its four-game homestand this evening in a matchup against the third-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This is just one of the many tests for this team in ACC play this season and their fifth top 25 ranked opponent already this season. Clemson would find out early on that Hannah Hidalgo, one of Notre Dame’s best players, would be out for this game after being seen in a boot pregame. The Irish would end up winning this contest 67-58. Let’s run through how the game would play out 

First Half

Anya Poole opened the game strong for Clemson, scoring the Tigers’ first points and finishing with six points and three rebounds at the end of the half. Tessa Miller contributed two points and showcased her rebounding strength, grabbing four boards in the half. Notre Dame's defense pressured Clemson, often forcing the Tigers into last-second shot attempts as the shot clock expired. For the Irish, Olivia Miles dominated offensively with nine points and three assists. Liatu King was a force on both ends, shooting 5-for-6 from the field and tallying 10 points with five rebounds. Clemson found some scoring support as Loyal McQueen and Raven Thompson both made their first two free throws. McQueen added eight points to surpass 1,000 career points, while Maddi Cluse came off the bench to grab three rebounds. On defense, Mia Moore worked hard and showed massive effort, collecting three rebounds for Clemson. For Notre Dame, Kate Koval played a crucial role on defense with five rebounds, adding to the team's strong presence on the boards. Clemson struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 26% from the field and failing to make a single three-pointer. Clemson would look to play well defensively in the half with 19 total rebounds and four steals. They entered halftime trailing Notre Dame 30-22, needing a significant second-half push to close the gap.

Second Half 

Tessa Miller opened the second half for Clemson with a strong effort, scoring four points and grabbing two rebounds. Anya Poole added to the Tigers’ momentum with five points, three rebounds, and two assists as she tried to spark a comeback. Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles continued her stellar play, contributing eight points and six assists in the second half. Sonia Citron added six points and four rebounds, while Liatu King dominated with 13 points and six rebounds for the Irish. Maddy Westbeld and Cassandre Prosper also stepped up for Notre Dame, combining for 10 points and five rebounds in the half. For Clemson, Mia Moore made the team’s first three-pointer early in the second half, finishing with five points, three rebounds, and two assists to demonstrate her all-around effort. Hannah Kohn emerged as a key contributor after a quiet first half, hitting a three-pointer and scoring 14 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. Loyal McQueen added six points to Clemson’s total. The Tigers significantly improved their shooting in the second half, hitting 42% of their shots from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. However, despite their better offensive performance, Clemson couldn’t overcome Notre Dame’s consistent scoring and strong defensive presence, falling short in the matchup.

Final Results 

Clemson would lose this contest to Notre Dame, making them 10-7 overall and 3-3 in ACC play while making the Irish 14-2 overall and 5-0 in ACC play. The Tigers would play this Fighting Irish team hard and close at times, but the offensive play from Notre Dame was too much for Clemson. Notre Dame relied on Liatu King early and often as she finished the game with 23 points, shooting 10-14 from the field. Olivia Miles was another key contributor to the win for the Irish, scoring 17 points, four rebounds, and nine assists. Clemson would show signs of life on offense with Loyal McQueen and Hannah Kohn both finishing the game with 14 points. Anya Poole would also finish with 11 points and six rebounds. The Tigers didn’t back down one bit in this matchup and gave it all they had, but it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset. Clemson will now go on the road as their next game will be in Tallahassee against Florida State on January 16th at 6:00 p.m. Can the Tigers bounce back from back-to-back ACC losses?