It was expected, but it is always good to get the first win of the season right from the jump. Shawn Poppie's Clemson Tigers handled the visiting Radford Highlanders on Monday afternoon to improve to 1-0 on the season, 68-47. After being all tied up at 21 apiece at halftime, the Tigers pounced on Radford by outscoring the Highlanders in the second half 41-20 to secure the 21-point home win.
Clemson entered this season coming off its first NCAA Tournament in seven years with a decent amount of fanfare. The Tigers even received a vote in the Preseason AP Top 25 Poll. Poppie has this team believing in itself, as he is quickly establishing a winning culture three years into his Clemson run, coming over from Chattanooga. It all starts by finding ways to win when it is not always easy.
Clemson was able to win this game because it took better care of the basketball (eight turnovers to Radford's 18) and shot better from the field (43 percent to 37 percent) and from distance (30 percent to 21 percent). Rebounding was about the same for both teams, while Radford did a far better job at the charity stripe than did Clemson (100 percent to only 62 percent). Regardless, a win is still a win!
FINAL: Clemson 68 | Radford 47
— Grayson Mann (@gray_mann21) November 2, 2026
Clemson outscored Radford 41-20 in the second half to get past the Highlanders for the first win of the 2026 season.
Clemson finishes off Radford with some strong second-half defense
Leading the way for Clemson scoring was Mackenzie Nelson with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Taliyah Henderson was not far off her pace with 15 points and a game-high six rebounds. Holland Harris played an efficient 19 minutes of action, scoring 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 3-of-4 from long range, coming off the Clemson bench. All three players played a part in Clemson's second half.
Whether it was the 12-point lead the Tigers took into the fourth quarter, or the additional 19 points they scored in the final frame, it all came down to defense in the end. Clemson held Radford to only 20 points in the second half. The Highlanders only scored 10 points in the final two quarters. While they only had 12 in the first and 15 in the second, the notable defensive adjustment had been made.
As for what comes next for the Tigers, they will host the East Tennessee State Buccaneers on Thursday, Nov. 5, followed by another home game versus the UNC Greensboro Spartans on Sunday, Nov. 8. After that, they will host arch rival South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday, Nov. 12, making that their first Power Five opponent of the season. Clemson will not go on the road in a month.
While beating Radford by a margin may not move the needle whatsoever, Poppie should be proud of the way his team battled back against some unexpected early-season adversity. These are the type of games that Clemson needs to have if it has serious aspirations of getting back into the NCAA Tournament. Frankly, any learning lesson you can get between now and conference play is optimal.
Clemson will host East Tennessee State on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET, looking to get to 2-0.
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