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  Thursday, Dec. 21 9:00pm ET
Floyd, Clemson giant killers again
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) -- Two Top-10 opponents in two weeks didn't faze Clemson. But two vacation spots in one week proved a little too much for No. 9 Auburn.

The Tigers (12-1) won the San Juan Shootout over Arizona on Tuesday night, then came to the Grand Strand for the ACC-SEC Challenge. But Clemson (8-2), with 17 second-half points from Chrissy Floyd, left with a 72-61 victory, its seventh straight win and second straight over a Top-10 opponent.

"This is a tired team," Auburn coach Joe Ciampi said. "I take responsibility for that."

Still, Auburn overcame a sluggish start to hold Clemson scoreless for nearly nine minutes of the first half during a 17-2 run.

Clemson's relentless attack, headed by guards Floyd and UConn transfer Marci Glenney wouldn't let Auburn take a break.

Floyd had 17 of her 23 points and Glenney had nine of her 14 points after halftime.

"That's our style of play, getting it out, running the floor and executing," Floyd said. "We're really pushing the ball hard this year."

It was obvious against Auburn, which fell to the Lady Tigers 12 days after Clemson defeated then-No. 3 Duke, 93-75.

"It's a credit to the great bunch of girls we have," said Clemson coach Jim Davis, who missed several days of practice this week for his mother's funeral. "They kept it up without me there."

It didn't look like a big upset was ahead at the Myrtle Beach Convention as Clemson went 8:46 without a point and Auburn turned a 12-point deficit into a 28-25 halftime lead.

But Clemson, powered by Floyd, recovered.

Nuria Forns tied the game at 38-all for Clemson. Andrea Gaines and Floyd had consecutive baskets to extend the lead.

Floyd hit a 3-pointer to put Clemson up 47-43. After Carol Smith answered for Auburn with a 3-pointer, Floyd got fouled on a long-range basket and made the three foul shots.

Auburn finally looked like a team back from the Caribbean as Clemson went on a 13-4 run to take the lead for good.

Auburn was called for three charging fouls during the run and their defenders did not come close to stopping Glenney's driving basket that put Clemson ahead 60-50 with 2:53 to go.

Smith led Auburn with 24 points and Tasha Hamilton had 20. However, Lori Nero, who came in as the team's leading scorer, finished with just a point and missed the three shots she took.

"We had too many offensive fouls and hurt ourselves too much," Ciampi said.

Clemson made 23 of 30 foul shots in the second half to preserve the victory.

Glenney made three timely shots in the second half and had three steals. That was even more important when center Erin Batth, Clemson's leading scorer, struggled going 1-of-11 from the field and finished with seven points.
 


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