Wednesday, November 27
Phoenix, Ariz.
1:30 PM ET/11:30 AM MT
Liberty University
3-3,0-0CUSA
50
at
79
Grand Canyon
3-2,0-0WAC
1
2
3
4
F
Liberty
12
11
14
13
50
Grand Canyon
21
14
24
20
79
Emily Howard tallied a team-high 10 points at Grand Canyon.
Lady Flames Fall at GCU, 79-50
11/27/2024 4:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PHOENIX, Ariz. – An impressive effort by Trinity San Antonio (21 points, 17 assists, 6 steals) and the Grand Canyon defense led the Antelopes past Liberty, 79-50, Wednesday afternoon at Global Credit Union Arena.
The Lady Flames drop to 3-3 after losing to a WAC opponent for the first time in program history (in seven tries). Liberty committed a season-high 27 turnovers while setting season lows for points (50), three-pointers (3) and three-point field goal percentage (18.8).
Preseason WAC favorite Grand Canyon is now 3-2 after avenging a pair of setbacks to the Lady Flames during the previous three seasons. San Antonio's 17 assists were the most ever by a Liberty opponent and the most by any Division I player this season.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Emily Howard – 10 points; Brooke Moore – 9 points; Emma Hess – 8 points, 5 rebounds.
Other Grand Canyon Individuals: Laura Erikstrup – 19 points, 7 rebounds; Alyssa Durazo-Frescas – 14 points, 4-5 3FG; Tiarra Brown – 11 points.
Key Team Stats: While Liberty struggled at the offensive end (19-of-52 for 36.5 percent from the field), GCU flourished. The Antelopes connected at a 51.7 percent (31-of-60) clip from the floor and 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from beyond the arc. GCU converted Liberty's 27 miscues into 28 points, racking up 19 fast break tallies. The home team owned a slight 32-31 edge on the glass. Liberty did outscore Grand Canyon in bench points, 24-13.
Turning Point
Liberty was competitive early on, and two Emma Hess free throws had the Lady Flames within seven (28-21), 6:00 before halftime.
GCU then outscored the Lady Flames 20-5 over an extended period that lasted into the first three minutes of the third quarter.
San Antonio scored 12 of her points during that prolonged surge which ended with her team now on top by 22 (48-26) and in full control.
Game Summary
First Quarter
The Lady Flames will tip off a three-game homestand at Liberty Arena Saturday at 4 p.m., playing host to NCAA Division III No. 9-ranked Christopher Newport (7-0). The contest will air on ESPN+.
The Lady Flames drop to 3-3 after losing to a WAC opponent for the first time in program history (in seven tries). Liberty committed a season-high 27 turnovers while setting season lows for points (50), three-pointers (3) and three-point field goal percentage (18.8).
Preseason WAC favorite Grand Canyon is now 3-2 after avenging a pair of setbacks to the Lady Flames during the previous three seasons. San Antonio's 17 assists were the most ever by a Liberty opponent and the most by any Division I player this season.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Emily Howard – 10 points; Brooke Moore – 9 points; Emma Hess – 8 points, 5 rebounds.
Other Grand Canyon Individuals: Laura Erikstrup – 19 points, 7 rebounds; Alyssa Durazo-Frescas – 14 points, 4-5 3FG; Tiarra Brown – 11 points.
Key Team Stats: While Liberty struggled at the offensive end (19-of-52 for 36.5 percent from the field), GCU flourished. The Antelopes connected at a 51.7 percent (31-of-60) clip from the floor and 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from beyond the arc. GCU converted Liberty's 27 miscues into 28 points, racking up 19 fast break tallies. The home team owned a slight 32-31 edge on the glass. Liberty did outscore Grand Canyon in bench points, 24-13.
Turning Point
Liberty was competitive early on, and two Emma Hess free throws had the Lady Flames within seven (28-21), 6:00 before halftime.
GCU then outscored the Lady Flames 20-5 over an extended period that lasted into the first three minutes of the third quarter.
San Antonio scored 12 of her points during that prolonged surge which ended with her team now on top by 22 (48-26) and in full control.
Game Summary
First Quarter
- GCU utilized separate runs of 10-0 and 6-0 during the game's first minutes to build a 21-12 advantage.
- Erikstrup scored nine points and San Antonio dished out five assists for the Lopes.
- Hess notched six second-quarter points for the Lady Flames, but the visitors could not overcome 10 turnovers which led to eight GCU points.
- The Antelopes' advantage had reached double digits (35-23) by halftime.
- After misfiring on all four of its three-point tries during the first half, GCU broke the game open by connecting on 6-of-9 from long range in the third quarter.
- Durazo-Frescas hit three of those triples, helping the Lopes extend their lead to 59-37 through 30 minutes of play.
- San Antonio recorded five more assists and a pair of steals as Grand Canyon enjoyed a 20-13 scoring advantage over the final period.
- Howard's team-high 10 points marked her second time in double digits in the last three outings and the third double-figure performance of her career.
- Moore's nine points off the bench were the sophomore's most since tallying 13 points during her collegiate debut against Frostburg State (Nov. 6, 2023).
- Asia Boone's three-pointer was No. 77 of her career, moving her onto Liberty's career top 20 list. She is now tied for 19th place in program history with Emily Frazier and Irene Sloof, just six games into her sophomore season.
- Wednesday marked Liberty's first-ever game played in Arizona, during the Lady Flames' 50th season of women's basketball.
- Liberty has now alternated wins and losses during its first six games of 2024-25.
- The Lady Flames are now 6-1 all-time against WAC opponents, including 1-1 this season. Liberty topped defending WAC champion Cal Baptist 72-44, Nov. 9 at Liberty Arena.
- Prior to Wednesday, the most assists ever recorded by a Liberty opposing player was 15 by LSU's Temeka Johnson during the Sweet 16 round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Flames will tip off a three-game homestand at Liberty Arena Saturday at 4 p.m., playing host to NCAA Division III No. 9-ranked Christopher Newport (7-0). The contest will air on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Lib
GCU
FG%
.365
.517
3FG%
.188
.444
FT%
.750
.750
RB
31
32
TO
27
16
STL
3
13
Game Leaders
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballLiberty Introduces Alexis Sherard As The New Head Coach Of Women's Basketball
Tuesday, September 02
Remembering the Legendary Career of Carey Green
Friday, August 29
Ashley (Rininger) Schut: Faithful Through it All
Thursday, April 03
Coach Green, Emmy Stout & Bella Smuda Talk About The Game Against Kentucky
Friday, March 21