After weekend wins, basketball teams headed to championships

Liberty University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams earned big wins at home on Saturday, setting themselves up for the Big South Conference Championships.

The Lady Flames cruised to a 76-44 victory against Gardner-Webb in the matinee game, clinching the Big South Conference regular-season title and the No. 1 seed for the Big South Women’s Basketball Championship. Liberty will return to action Monday at 7 p.m., when the Lady Flames welcome UNC Asheville to the Vines Center. Liberty will try to complete a regular-season sweep of the Bulldogs, after notching a 78-56 victory at Kimmel Arena on Jan. 28.

Saturday was Senior Day for the team, as they honored the duo of Danika Dale and Avery Warley prior to tipoff. Both players fared well on Saturday. Warley led all players in both points (18) and rebounds (15), while Dale chipped in seven points and nine boards.

On Saturday night, the men’s basketball team beat Campbell 49-41, earning the No. 5 seed in the 2012 Advance Auto Parts Big South Men’s Basketball Championship.

Saturday was also Senior Night for the men’s team. Fans honored John Brown, Tanner Hoyt, David Minaya and Jesse Sanders before sending them out for one last victory at home.

The Flames will meet No. 4 Charleston Southern on Wednesday at 8 p.m. inside UNC Asheville’s Kimmel Arena in Asheville, N.C. The quarterfinals contest will air live on the Liberty Channel and will be streamed on the Big South Network.

• Read full game coverage and follow the teams’ progress in the championships at www.libertyflames.com