Clemson Women’s Basketball Falls to Southern California in Overtime Thriller

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Clemson women’s basketball team (21-12, 11-7 ACC) saw its season approach to an end Saturday with a heartbreaking 71-67 overtime loss to the University of Southern California (18-13, 9-9 Big Ten) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Colonial Life Arena.

Game Highlights

Senior forward Raven Thompson recorded her second double-double of the season, contributing 11 points and 12 rebounds, along with three assists and three steals. Taylor Johnson-Matthews led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points, while senior center Morgan Lee added a season-high 12 points. Demeara Hinds scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Mia Moore had a well-rounded performance with nine points, six rebounds, a team-high six assists, and three steals in 45 minutes of play.

Southern California was led by Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson, who scored 31 points.

How the Game Was Decided

The game featured 17 lead changes during regulation and 11 in the fourth quarter alone. With the score tied, Moore appeared to have hit a buzzer-beating and-one shot, but the basket and the foul were overturned upon review, sending the game into overtime.

In the extra period, Clemson initially took a three-point lead, but back-to-back three-pointers from Southern California gave them a 67-64 advantage, which they extended to a final score of 71-67.

Key Statistics

• Clemson is now 7-3 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
• This was Clemson’s first appearance as an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament, resulting in a 0-1 record.
• The Tigers fell to 0-2 all-time in overtime games in the NCAA Tournament, despite finishing the season 2-1 in overtime contests overall.
• Clemson concluded the season with a 14-3 record when wearing their white jerseys.
• Thompson recorded her 11th double-figure scoring game of the season and her second double-double.
• Johnson-Matthews scored in double figures for the 17th time this season.
• Hinds reached double-digit points for the 14th time this season.

Looking Ahead

Season ticket information for the 2026-27 Clemson women’s basketball season is available by calling 1-800-CLEMSON or visiting ClemsonTigers.com/Tickets/. Fans can follow the team on X, Facebook, and Instagram for complete coverage.