Wake Forest University
Clemson
Deacons Drop 64-60 Heartbreaker to Clemson
1/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's basketball team held a single digit lead over Clemson for 18 minutes of the second half, but with 1:47 to play the Tigers (11-7, 2-3) capitalized on free throws to take and cling to the final advantage for a 64-60 win over Wake Forest (13-4, 1-3) in Winston-Salem.
Demon Deacon senior Alex Tchangoue posted her fifth double-double of the season with a career-high 24 points and game-high 12 rebounds. Clemson's Lele Hardy also logged 12 rebounds and led the Tigers with 19 points. Wake Forest senior Corinne Groves fell just short of a double-double, picking up 12 points and nine rebounds.
Clemson stifled Wake's shooting from the 3-point line, limiting Wake to three baskets beyond the arc. In the earlier Demon Deacon conference matchups this season, Wake Forest averaged over six 3-point baskets per game. But the Tigers also picked up their points elsewhere, netting only three 3-point baskets as well.
Scoring was slow to heat up for both teams. Clemson point guard Tasha Taylor put in the opening basket at 18:41 and Wake Forest's Alex Tchangoue wouldn't counter until three full minutes past tip-off. After lagging behind the Tigers, the Deacons took the lead at the 12:21 mark when Camille Collier netted her only 3-point basket of the game.
With 1:13 before the halftime break Wake held an eight point advantage, its largest of the game. Consecutive Clemson jumpers from April Park and Lele Hardy cut the Deacon lead to two possessions (24-21) at halftime.
The top of the second half saw improvements in shooting for both teams, as the Deacons jumped from 27 percent in the first half to 44 in the second and the Tigers shot 30 in the first half and 42 percent in the second.
The teams exchanged baskets, but a couple of key steals from Clemson allowed the Tigers to tie the game for the second time at 32-32 with 16:30 to play. The game score would knot eight more times before the final buzzer.
With 4:41 to play in regulation Wake Forest held a 3-point lead. Then the free throw battle started. Clemson netted 11-of-14 in the final five minutes but Wake slipped behind with a 2-of-8 performance.
After Tasha Taylor netted a pair of free throws with 1:09 to play Wake Forest faced a two-point deficit. Brittany Waters was fouled by Morganne Campbell but couldn't net either of her two free throw shots. Lele Hardy picked up the second rebound but botched a layup with 59 seconds on the clock.
The Deacons raced to set up their offense but an overthrown ball with 18 seconds remaining gave Clemson the possession. Wake Forest drew a couple of fouls and Alex Tchangoue netted a final field goal with two seconds to play after grabbing a Clemson free throw rebound set the score at 62-60. Wake immediately fouled and Lele Hardy netted her final two attempts from the line to set the final score at 64-60.
Wake Forest will return to the Joel Coliseum hardwood on January 26 to host NC State at 7 p.m. The game will be televised regionally on Fox Sports.
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