Liberty’s Furious Comeback Falls Just Short Against No. 4 Seed Kentucky

For a moment, it looked like Liberty might pull off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament history.

Trailing by 17 early in the fourth quarter, the 13th-seeded Lady Flames mounted a dramatic comeback that had No. 4 seed Kentucky scrambling to hold on. Liberty cut the deficit to a single point three times down the stretch, including the final score of 79-78, but ran out of time in their bid to complete a stunning rally Friday afternoon at Historic Memorial Coliseum.

The near miss capped an emotional return to the NCAA Tournament for Liberty, which was celebrating the 20th anniversary of its historic Sweet 16 run in 2005. Though the program did not notch its first tournament win since that magical season, the Lady Flames delivered their closest finish in 20 tournament appearances — a game that brought their 11-game winning streak and remarkable season to a close at 26-7.

Box Score

Freshman Emmy Stout led Liberty with 20 points, including eight in the final period as the Lady Flames outscored Kentucky 28-15 in the fourth. She was one of four players in double figures and became the first true freshman in program history to post a 20-point game in NCAA Tournament play.

Senior Emma Hess added 17 points and seven rebounds in her 100th career start, knocking down three triples to finish her career with 224 — just three shy of the school record.

Center Bella Smuda delivered a dominant performance in her final game, recording 14 points and 12 rebounds, giving her the eighth double-double of the season and the 28th of her career. She also became just the fourth Lady Flame to surpass 1,000 career rebounds.

Jordan Hodges closed her college career with 13 points, while Liberty’s bench continued its season-long strength with a 28-2 edge in reserve scoring. The Lady Flames shot 46 percent from the field and made seven three-pointers, matching a program record for an NCAA Tournament game. They also controlled the paint (40-24) and dominated the glass (41-32), turning 18 offensive boards into 23 second-chance points.

It was former Virginia Tech star Georgia Amoore’s brilliance that proved the difference. The Kentucky guard poured in 34 points, handed out eight assists, and hit six three-pointers. Her late layup and clutch free throws in the final seconds were enough to send the Wildcats (23-7) into Sunday’s second-round matchup with Kansas State which K-State won in overtime.

Back in early October, Liberty’s Associate Athletic Director Robert Goodman offered a modest forecast: “I believe this season our women’s basketball team should be pretty good.”

Truer words were never spoken. Though the loss stings, Liberty’s effort on the national stage was a powerful statement. The Lady Flames matched Kentucky punch for punch in the closing minutes, nearly pulling off a historic win. As they walk away from the tournament, they do so with pride — and a foundation built for more memorable March moments ahead.