More from Clemson | More from Virginia Tech | Highlights | Postgame Press Conference | Bracket | Box Score | Quotes
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- Aliya Collier came off the bench to score 28 points, including all nine of Clemson's in overtime, and the seventh-seeded Tigers held on to beat No. 10 seed Virginia Tech 80-79 in the second-round matchup of the ACC tournament on Thursday.
Collier made two 3-pointers in scoring eight straight points to give Clemson (20-11) a 79-74 lead with 1:48 left in overtime and her free throw made it a four-point margin with 6.2 seconds left. The Hokies' Taylor Emery, who finished with 35 points for a school ACC tournament record, made a three at the buzzer.
Emery gave the Hokies (19-11) a 71-69 lead with a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left in regulation before Kobi Thornton hit a short jumper to tie it with 10.7 seconds remaining. Emery then had the ball knocked away from her to send the game into OT.
Collier, who averages under 22 minutes and 12 points a game, went 10-of-22 shooting with four 3-pointers in 33 minutes against Virginia Tech while grabbing 10 rebounds.
The largest lead by either team was six points.
Clemson takes on third-ranked and second-seeded Louisville in the quarterfinals.
GAME INFORMATION
Second Round
Score: #7 Clemson 80, #10 Virginia Tech 79 (ot)
Records: Clemson 19-11; Virginia Tech 20-11
Location: Greensboro Coliseum; Greensboro, N.C.
Attendance: N/A
Clemson starters: Thornton, Bennett, Thomas, Edwards, Westbrook
VT Starters: Baptiste, Emery, Sheppard, Mabrey, Magarity
NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS
- Thursday night’s game was the 18th overtime contest in ACC Women’s Tournament history and the first since Pitt’s 82-72 win over North Carolina in the opening round in 2016.
- With her career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, senior Aliyah Collier more than lived up to her billing as one of the ACC’s premier reserve players … Collier, who is has come off the bench in 16 of the 21 games in which she has appeared, is averaging nearly 12 points per contest and leads all ACC reserves with a shade more than 7.5 rebounds per game … Collier ranks third among all ACC guards (starters or reserve) in rebounding average.
- Collier reached her new career high on her game-clinching free throw that put Clemson up 80-76 with six seconds left … She surpassed her previous high of 27 points set against UNC during the 2017 regular season.
- After scoring a game-high 26 points in Wednesday night’s opening-round win over Wake Forest, Virginia Tech’s Taylor Emery topped herself with a career-high 35 on Thursday night. Emery has led the Hokies in scoring in each of the last four games and in six of the last seven.
- Clemson improved to 32-39 all-time in the ACC Tournament and won an ACC Tournament game in the Greensboro Coliseum for the first time since 2014 (the Tigers also defeated Virginia Tech at Conway, S.C., in 2017).
- Virginia Tech slipped to 6-15 all-time in the ACC Tournament.
TEAM LEADERS
Clemson
Points: Aliyah Collier 28
Rebounds: Aliyah Collier 10
Assists: Danielle Edwards 8
Virginia Tech
Points: Taylor Emery 35
Rebounds: Regan Magarity 10
Assists: Regan Magarity 3
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Halftime: Virginia Tech, 35-33
Ties: 12
Lead Changes: 14
Largest Leads: Virginia Tech 4 (1st – 0:46); Clemson 6 (1st -9:08)
Clemson led for: 33:00
VT led for: 6:55
Game was tied for: 4:55
UP NEXT
Clemson advances to face No. 2 Louisville (27-2) in Friday’s 6 p.m. quarterfinal game … The Tigers lost to the Cardinals 76-44 in the regular-season meeting between the teams on Feb. 2.