Dontavia Waggoner extended her arms as Mia Moore closed in on the basket. Moore ran through Waggoner, missing her shot attempt, and joining Waggoner on the floor.
The Boston College women’s basketball bench roared as Moore was assessed an offensive foul. Waggoner’s fearlessness had earned a stop and possession for the Eagles.
Then, with four seconds remaining in the second quarter, Teya Sidberry posted up in the middle of the paint and elevated to bank in a one-handed shot.
Sidberry’s post move sent her team into the half up by 11 points, and the work of five BC (13–11, 4–7 Atlantic Coast) scorers in double digits catalyzed a run-away 94–65 victory over Clemson (11–11, 4–7).
“That’s always exciting,” BC head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. “You know, we’re definitely a team that—we talk about it all the time, passing up good shots for great shots—and sometimes we struggle with that. But today, I thought it was really good.”
Kaylah Ivey and T’yana Todd generated the Eagles’ behind-the-arc success. Ivey, true on 3 of 8 attempts from deep, dealt eight assists and committed no turnovers while Todd heated up with a 16-point second half—her most prolific moment being back-to-back threes within a 24-second span.
The Eagles finished over 40 percent from three—six percent better than their season average.
Much of BC’s success can be attributed to aggressively attacking the basket. Waggoner drew the attention of three Clemson defenders, still mustering a shot attempt—she earned four trips to the free throw line.
The most potent attack was Sidberry’s jump hook. Time after time, Sidberry separated herself from the defender and elevated shots toward the basket. The junior forward went 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to complete a 20-point night.
“My teammates, you have to help in on them ’cause you know they’re gonna score if you don’t do that,” Sidberry said. “So then it opens it up for me.”
Andrea Daley drew Clemson into early foul trouble and capitalized on BC’s time in the bonus by attacking the rim. Daley finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds on 5 of 7 shooting.
Clemson’s Tessa Miller tested the Eagles’ defense, though, earning three and-1 opportunities while going 7 of 10 from the field for 19 points.
Miller recorded three offensive rebounds but was bested by Waggoner, who grabbed five offensive boards and nine rebounds in total.
BC held Clemson scoreless for the first 3:45 of the second quarter and the last 3:52 of the third quarter, leading them to its second-largest margin of victory in ACC play.
“I thought we were really focused on our switches,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “We were playing some man-to-man, and everybody had their hands up. I think when they’re focused and they play five together as one on that end of the floor, usually good things happen, and we rebounded very well in both of those stints.”
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