GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Playing in its first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference tournament game, Stanford lost 63-46 to Clemson on Wednesday night, ending the Cardinal’s run before it started.
For the 11th-seeded Cardinal (16-14), the upset loss in all likelihood ends their run of 36 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, second only to Tennessee (42 years) in active streaks. It’s their first season under coach Kate Paye, the former guard and assistant to the legendary Tara VanDerveer, who retired last spring.
Stanford won five of its last six regular-season games and was 14-3 at home, but 2-11 on the road and at neutral sites, including 2-7 in the Eastern Time Zone, where most of its ACC road games were played.
Meanwhile, Clemson had won just three of its last 14 games entering the tournament after beating Stanford at home in January.
Courtney Ogden was the only Stanford player in double figures with 13 points. The Cardinal shot just 31%. Nunu Agara, the Cardinal’s leading scorer and rebounder, returned to action after playing just six minutes since an injury suffered Feb. 6 against Notre Dame. She scored eight points in 17 minutes. Stanford’s 46 points were the fewest it has scored this season.
Clemson’s Loyal McQueen scored 17 points, Mia Moore had 14 with four 3s, and Anya Poole added 12 for the Tigers, who shot 44% and made 8 of 17 3-pointers. Stanford made only three on 11 attempts.
Stanford led 6-0 before McQueen scored nine in the first quarter for an 11-10 lead. Anya Poole had eight points in the second quarter when the Tigers outscored Stanford by 16-6 to lead 27-16 at halftime. The Cardinal shot just 23% and had 10 turnovers.
After a first half when neither team made a 3-pointer, Clemson hit five and Stanford three in the third quarter with the Tigers extending an 11-point halftime lead to 18. The Cardinal had cut the lead to seven then Clemson hit four straight from the arc, including Moore’s second and third of the quarter.
Clemson led by as many as 20 in the fourth quarter.
The 14-seed Tigers (14-16) will take on six-seed Louisville in Thursday’s second round.