In a Sunday afternoon energized by Senior Day feelings and a raucous crowd of 3,218 on the sidelines, the Tigers (19-9, 10-6 ACC) narrowly routed No. 9 Duke, 53-51. The win broke the Blue Devils’ undefeated streak in ACC play and presented head coach Shawn Poppie with a historic victory of his career.
The afternoon’s hero was Hannah Kohn, who buried the Blue Devils by hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with just nine seconds left to go. It was a shot that marked a grittier comeback after Clemson trailed by as many as 14 points in the opening half.
The Tigers’ veteran core was refusing to leave a deficit in their last regular-season home game. Clemson seniors, most of whom were seniors now, made more than 40 points, led by forward Demeara Hinds, who made 13 points and eight rebounds. Senior transfer Morgan Lee provided perhaps the most surprising addition. With post players in foul trouble and the team trailing 22-8, Lee took the game into her hands and launched a 3-pointer that set off a 15-4 stretch that pulled Clemson back into the game.
"This was a program-changing win," Poppie said after the victory. "Our seniors stepped up when the lights were brightest."
While Kohn’s ball will appear in the highlight reel, the game actually left the margins. Clemson’s defense recorded 17 turnovers by Duke and neutralized 2025 ACC Rookie of the Year Toby Fournier in the final minutes.
Tigers were also almost dead assured from a distance, shooting a punishing 11-of-12 (91%). Hinds probably did the least of it; her shot, a 43% free-throw shooter in the game, was five of six, including a series of crucial shots in the fourth quarter to keep Clemson within striking distance.
The win is Clemson’s 19th victory of the season, the highest for the program since the 2000-01 campaign. By dismantling the No. 9 squad in the country, the Tigers have probably helped put themselves in the conversation for the NCAA Tournament itself, so they are heading out of the bubble and into what amounts to a solid seed.
The afternoon also marked a celebration of the program’s legacy. Clemson enshrined more than 60 former players and honored the late Barbara Kennedy-Dixon for her induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Tigers won’t have much time left to celebrate. They immediately head west for their final two games of regular season: Thursday, Feb. 26: at California (10:00 PM ET). Sunday, March 1: at Stanford.