In Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday night, freshman sensation Tajianna Roberts delivered an impressive performance, scoring seven out of her 16 points in overtime to help sixth-seeded Louisville secure a narrow 70-68 victory over 11th-seeded Clemson in the second round of the ACC Tournament. This win propels the Cardinals (21-9) into the quarterfinals on Friday, where they will face third-seeded and 11th-ranked Duke. Notably, Louisville emerged victorious against Duke earlier this season with a 70-62 win on February 20. Additionally, this marks the 11th consecutive time that Louisville has reached the tournament quarterfinals.
In addition to Roberts’ remarkable contribution, she also grabbed 10 rebounds to boost the team. Ja’Leah Williams matched Roberts with 16 points and contributed 12 rebounds, adding to Louisville’s offensive prowess. Further support came from Mackenly Randolph, who chipped in 11 points, and Olivia Cochran, who scored 10. The absence of Louisville’s leading scorer and ACC first-teamer Jayda Curry, who missed the game due to a shoulder injury suffered in the regular-season finale against Notre Dame, was notable but didn’t deter the team’s success.
For Clemson (14-17), Hannah Kohn led the charge with 14 points, notably sinking a three-pointer that pushed the game into overtime. Adding to the Tigers’ efforts were Raven Thompson, Mia Moore, and Loyal McQueen with 12 points each. The contest was characterized by its closely contested nature, featuring 11 ties and 12 changes in lead. The decisive lead change occurred with Randolph hitting two crucial free throws with 38.7 seconds left in overtime. Subsequently, Raven Thompson missed a three-point attempt, leading to Roberts securing two more free throws, creating a three-point advantage with just 5.4 seconds to go. After a timeout, McQueen was fouled within the arc and managed to make one of her two free throws, closing out the game’s scoring.
Throughout the electrifying matchup, neither team managed to establish a dominating lead of more than eight points, underscoring the competitiveness of the duel.
