With clutch 3s and dominant defense, Clemson, Virginia and Iowa pull off top-10 upsets over Duke, Louisville and Michigan

The 2025-26 women’s college basketball season will NOT smoothly slide into March. Instead, the second-to-last Sunday of the regular season for Power Four conferences sent a tremor through the top 10, as three top-10 teams were taken down.

Here’s how Clemson, Virginia and No. 13 Iowa earned upsets over No. 9 Duke, No. 8 Louisville and No. 6 Michigan.

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Kohn’s clutch 3 clinches Clemson’s 53-51 comeback win over Duke

Duke’s 17-game winning streak is done, sniped by a spirited Clemson comeback win.

Things began as expected in this one, as the Blue Devils led 20-8 after the first quarter, appearing on their way to win No. 18 in a row and preserving their shot at a perfect ACC season. The Tigers clawed back in the second, only for the Blue Devils to again assert control heading into the fourth.

A never-quit defensive spirit from Clemson, captained by Mia Moore, flipped the script. With just over three minutes remaining, Moore gave the Tigers the lead, swiping a steal, driving to the basket and converting the tough and-1. The Tigers would maintain a slight edge as the time ticked away, only for Riley Nelson to nail a corner 3 for the Blue Devils with 9.3 seconds remaining, putting Duke up by one, 51-50, and seemingly saving them from the upset.

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Yet, plenty of time was left for Clemson to hit an even bigger 3. On the Tigers’ final possession, Moore drove before kicking out to Hannah Kohn at the top of the key. Despite being 0-for-4 from deep, Kohn shot it with confidence and cashed it. 53-51 Tigers.

The upset, however, was not official, as three seconds remained for Duke to rescue themselves. The Blue Devils flubbed the final possession, with Toby Fournier failing to get a shot off. The final play capped a disappointing second half from Fournier, who scored 14 points in the first half but only four points after the break. Turnovers and missed free throws also contributed to Duke’s first loss since Dec. 4.

Moore finished with 11 points and six assists…

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Publish date : 2026-02-23 11:50:00

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