Oct. 30—CLEMSON — The nice part about being underrated is every game feels like an ambush.
If you truly believe in what you have, and the other team doesn't, you can catch your opponent off guard every night. Clemson women's basketball had that advantage last season — not anymore.
The Tigers went 21-12 (11-7 ACC) in year two under former Chattanooga head coach and Virginia Tech assistant Shawn Poppie and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, falling out in a 71-67 overtime loss to Southern California in the first round. They picked up a signature win over No. 9 Duke in the regular season. Clemson finished eighth in the ACC after being picked 11th in preseason and was subsequently bumped up to ninth in this year's preseason poll.
Clemson opens the season on Nov. 2 at noon vs. Radford.
"It's a little bit different when people don't fully believe that you're as good as you are, compared to everyone is now talking about, you know, Clemson's a really good basketball team," Poppie said. "You're not surprising anybody, and we're trying to prepare them for that as much as we possibly can."
Clemson might've been picked even higher than ninth if its roster was complete at the time of voting.
The poll was finalized at ACC Tipoff in early October. Poppie has since learned he's getting All-American honorable mention guard Mia Moore back for another season. Moore, who averaged 13 points and just under five assists per game last year, was granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA after she sued the governing body for an extra season.
The decision to grant her extra year was made by the NCAA itself, not a judge.
"She's pretty good. Anytime you can get an All-American back, it helps us," Poppie said. "We tried to build this as best as we could without Mia Moore, but also knowing who could play with Mia Moore."
Poppie's staff put the team at an advantage by not slacking in the portal and assuming Moore would return. She'll be paired in the backcourt with Mackenzie Nelson, a quick, pass-first transfer from Virginia Tech.The two are still figuring out how to play next to each other, especially now that Clemson knows Moore can play, but Poppie is confident the duo can make a big impact this season.
"We got a a veteran back court that's very dynamic, and it really excites me, skill-wise, what they can do, but also just who they are," he said. "We now have veteran leadership inside that locker room that can help through the ebbs and flows as well."
Moore and Nelson will join up with returning single-season 3-point record holder Rusne Augustinaite. The Lithuanian national broke her forearm during the summer but is fully healed and ready to go for the season opener.
Clemson also hoped to bring back Taylor Johnson-Matthews, who'd also been suing the NCAA for an extra season, but she recently suffered a season-ending leg injury. She'll still be on the bench and taking classes this semester.
Poppie's staff also inked a highly ranked recruiting class headlined by preseason All-ACC freshman nominee Kimora Fields. The newcomer class is paired with a crop of transfers led by Nelson and North Carolina flip Taliyah Henderson.
The Tigers' roster features a mix of size and skill as Poppie looks to bring his program up to speed physically with the nation's top teams while still maintaining his offensive philosophy which requires shooting and skill.
"You start to look like everybody else, while we still can play Clemson women's basketball," Poppie said.
Poppie's team began to walk the walk of a national competitor last season. This year is about taking that walk a step further. He'll learn what he has early as the Tigers wade through a non-conference schedule featuring an ACC/SEC Challenge game with Kentucky in Rupp Arena and, of course, an early duel with Dawn Staley's Gamecocks.
"I thought, early on, there's a lot of kids in that locker room that came and it was almost like, well, because we're here, we win. And I want them to think that, but there's a process that goes into it, right?" he said. "I want the expectations to be there, but it with it comes work."
Clemson women's basketball
2025-2026 record: 21-12 (11-7 ACC)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament (lost in first round)
Coach: Shawn Poppie (83-47, fifth season overall, 35-29, third season at Clemson)
Key losses: G Taylor Johnson-Matthews (9.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg); G Rachael Rose (8.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.4 apg); DeMeara Hinds (8.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
Key returnees: G Mia Moore (13.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.7 apg); G Rusne Augustinaite (10.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Top newcomers: G Mackenzie Nelson (Virginia Tech, 8.0 ppg, 5.7 apg); F Kimora Fields (Bradley Central (Tn.), 32.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg)
Key games: Nov. 12 — vs. South Carolina; Nov. 27 — vs. Georgetown (Daytona Beach, Fla.); Dec. 3 — at Kentucky (ACC/SEC Challenge); Jan. 3 — vs. North Carolina; Jan. 24 — at Duke
2026-2027 schedule
November
2 — vs. Radford, noon; 5 — vs. ETSU, 7 p.m.; 8 — vs. UNC Greensboro, 2 p.m.; 12 — vs. South Carolina, 7 p.m.; 15 — vs. Stetson, 5 p.m.; 18 — vs. USC Upstate, 6 p.m.; 20 — vs. UNC Asheville, 5 p.m.; 26 — vs. Robert Morris (Daytona Beach, Fla.), 11 a.m.; 27 — vs. Georgetown (Daytona Beach, Fla.), 2:30 p.m.; 29 — vs. Elon, 2 p.m.
December
3 — at Kentucky (ACC/SEC Challenge), 7 p.m.; 6 — vs. Gardner Webb, 6 p.m.; 13 — at Wake Forest (ACC), 2 p.m.; 15 — vs. Western Carolina, 11 a.m.; 20 — at Louisville (ACC), 5:30 p.m.; 28 — vs. Kennesaw State, 7 p.m.; 31 — vs. Stanford (ACC), 7 p.m.
January
3 — vs. North Carolina (ACC), 2 p.m.; 7 — at Georgia Tech (ACC), 7 p.m.; 14 — at SMU (ACC), 7 p.m.; 17 — vs. Virginia (ACC), 2 p.m.; 21 — vs. Miami (ACC), 7 p.m.; 24 — at Duke (ACC), noon; 28 — at Pitt (ACC), 6 p.m.
February
4 — vs. Virginia Tech (ACC), 6 p.m.; 7 — vs. Notre Dame (ACC), noon; 11 — at Florida State (ACC), 6 p.m.; 14 — at Boston College (ACC), noon; 18 — vs. California (ACC), 8 p.m.; 22 — vs. Syracuse (ACC), 6 p.m.; 25 — vs. Georgia Tech (ACC), 7 p.m.; 28 — at NC State (ACC), noon
March
3-7 — ACC Tournament (Charlotte, N.C.), TBD
Reach Jackson Castellano at jcastellano@postandcourier.com . Follow him on X @jaxacastellano.
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