CLEMSON – The Clemson Tigers used a 29-point offensive explosion in the second quarter to blast their way to a season-opening 76-38 win over the USC Upstate Spartans at Littlejohn Coliseum Monday.
The Tigers, in their second year under head coach Shawn Poppie, started the game (and season) with an early 6-0 run against the Spartans, but sharpshooting from guard Cassie Gallagher and a layup from power forward Emma Blair cut the Tigers’ lead 15-9 at the end of the first quarter.
After starting 1-8 from behind the arc as a team, shooting guard Hannah Kohn knocked down a second quarter three-pointer at the top of the key, and as if on command, the offensive gates opened for the Tigers.
Led by two three-pointers made from Georgia Tech transfer Rusne Augustinaite, four forced turnovers, and five made free throws, the Tigers went on to a 21-2 run to finish the quarter. In under 40 minutes of the season’s start, Clemson dropped 44 first-half points to Upstate’s 16.
The Tigers came out of the half and extended their lead to 64-29 in the third quarter, on nearly 60% shooting from the field. Guard Mia Moore’s eight third-quarter points on 60% shooting and Augustinaite’s 11 second-half points on perfect shooting helped the Tigers to the final 30-point victory.
Transfer point guard Rachael Rose got the start against her former team, where she was the Big South freshman of the year in the 2021-2022 season. After missing a season due to injury at Wofford last season, she finished with two points and three assists in her Clemson debut.
Demeara Hinds, a graduate and former Wake Forest Demon Deacon, notching eight points on four-of-six shooting, with five total rebounds and two steals.
Augustinaite led the Tigers in scoring, finishing with 19 points on six-of-eight shooting, including four three-pointers. She also recorded two rebounds and two steals. Mia Moore, in her second year with the Tigers, finished with 17 points, her 44th time in double-figures at the collegiate level. She also led the Tigers at the free throw line, knocking down four of her six foul shots.
Forward Hadley Periman, a Tulsa transfer, recorded four rebounds, two blocks, and an assist in her first game in the orange-and-purple. Depaul transfer Taylor Johnson-Matthews also started for the Tigers in her Clemson debut, and finished with 12 points and a team-high three steals.
Clemson outrebounded the Spartans 33-24 and generated 29 points off of turnovers to Upstate’s three. The Tigers also notched 12 steals to the Spartans’ two.
Nine Tiger players scored, while three were in double figures. Freshmen Amaia Jackson and Holland Harris, recorded their first Clemson minutes as the fourth quarter came to a close.
UP NEXT
The Tigers look to improve to 2-0 Thursday, when they will take on the Mercer Bears at Hawkins Arena. The Tigers and Bears will tip off at 7 p.m. Coverage will be shown on ESPN.
— Photo courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications