Liberty Women Splits Road Games Against Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston

Liberty Lady Flames seven-game winning streak came to an end Thursday night in a dramatic 67-66 loss to Louisiana Tech, but the Lady Flames bounced back on Saturday with a dominant 74-54 win over Sam Houston, completing a season sweep of the Bearkats.

Late Surge Sinks Liberty at Louisiana Tech

Box Score

The Lady Flames (15-6, 8-2 CUSA) led by 10 points entering the fourth quarter but struggled to close out the game. Louisiana Tech freshman Paris Bradley took over, scoring 13 of her game-high 19 points in the final period, including the game-winning layup with 2.7 seconds remaining.

Liberty was held to just 26.7 percent shooting in the fourth quarter, while the Lady Techsters (12-9, 5-5 CUSA) shot an impressive 61.9 percent for the game. Despite forcing 24 turnovers, Liberty couldn’t capitalize, converting them into just 14 points.

Asia Boone led the Lady Flames with 14 points and three steals,

while Emmy Stout added 11 points and five rebounds.

Liberty had one last chance to win as Emma Hess attempted a turnaround three-pointer at the buzzer, but it fell short, marking the first time in 100 games that Liberty lost after leading with five minutes remaining.

Liberty Responds with Convincing Win at Sam Houston

Box Score

Two days later, Liberty rebounded in emphatic fashion, never trailing in a 74-54 road win over Sam Houston (10-11, 3-8 CUSA). The Lady Flames dominated defensively, holding the Bearkats to just 31.6 percent shooting while blocking 10 shots.

Pien Steenbergen led Liberty with 15 points, hitting 6-of-7 shots, including three triples.

Bella Smuda followed with 14 points and seven rebounds, contributing three of Liberty’s 10 blocks. The Lady Flames’ bench played a key role, scoring 36 points.

A decisive 19-2 second quarter run helped Liberty take control. Smuda fueled the surge with three baskets, and Boone knocked down two three-pointers, extending the lead to 16 points. Liberty maintained a double-digit cushion for the rest of the game.

Key Takeaways

• Clutch Performances: Bradley’s late-game heroics lifted LA Tech, but Steenbergen stepped up for Liberty at Sam Houston, matching her career-high with 15 points.
• Rebounding Battle: Liberty is now 13-0 this season when outrebounding opponents but was outmatched on the boards in the LA Tech loss.
• Defensive Adjustments: After allowing LA Tech to shoot 61.9 percent—the highest by a Liberty opponent in 26 years—the Lady Flames held Sam Houston to half that mark (31.6 percent).
• Three-Point Shooting: Liberty hit 10 three-pointers in the win over Sam Houston, marking the ninth time this season the team reached double digits from beyond the arc.

With the split, Liberty sits at 16-6 overall and 9-2 in CUSA play. The Lady Flames return home for back-to-back matchups, beginning with New Mexico State on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Liberty Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.