NASSAU, The Bahamas (Interstat) — The Clemson Lady Tigers used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Western Carolina Catamounts, securing a 77-44 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Friday at Imperial Arena.

In a contest that was part of a multi-team event, Clemson improved its season record to 5-2, while Western Carolina fell to 2-6.

The game remained competitive through the first half. Western Carolina’s Ary Dizon, a 6-foot-2 forward from Tampa, Florida, scored an early turnaround jumper off an assist from Ally Hollifield to open the scoring. Clemson responded with a 7-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Rusne Augustinaite, to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Catamounts kept pace, however, ending the first quarter down 17-12 and trailing 34-26 at halftime.

The contest was decisively broken open in the third quarter. Clemson’s offense exploded for 25 points while its defense stifled Western Carolina, holding the Catamounts to just nine points in the period. The Lady Tigers opened the second half on an 11-2 run, with Demeara Hinds scoring on a tip-in and Mia Moore adding a layup to extend the lead. Clemson’s pressure forced multiple Catamount turnovers, which were converted into easy transition baskets, ballooning the lead to 59-35 by the end of the third quarter.

Clemson’s offensive execution was spearheaded by Mia Moore. The 5-foot-6 guard from Alpharetta, Georgia, led all scorers with 18 points, dished out six assists and was a disruptive force on defense. She was complemented by Rachael Rose of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who added 13 points, and Taylor Johnson-Matthews of Cleveland, Ohio, who chipped in 14 points, many from beyond the arc.

For Western Carolina, Dizon was the primary offensive threat, finishing with a team-high 15 points. Ally Hollifield, a 5-foot-7 guard from Shelby, North Carolina, facilitated the offense with a game-high seven assists while scoring 11 points, though she was plagued by turnovers against Clemson’s aggressive defense.

Clemson’s advantages were clear in key statistical categories. The Lady Tigers scored 15 points off Western Carolina turnovers, compared to nine for the Catamounts. Clemson also held a 30-22 edge in points in the paint, with their interior defense, led by blocks from Augustinaite and Morgan Lee, altering numerous Western Carolina shot attempts.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 247 at the neutral-site Imperial Arena. The Lady Tigers will continue their stay in The Bahamas with a game against Michigan State on Sunday. Western Carolina returns home to face South Carolina Upstate next Wednesday.