Saturday, January 20
Huntsville, Texas
3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM CT
Liberty University
7-13,2-3CUSA
84
at
77
Sam Houston
5-11,0-4CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Liberty
20
21
28
15
84
Sam Houston
16
20
16
25
77
Emma Hess scored a career-high 30 points at Sam Houston on Saturday.
Career Games for Hess, Howard Lead Liberty to 1st CUSA Road Win
1/20/2024 7:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Career-high scoring efforts by Emma Hess (30 points) and Emily Howard (14 points) helped Liberty hold off Sam Houston, 84-77, for its first-ever CUSA road victory, Saturday afternoon at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Liberty (7-13, 2-3 CUSA) matched its highest point total of the season to snap a six-game road losing streak. Hess posted the Lady Flames' first 30-point game since Dec. 6, 2020 (Emily Lytle – 30 points at Memphis).
Sam Houston (5-11, 0-4 CUSA) is still in search of its inaugural CUSA triumph after suffering its eighth consecutive setback. The Bearkats gave up a season-high 48 points in the paint during their first-ever matchup with Liberty
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Hess – 30 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 4-7 3FG; Howard – 14 points, 4 blocks, 5-6 FG; Bella Smuda – 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks; Jordan Hodges – 8 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds.
Sam Houston Individuals: Sydnee Kemp – 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3-7 3FG; Diana Rosenthal – 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals; Raanee Smith – 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals; Shanti Henry – 8 points.
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot well from both the field (35-of-67 for 52.2 percent) and three-point range (5-of-13 for 38.5 percent), overcoming Sam Houston's huge advantage at the foul line. The Bearkats were 26-of-32 for 81.3 percent to Liberty's 9-of-17 for 52.9 percent. Sam Houston edged Liberty in rebounding (43-41), but the Lady Flames recorded all eight of the game's blocked shots and outscored Sam Houston in the paint (48-20) and on second-chance points (19-13).
Turning Point
Kemp's three-pointer with 7:17 to play in the third quarter had Sam Houston within six points (45-39) of the Lady Flames.
Liberty's two leading scorers on the season (Smuda and Hess) then took over, tallying the first 14 points of a 17-4 surge by the visitors which broke the game open.
Jordan Hodges gave the Lady Flames their first 20-point lead (62-42) with a corner triple at the 3:39 mark, punctuating the run.
Game Summary
First Quarter
The Lady Flames will be back at home next Saturday (Jan. 27) for their second matchup with Jacksonville State in 18 days. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Liberty Arena as Liberty seeks a regular-season split with the Gamecocks. The Lady Flames fell 78-63 at Jacksonville State on Jan. 10.
Liberty (7-13, 2-3 CUSA) matched its highest point total of the season to snap a six-game road losing streak. Hess posted the Lady Flames' first 30-point game since Dec. 6, 2020 (Emily Lytle – 30 points at Memphis).
Sam Houston (5-11, 0-4 CUSA) is still in search of its inaugural CUSA triumph after suffering its eighth consecutive setback. The Bearkats gave up a season-high 48 points in the paint during their first-ever matchup with Liberty
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Hess – 30 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 4-7 3FG; Howard – 14 points, 4 blocks, 5-6 FG; Bella Smuda – 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks; Jordan Hodges – 8 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds.
Sam Houston Individuals: Sydnee Kemp – 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3-7 3FG; Diana Rosenthal – 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals; Raanee Smith – 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals; Shanti Henry – 8 points.
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot well from both the field (35-of-67 for 52.2 percent) and three-point range (5-of-13 for 38.5 percent), overcoming Sam Houston's huge advantage at the foul line. The Bearkats were 26-of-32 for 81.3 percent to Liberty's 9-of-17 for 52.9 percent. Sam Houston edged Liberty in rebounding (43-41), but the Lady Flames recorded all eight of the game's blocked shots and outscored Sam Houston in the paint (48-20) and on second-chance points (19-13).
Turning Point
Kemp's three-pointer with 7:17 to play in the third quarter had Sam Houston within six points (45-39) of the Lady Flames.
Liberty's two leading scorers on the season (Smuda and Hess) then took over, tallying the first 14 points of a 17-4 surge by the visitors which broke the game open.
Jordan Hodges gave the Lady Flames their first 20-point lead (62-42) with a corner triple at the 3:39 mark, punctuating the run.
Game Summary
First Quarter
- Hess (nine points, two steals) helped Liberty take a 20-16 lead after the first quarter. The Lady Flames scored nine points off five Sam Houston turnovers.
- The Bearkats kept it close by knocking down four triples (two by Shanti Henry) and doubling up the Lady Flames on the glass, 12-6.
- Liberty made seven straight field goal attempts to take a trio of 12-point leads during the second quarter. The visitors led 39-27 at the 3:04 mark following a beautiful pick and roll from Claudia Acin to Howard.
- But that proved to be the Lady Flames' last hoop of the half as Sam Houston fashioned a 9-2 run to pull within 41-36 at the intermission.
- Hess tallied seven more, finishing off a 16-point first half.
- On the opposite side, Sam Houston scored half of its 20 second-quarter points at the free throw line, shooting 83.3 percent (10-of-12).
- The Lady Flames owned a 69-52 lead after a 12-point period by Hess, giving the junior 28 tallies through three quarters. That figure matched Liberty's team scoring output in the third.
- Liberty still led by 17 (80-63) after Howard's fifth and final made field goal went through the hoop with just 5:25 left in the contest.
- However, the Bearkats made a furious comeback led by Diana Rosenthal's eight points. Her long two-pointer with 13 seconds pulled Sam Houston within six (83-77). But the home team ran out of time and Liberty held on for its first road win in over two months.
Notes and NuggetsMake it a 30 piece for Emma! pic.twitter.com/kbhkZVMI8I
— Liberty Women's Basketball (@LibertyWBB) January 20, 2024
- Hess's 30 points improved upon her previous career high of 28, set at Lipscomb on Jan. 28, 2023. She also moved into Liberty's top 50 career scorers list in the process, finishing the game at No. 49 in program history with 650 career markers.
- With her four triples, Hess moved into seventh place on the Lady Flames' all-time list with 135 career three-pointers.
- Howard's 14 points shattered her previous career high of eight, set during this year's season opener vs. Frostburg State. She also doubled her previous career high for blocked shots with four rejections.
- Fellow center Smuda recorded her 10th double-double of the season and the 12th of her career with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Smuda leapfrogged Catherine Kearney and Sharon Wilkerson to move into 14th place in program history with 627 career boards.
- Smuda blocked two shots, giving her a career-high 51 for the season. She is the first Lady Flame to post consecutive 50-block seasons since current assistant coach Katie (Feenstra) Mattera did so three years in a row (2002-03 through 2004-05).
- Hodges matched her career high of seven assists while committing zero turnovers in 34 minutes at the point guard spot.
- Liberty's 84 points matched the Lady Flames' season high, achieved in their last road win, Nov. 10 at Stephen F. Austin.
- The Lady Flames set season highs for points in the paint (48) and assists (20).
- Liberty improved to 2-1 this season and 150-5 under Carey Green when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
- Saturday marked the Lady Flames' sixth game in Texas this season, and they improved to 2-4 in the Lone Star State.
The Lady Flames will be back at home next Saturday (Jan. 27) for their second matchup with Jacksonville State in 18 days. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Liberty Arena as Liberty seeks a regular-season split with the Gamecocks. The Lady Flames fell 78-63 at Jacksonville State on Jan. 10.
Team Stats
Lib
SHSU
FG%
.522
.328
3FG%
.385
.269
FT%
.529
.813
RB
41
43
TO
11
11
STL
7
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
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