Liberty thrills in another win, this time against the UTEP Miners. The Flames were able to boast a blowout win, ending the game 86-66. This marks back-to-back wins and also 2 conference wins in a row for the Lady Flames, this extends the Flames record to 8-5 overall on the season which is three games above .500 while also opening conference plays at 2-0.
This is a huge win for Liberty in the future as we now get into more serious conference games that will decide their season. This win shows Liberty has what it takes to compete within Conference USA. Liberty will face a grueling gauntlet ahead, as the rest of the schedule layout is, in fact, Conference USA foes. This is the time the Flames will look to maximize what they have learned and be prepared for what’s ahead because the next few months will be the toughest yet.
Liberty set the tone early in the first quarter, coming out aggressively on both ends and quickly building a lead. The Flames jumped ahead 22-9 after one, forcing UTEP into tough shots and capitalizing on early turnovers. In the second quarter, UTEP found a better rhythm offensively and scored 21 points, but Liberty remained steady and continued to answer whenever UTEP made a push. The Flames went into halftime still holding a comfortable lead and never allowed the momentum to fully swing. Coming out of the break, Liberty stayed locked in during the third quarter, scoring 25 points while keeping pressure on UTEP defensively. The Flames continued to move the ball well and stretch the floor, which helped extend the lead even further. In the fourth quarter, Liberty closed the game out strong, outscoring UTEP once again and maintaining control until the final buzzer, securing the 86-66 win without ever giving up the lead.
Avery Mills led the way for Liberty with 22 points while shooting 7-for-10 from the field and knocking down six three-pointers, giving the Flames a big scoring boost from deep. Claudia Acin had a big night as well, finishing with 20 points and a team-high seven assists, while also helping keep the offense moving throughout the game. Emmy Stout added 16 points and six rebounds, continuing to be a reliable option inside, and Ify Nwaobi also finished in double figures with 11 points while grabbing seven rebounds of her own. Elisabeth Aegisdottir chipped in eight points and five rebounds, while Jakayla Thompson contributed six assists and five rebounds to help fill the stat sheet. As a team, Liberty shot 48.4% from the field and an impressive 50% from three, while totaling 22 assists, showing how balanced the offense was from start to finish.
For the positives, there were a lot for the Flames. Firstly, they were able to have four players who scored in double digits and were able as a team to shoot a high field goal percentage, as well as keeping their three-point percentage high. In this game, the ball was moved around very well with an assist total of 22, which was mentioned before, which goes along with players like Thompson and Acin, who are both leaders of the backcourt. On defense, Liberty was able to force 18 turnovers, which led to 17 converted points. On the offensive side, LU was able to limit its turnovers, which has been a big struggle this season and something Liberty will need to continue improving on. Negatively, Liberty did not have much to look on, as they played a great game to close out the weekend and will look to continue this form moving forward.
Looking ahead to Liberty’s next game, Sam Houston will be the Flames’ opponent, and the Bearkats have been competitive this season with a 7-4 overall record and sitting near the top of Conference USA standings as they continue league play. Sam Houston’s offense features guard Fanta Kone, who averages around 12 points per game and also leads the team in assists and steals, contributing at both ends of the floor. Sam Houston is led by a strong guard group that can score and create plays, while their frontcourt does a good job on the boards and around the basket. They play physical and look to force turnovers, which has helped them stay in games this season. It will be a good test for Liberty as conference play continues, and another important opportunity for the Flames to keep building momentum.
