Thursday, December 19
Cherokee, N.C.
9:30 PM ET
Liberty University
7-4,0-0CUSA
63
vs
71
Toledo
7-2,0-0MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Toledo
20
13
21
17
71
Liberty
17
18
8
20
63
Bella Smuda scored a team-high 11 points on Thursday.
Toledo Tops Liberty in Title Game, 71-63, Behind Big 3rd Quarter
12/20/2024 12:26:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Toledo closed the third quarter on a 21-4 run, taking control of Thursday night's Cherokee Invitational championship game against Liberty. The Rockets went on to post a 71-63 victory, taking home the tournament title trophy from the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Event Center.
One night after defeating Arkansas 75-61 for its first win over an SEC opponent in 26 years, Liberty (7-4) ran out of steam down the stretch as its four-game winning streak was halted. The Lady Flames shot just 34.6 percent (9-of-26) during the second half and were uncharacteristically outrebounded 37-29 for the contest.
Toledo (7-2) won its first-ever matchup with the Lady Flames as Khera Goss (18 points) paced a trio of Rockets in double figures. The victors converted Liberty's 14 turnovers into 22 points and rejected six Lady Flame shot attempts. All seven of Toledo's victories this season have come by single digits.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Bella Smuda – 11 points; Asia Boone – 9 points, 5 rebounds; Elisabeth Aegisdottir – 8 points, 5 rebounds; Emmy Stout – 8 points, 6 rebounds; Emma Hess – 8 points, 2-3 3FG, 2 blocks.
Toledo Individuals: Goss – 18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-6 FT; Kendall Carruthers – 17 points, 8-9 FT; Sammi Mikonowicz – 13 points, 7 rebounds; Hannah Noveroske – 6 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks.
Key Team Stats: Toledo shot better than Liberty from the field (45.1 percent to 42.1 percent), three-point range (31.3 percent to 30.8 percent) and the free throw line (69 percent to 64.7 percent). The Rockets scored 15 second-chance points off 15 offensive boards. Liberty finished with a 20-15 edge in bench points.
Turning Point
Smuda opened the second-half scoring with back-to-back hoops, helping Liberty match its largest lead at 39-33 at the 8:34 mark of the third quarter.
The Rockets then went on their aforementioned 21-4 run, turning the six-point deficit into a 54-43 advantage by the end of the period.
Liberty missed nine of its last 11 shot attempts during the third period and committed five turnovers which led to eight Toledo points.
Game Summary
First Quarter
Liberty will open its 18-game CUSA schedule at Western Kentucky on Jan. 2. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern at E.A. Diddle Arena, and the game will air live on ESPN+.
One night after defeating Arkansas 75-61 for its first win over an SEC opponent in 26 years, Liberty (7-4) ran out of steam down the stretch as its four-game winning streak was halted. The Lady Flames shot just 34.6 percent (9-of-26) during the second half and were uncharacteristically outrebounded 37-29 for the contest.
Toledo (7-2) won its first-ever matchup with the Lady Flames as Khera Goss (18 points) paced a trio of Rockets in double figures. The victors converted Liberty's 14 turnovers into 22 points and rejected six Lady Flame shot attempts. All seven of Toledo's victories this season have come by single digits.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Bella Smuda – 11 points; Asia Boone – 9 points, 5 rebounds; Elisabeth Aegisdottir – 8 points, 5 rebounds; Emmy Stout – 8 points, 6 rebounds; Emma Hess – 8 points, 2-3 3FG, 2 blocks.
Toledo Individuals: Goss – 18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-6 FT; Kendall Carruthers – 17 points, 8-9 FT; Sammi Mikonowicz – 13 points, 7 rebounds; Hannah Noveroske – 6 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks.
Key Team Stats: Toledo shot better than Liberty from the field (45.1 percent to 42.1 percent), three-point range (31.3 percent to 30.8 percent) and the free throw line (69 percent to 64.7 percent). The Rockets scored 15 second-chance points off 15 offensive boards. Liberty finished with a 20-15 edge in bench points.
Turning Point
Smuda opened the second-half scoring with back-to-back hoops, helping Liberty match its largest lead at 39-33 at the 8:34 mark of the third quarter.
The Rockets then went on their aforementioned 21-4 run, turning the six-point deficit into a 54-43 advantage by the end of the period.
Liberty missed nine of its last 11 shot attempts during the third period and committed five turnovers which led to eight Toledo points.
Game Summary
First Quarter
- Toledo emerged from an up-tempo first quarter with a 20-17 edge as seven different Rockets got into the scoring column and they shot 57.1 percent (8-of-14) as a team.
- The second quarter was Liberty's best of the night, as the Lady Flames outscored the Rockets, 18-12, with 14 of their points coming from inside the paint.
- Liberty led by six on two occasions before taking a 35-33 edge into the intermission.
- Toledo outscored Liberty 21-8 for the third quarter as a whole, including 14-2 inside the paint. As a result, the Rockets were on top by 11 (54-43) heading to the final 10 minutes.
- Goss scored five straight points, extending Toledo's advantage to a game-high 15 (59-44) with 7:41 left.
- Liberty did not give up and got back within five twice during the last two minutes. But the Rockets were able to wrap up the title at the foul line, making 12-of-18 attempts in the fourth.
- Smuda (11 points) was the only Lady Flame to score in double figures at both games of the tournament, giving her 60 career double-digit performances. As a result, she was named to the all-tournament team.
- Playing just the third game of her career, Stout scored eight points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds in 12 minutes.
- The Lady Flames fall to 6-4 all-time against MAC opponents.
- Liberty finishes 3-1 in December, giving the Lady Flames a 27-8 record in their last 35 December contests dating back to 2018-19.
- The Lady Flames lost for the first time this season when leading at halftime. Liberty had been 7-0 in that situation prior to Thursday.
Liberty will open its 18-game CUSA schedule at Western Kentucky on Jan. 2. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern at E.A. Diddle Arena, and the game will air live on ESPN+.
Team Stats
UT
Lib
FG%
.451
.421
3FG%
.313
.308
FT%
.690
.647
RB
37
29
TO
16
14
STL
5
5
Game Leaders
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballC
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