Shawn Poppie Stands by Clemson’s Confidence After South Carolina’s 65-44 Victory

A closer look at Poppie’s pregame confidence, Clemson’s performance, and Dawn Staley’s response to the rivalry matchup

Clemson head coach Shawn Poppie entered Thursday’s rivalry matchup against South Carolina with confidence in his team’s ability to challenge the nation’s No. 1 program. Although the Tigers ultimately suffered a 65-44 defeat at Littlejohn Coliseum, Poppie made it clear afterward that he had no regrets about expressing his belief in Clemson before the game.

His comments generated considerable discussion among South Carolina supporters, particularly after he openly declared that Clemson believed it could defeat Dawn Staley’s team.

However, the result reinforced South Carolina’s dominance in the in-state series, extending the Gamecocks’ winning streak against Clemson to 16 consecutive games.

Poppie explains why he believed Clemson could win

Before Thursday’s contest, Poppie acknowledged the challenge of facing South Carolina but made it clear that his players were not approaching the matchup with a defeated mentality.

Speaking during Tuesday’s news conference, he expressed confidence in his team’s preparation and ability to compete.

“I think there’s no doubt in that locker room that we think that we can beat them on Thursday,” Poppie said.

That statement quickly attracted attention from the Gamecocks fan base, especially considering South Carolina’s recent success against its in-state opponent.

Following the 65-44 defeat, Poppie was asked about the reaction to his earlier comments. Rather than distancing himself from his statement, the Clemson coach defended the importance of maintaining confidence.

“ What do you want me to say?” Poppie said. “You want me to go in there and say they’re the No. 1 team in the country and just fold? We’re trying to beat them, and so to do that, you better believe that you can beat them.”

Poppie’s explanation reflected his belief that competing against an elite opponent requires confidence, regardless of the difference in program achievements.

South Carolina takes control after halftime

Clemson remained competitive during the opening half, trailing South Carolina 19-14 after the first quarter and 30-21 at halftime.

However, the third quarter proved decisive.

South Carolina outscored Clemson 21-7 in the third period, using its defensive pressure to create separation. The Tigers struggled to establish offensive rhythm, failed to record a field goal in the quarter and scored their seven points exclusively from the free-throw line.

Clemson also committed seven turnovers during that period, matching its field-goal attempts.

Poppie described his team’s third-quarter performance as “unfocused.”

Although Clemson responded with a more competitive fourth quarter, outscoring South Carolina 16-14, much of that production came against the Gamecocks’ reserve players.

South Carolina’s defensive execution ultimately prevented the Tigers from mounting a serious comeback.

The victory improved Dawn Staley’s team to 3-0, while Clemson dropped to 3-1 and recorded a season-high 21 turnovers.

“The margin of error in these games is so little,” Poppie said.

Clemson shows signs of progress despite defeat

Despite the final score, there were some encouraging aspects of Clemson’s performance.

Thursday’s 21-point defeat represented Clemson’s narrowest loss to South Carolina during Poppie’s tenure, which began in 2024. It was also the Tigers’ closest defeat against the Gamecocks since 2018.

That represented an improvement compared with previous meetings in which South Carolina had defeated Clemson by considerably larger margins.

South Carolina entered the contest averaging 92.5 points per game, but Clemson managed to hold the Gamecocks to 65 points.

The Tigers also covered the 29.5-point spread listed by FanDuel before the game.

While those numbers do not change the outcome, they provide some evidence that Clemson was more competitive than the final result might initially suggest.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley acknowledged the challenge Clemson presented.

“It was a very physical basketball game,” Staley said, describing Clemson as a team that’s “really patient offensively” and spreads out defenses with its shooting ability.

Fifth-year forward Chloe Kitts also recognized Clemson’s effort, particularly during the opening half.

“they were out-hustling us, and they were working harder than us. I’ll give it to them: Clemson played a great game.”

Mackenzie Nelson provides an offensive bright spot

Virginia Tech transfer guard Mackenzie Nelson led Clemson with 17 points, providing an important contribution during a difficult offensive performance.

Nelson and Poppie both viewed the first-half showing as evidence of what the Tigers could accomplish when they execute their game plan.

For a program seeking consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, performances against nationally recognized opponents can provide valuable experience.

Clemson finished last season 23-10, earning its second NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002.

Nelson remained confident about the team’s potential despite the setback.

“We know we can fight,” Nelson said. “… There’s going to be ups and downs, but it’s just believing that this team is really freaking good.”

Poppie believes Clemson is building something special

Poppie also revealed that several coaching colleagues supported his decision to publicly express confidence in his players before the rivalry game.

He believes that developing a winning program requires players and coaches to believe in what they are building, even when competing against established national powers.

“Part of us has to believe because we haven’t been there yet, especially with this team,” Poppie said. “Here at Clemson, we believe that we’re building something special. … We’re gonna have a really darn good year.”

His comments suggest that the Tigers are focused on long-term development rather than allowing one defeat against South Carolina to define their season.

Chloe Kitts addresses the rivalry question

One of the most talked-about moments after Thursday’s game came when Kitts was asked whether she considered Clemson a rival.

Her response was brief and direct.

“No, sir,” Kitts said matter-of-factly. “I mean, our football, yeah. But … no.”

The response added another talking point to an already eventful rivalry matchup.

For South Carolina, the victory continued an impressive run under Staley, extending the program’s winning streak against Clemson to 16 games.

For Clemson, the challenge now becomes translating the competitive stretches from Thursday’s performance into consistent results throughout the season.

What this result means going forward

South Carolina demonstrated why its defensive identity remains such an important part of its championship ambitions. Even when its offense experienced inconsistencies, the Gamecocks found ways to control the game.

Clemson, meanwhile, showed that it can compete for stretches against elite opposition, but turnovers, offensive execution and maintaining focus for all four quarters remain important areas to address.

The biggest takeaway: Poppie did not retreat from his confidence in Clemson, but South Carolina once again backed up its national standing with a convincing rivalry victory.

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