Boston College came into Littlejohn Coliseum hoping to flip the script on a season that’s been stuck in reverse. The Eagles had recent history on their side-wins in their last two meetings with Clemson and a solid 6-4 all-time road record against the Tigers.
But this time around, history didn’t repeat itself. Instead, BC’s struggles continued in a big way, falling 83-59 to a Clemson squad that’s finding its stride in ACC play.
To their credit, the Eagles came out swinging. Athena Tomlinson lit it up early, knocking down a pair of threes, and Kayla Rolph added another from deep to give BC a quick 9-4 lead.
For a team trying to snap a 17-game skid, it was the kind of start they needed. But Clemson didn’t flinch.
Rusne Augustinaite answered with a triple of her own to cap an 8-0 Tigers run, flipping the scoreboard in Clemson’s favor at 12-9. Augustinaite would go on to finish with 15 points, providing a steady offensive spark.
From there, Clemson took control. The Tigers pushed the lead to 19-12 before BC’s Erin Houpt briefly stopped the bleeding with a smooth stepback three.
The Eagles were hitting from distance-8-for-16 from beyond the arc in the first half-but that was about the only place they were finding success. Inside the paint?
A different story. BC failed to register a single point in the paint during the first 20 minutes.
That’s not just a stat-it’s a red flag.
After Jocelyne Grier connected from deep midway through the second quarter, BC went ice cold. They didn’t score another point before halftime.
Meanwhile, Clemson closed the half on a punishing 15-0 run, taking a 42-27 lead into the break. Demeara Hinds was a force during that stretch, owning the glass and scoring six of her 14 points in the paint.
At halftime, the Tigers held a staggering 20-0 edge in points in the paint-a telling stat that summed up the physical mismatch inside.
The second half didn’t bring much relief for BC. They showed a flicker of life late in the third quarter when Amirah Anderson knocked down a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 53-44. It was the closest they’d get the rest of the way.
That’s when Mia Moore took over.
The Clemson guard put on a show down the stretch, showcasing her full offensive arsenal-knocking down perimeter shots, slicing through defenders on drives, and getting to the line with ease. Moore finished with a career-high 30 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, putting her stamp on a dominant performance.
Clemson never looked back, steadily stretching the lead as the clock wound down. The win moves the Tigers to 8-4 in ACC play and gives their NCAA Tournament résumé another solid boost. For Boston College, the loss drops them to 0-13 in conference play and extends their losing streak to 18 games.
The Eagles showed flashes-especially from beyond the arc-but their inability to score inside and close out quarters continues to haunt them. Clemson, meanwhile, is starting to look like a team that could make some noise down the stretch, especially with Moore playing at this level.