Early exit from first ACC tournament

 

Shay Ijiwoye (center,) Jzaniya Harriel (left) and Kennedy Umeh warm up. (Stanford Athletics)

Playing in the first round of its first-ever ACC tournament, the Stanford women’s basketball team lost to Clemson 63-46 on March 5 in Greensboro, N.C. Thus the team finished with a 16-14 record overall.

At first the game looked promising as the Cardinal got off to an 8-4 start early in the first quarter, but the Tigers rallied and had an 11-10 lead when the buzzer sounded.

In this game attended by more than 6,900, Clemson’s lead expanded from then on, leading to the 17-point Stanford loss.

Clemson surpassed Stanford in nearly every category. Perhaps the worst discrepancy was in 3-point shooting.

Clemson connected on eight of its long-range shots. Stanford saw only three go through the net, accounting for a 15-point difference.

Sophomore guard Chloe Clardy, sophomore forward Courtney Ogden and junior guard Tess Heal each had one trey.

Perhaps the best news that day was that sophomore forward Nunu Agara, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, was finally able to play after missing several games with an injury.

She wasn’t in her usual starting slot, but she entered the game late in the first half and went on to play just over 17 minutes. During that time, she had eight points, second-highest on the team, to go with three rebounds and two steals.

Courtney led the team with 13 points, the only Cardinal in double figures. Clemson had three players in double figures.

Although NCAA tournament teams won’t be announced until 5 p.m. PT March 16 on ESPN, Stanford’s chances look dim.

If it doesn’t make the cut, it will be the first time since 1987 that it was left out.  “That 37-season streak was the second-longest in women’s college basketball,” after Tennessee with 42. Yahoo Sports reported.

Instead, the team might make it to the WNIT or WBIT. The 48 WNIT teams will be announced right after the NCAA tournament announcement.

The WBIT will have a 32-team bracket that also will be announced March 16. It's the second year of the event, according to NCAA.com.

In the post-game press conference, head coach Kate Paye said the team is open to playing in another tournament.