Virginia rallied from 10 down to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but Clemson took control in the final two minutes in a 75-69 win on Sunday at JPJ.
The Tigers (11-12, 3-8 ACC) led 54-44 entering the fourth quarter. Cady Pauley came off the bench and stroked back-to-back threes to cap an 11-0 run by the ‘Hoos to start the fourth, with Pauley’s second three putting UVA (10-12, 2-9 ACC) up 55-54.
There were five more lead changes over the course of the next three and a half minutes, but the Tigers went up to stay on a layup from Robinson with 3:50 remaining. Clemson led 71-64 at the 1:32 mark, but Sam Brunelle hit back-to-back field goals, one of which was a three, to cut the Tigers’ lead to 71-69 with 36 seconds left.
Fifteen seconds later, Harris made a layup, and Edessa Noyan fouled out on the play. On the ensuing Harris free throw, Clemson secured the offensive rebound, forcing the Cavaliers to foul.
Virginia missed its last three attempts from the field with under 10 seconds to play as Clemson tallied its third consecutive win.
Brunelle and Kymora Johnson tied for a game-high 24 points. Johnson shot 10-of-20 from the field and added five rebounds and eight assists.
Brunelle was 9-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-11 from three-point range.
Brunelle’s 24 points are a season high, and her six triples tied Johnson’s John Paul Jones Arena single-game record by a Cavalier.
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Chris Graham
