Liberty Lady Flames Headed for March Madness

53-48 Win Over Middle Tennessee Sends Lady Flames to Lexington to Face Kentucky in NCAA 1st Round Friday

After splitting their first two matchups in lopsided fashion, Liberty and Middle Tennessee met for a third time in a much closer defensive battle.

With both teams shooting around 30%, Liberty leaned on a 42-30 rebounding advantage, a flawless 10-for-10 performance at the free-throw line, and clutch late-game heroics from Emma Hess to secure the victory. The Lady Flames withstood Middle Tennessee’s seven blocked shots and six steals, maintaining an early first-half lead that stretched to 11 points in the third quarter before narrowing to three in the fourth—but never surrendering it.

Hess led Liberty with 14 points, including eight in the final quarter and the team's last five of the game. Bella Smuda, named Tournament MVP, contributed a double-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks, while Asia Boone (All-Tournament Team) added 11 points, hitting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.

Box Score

Next Up: Kentucky Wildcats

C-USA champion Liberty makes its first NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship appearance since 2018. As the No. 13 seed in the Spokane Region (Region 4), the Lady Flames will face No. 4 seed and host Kentucky Wildcats in the first round.

Game Details:
🕛 Tip-off: Friday at Noon
📺 Broadcast: ESPN