Notre Dame held off a late charge from Clemson to secure a 67-58 Atlantic Coast Conference victory on Sunday. The Irish, led by head coach Niele Ivey, were without top scorer Hannah Hidalgo due to an ankle injury but still managed to overcome the deficit.
Liatu King stepped up in her absence, scoring 23 points on 10-for-14 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds. King’s performance was a testament to her growth, as she finished with her eighth double-double of the season.
The Irish controlled the tempo of the game, but there were moments when Clemson threatened to tie the score. The Tigers trailed by just three early in the fourth quarter before being shut down by Notre Dame’s defense.
“I thought Liatu did a great job, just being poised the entire game,” Ivey said of King’s performance. “She was tremendous. She’s just getting better and better.”
Notre Dame finished with 43.9% shooting from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, going just 3-for-14. The Irish also forced 18 turnovers but were outscored in the paint, 32-24.
Despite the limitations, Notre Dame’s defense was key to their victory. They blocked eight shots and held Clemson to a 13-for-33 performance on layups.
The win marked a significant moment for the team, with Ivey calling it “a really tough place to play and getting any type of win on the road in the ACC is huge.”
Source: https://notredame.rivals.com/news/liatu-king-lifts-notre-dame-wbb-at-clemson-with-hannah-hidalgo-sidelined