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Full Schedule
Saturday, January 15
Fort Myers, Fla.
4:00 PM

Liberty University

69
at
73

FGCU

No. 23 FGCU Comes Back to Edge Liberty, 73-69 Image

No. 23 FGCU Comes Back to Edge Liberty, 73-69

1/15/2022 7:25:05 PM | Women's Basketball

Liberty led No. 23 FGCU 55-41 with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Saturday afternoon at Alico Arena. The Eagles’ Kierstan Bell then tallied 20 of her 25 points the rest of the way, spearheading a comeback that resulted in a 73-69 FGCU triumph.

Liberty drops to 15-2 overall and 3-1 in the ASUN after seeing its 12-game winning streak halted with its first loss since Nov. 23. The Lady Flames shot 50 percent, put four players in double figures and dominated the paint. But they committed 17 costly turnovers, two of which came in the final 68 seconds.

FGCU’s eighth straight win pushes the Eagles’ record to 15-1 overall and 4-0 in ASUN play, giving them sole possession of first place in the East Division standings. FGCU improved to 9-0 all-time versus the Lady Flames and 116-3 at home against ASUN foes by scoring 24 points off Liberty’s turnovers and making some key plays down the stretch.

Box Score Highlights

Liberty Individuals: Dee Brown – 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists; Priscilla Smeenge – 15 points, 7-11 FG; Bridgette Rettstatt – 11 points, 11 rebounds; Mya Berkman – 10 points, 9 rebounds.

FGCU Individuals: Bell – 25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals; Tishara Morehouse – 11 points, 4 assists; Kerstie Phills – 9 points, 3 rebounds; Kendall Spray – 9 points, 3 rebounds.

Key Team Stats: Liberty (50 percent, 27-of-54) shot better from the field than FGCU (41.8 percent, 23-of-55). However, the Eagles knocked down 10 triples to Liberty’s season-low one. Liberty owned the advantage in rebounding (40-25) and points in the paint (46-26). FGCU shot just 58.6 percent (17-of-29) from the foul line, but went 4-of-4 during the final 18 seconds to seal the win.

Turning Point

Bell put FGCU in front for good when she split a pair of free throws with 1:33 to play, making the score 68-67 in favor of the Eagles.

Liberty turned the ball over twice and missed a three-pointer on its next three possessions. Meanwhile, FGCU closed out the win with 5-of-6 free throw shooting by the tandem of Tyra Cox and Emma List.

Game Summary

First Quarter

  • Liberty led 19-16 at the end of a back-and-forth opening period which featured three lead changes.
  • Berkman paced the Lady Flames with seven points, while the Eagles missed seven of their 12 free throw attempts during the opening stanza.

Second Quarter

  • The Lady Flames outscored FGCU 12-4 over the final five minutes of the opening half, getting six points from Rettstatt. The senior’s close-range hoop just before the halftime buzzer sent Liberty to the locker room with a 41-33 advantage.
  • Liberty tripled up FGCU in points in the paint during the first half (24-8), led by the duo of Rettstatt (10 points, 5 rebounds) and Berkman (7 points, 7 rebounds).

Third Quarter

  • Brown scored eight points during the first 4:30 of the second half, helping the Lady Flames build a pair of 14-point leads (51-37 and 55-41).
  • FGCU answered with an 11-0 burst, featuring nine Bell points. As a result, Liberty’s advantage was whittled to five (57-52) heading to the final period.

Fourth Quarter

  • The final quarter turned out to be Liberty’s lowest-scoring period of the afternoon (12 points) and FGCU’s highest-scoring stanza (21 points).
  • The Lady Flames had as many turnovers (5) as made field goals (5) during the final 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Bell scored 11 of the Eagles’ 21 points.

Notes and Nuggets

  • After missing the first three ASUN games, Smeenge returned to action with a career-high 15 points.
  • Brown matched her career high of 15 points, set during Wednesday’s home win over North Florida.
  • Rettstatt (11 points, 11 rebounds) fashioned her third double-double of the season and the 11th of her career.
  • Berkman scored in double figures for the 12th time this season.
  • Liberty fell to 132-3 when shooting 50 percent or better under Carey Green.
  • Green is 300-56 all-time in conference play, but 0-7 in league matchups with FGCU.
  • The Lady Flames lost for the first time this season after leading at halftime. Liberty had been 14-0 when taking an advantage into the intermission.
  • FGCU was held 11 points below its season scoring average, but the Eagles’ 73 points were the most Liberty has allowed in a game this season.
  • Liberty has now lost 35 straight meetings with Top 25 opponents.
  • The Lady Flames had won 11 consecutive January contests prior to Saturday.
  • Liberty is now 4-11 when facing ASUN opponents in Florida and 38-7 everywhere else.

Up Next

Liberty will be back at home Wednesday, playing host to Jacksonville (9-5, 2-1 ASUN). Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Liberty Arena as the Lady Flames seek their seventh straight win in the head-to-head series with the Dolphins.