Sharp-Shooting Clemson Edges USF
By Josh Appel
S
pecial to GoUSFBulls.com
TAMPA - The USF women's basketball team (4-2) fell to the Clemson Tigers (2-3) in a thriller, 68-63, at the Sun Dome Sunday afternoon.
Having won its previous four games heading into Sunday, the Bulls were held to just three 3-pointers, shooting 13 percent behind the arc in their first loss since No.6 Maryland on opening night.
"Coach Smith and her Clemson team did a great job," head coach
Jose Fernandez said. "They came in here shorthanded with some issues and had a good game plan."
Tamara Taylor led the Bulls in scoring with 15 points on 3-14 shooting, followed by
Akila McDonald who scored 14 points and brought down nine rebounds.
Alisia Jenkins continued her strong start to the 2013 campaign with another double-double, scoring 10 points and hauling in 11 rebounds.
Charmaine Tay was a force for Clemson as she led all scorers with 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds.
The Tigers took a 38-29 lead into halftime after Kelly
Gramlich knocked down a deep three pointer at the buzzer.
Gramlich fouled out in the second half, but finished with 14 points.
USF trailed the entire game before taking the lead for the first time with 3:56 left in regulation after
Akila McDonald scored off an assist from
Inga Orekhova. But the Tigers closed the game on an 8-2 run, regaining the lead with 3:27 left and never turning back.
Clemson shot 55 percent from the floor while holding the Bulls to 33 percent. Despite a slow shooting night, USF grabbed 21 offensive rebounds, leading to 21 second-chance points to keep the game in reach.
"We went to the glass and we rebounded," Fernandez said. "We missed 42 shots and rebounded half of them. That's a good percentage."
The Bulls return to the court on Dec. 4 traveling to FGCU to take on the Eagles.
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