Saturday, February 8
Huntsville, Texas
3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM CT
Liberty University
16-6,9-2CUSA
74
at
54
Sam Houston
10-11,3-8CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Liberty
12
22
17
23
74
Sam Houston
9
9
13
23
54
Pien Steenbergen scored a team-high 15 points on Saturday.
Lady Flames Bounce Back with 74-54 Victory at Sam Houston
2/8/2025 6:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Two days after seeing its seven-game winning streak snapped at Louisiana Tech, Liberty returned to form, Saturday at Sam Houston. The Lady Flames led from wire-to-wire in a 74-54 triumph at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum, completing a season sweep of the Bearkats.
Pien Steenbergen (15 points) and Bella Smuda (14) both reached double figures and combined for six of Liberty's (16-6, 9-2 CUSA) 10 blocked shots. The Lady Flames recorded 36 bench points and held Sam Houston to 31.6 percent (18-of-57) from the field while snapping the Bearkats' three-game home winning streak.
Sam Houston falls to 10-11 overall and 3-8 in CUSA play despite getting a game-high 16 points from Fanta Kone and hitting seven three-pointers as a team (five over its season average). The Bearkats are now 0-4 all-time against the Lady Flames, including 0-2 in Huntsville.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Steenbergen – 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 6-7 FG, 3-4 3FG; Smuda – 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 6-7 FG; Asia Boone – 8 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 2-7 3FG; Avery Mills – 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2-3 3FG.
Sam Houston Individuals: Kone – 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 7-9 FT; Whitney Dunn – 13 points, 3 steals, 4-6 3FG; Deborah Ogayemi – 11 points, 7 rebounds; Sydnee Kemp – 8 points, 3 assists, 2-5 3FG.
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot well from both the field (53.7 percent, 29-of-54) and three-point range (41.7 percent, 10-of-24), overcoming a 23-turnover afternoon. The Bearkats got to the foul line more than twice as often as the Lady Flames, 21-9, but made only 11 of their 21 tries for 52.4 percent. Liberty won the rebounding battle (40-30) and dominated the points in the paint category (36-16). But Sam Houston corralled 15 offensive boards, leading to 19 second-chance points.
Turning Point
Aysia Ward-Strong's jump shot 16 seconds into the second quarter cut Liberty's lead to 12-11.
The Lady Flames then broke things open with a 19-2 burst over the next six minutes.
Smuda hit three field goals during the run and Boone knocked down a pair of triples, including one that punctuated the surge and extended the Lady Flames' advantage to 16 points (29-13).
Liberty's lead remained in double figures for the remainder of the contest.
Game Summary
First Quarter
The Lady Flames will return home for their next two contests, beginning with a Thursday clash against New Mexico State (12-11, 5-5 CUSA). Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside Liberty Arena, and the game will be televised on ESPN+.
Pien Steenbergen (15 points) and Bella Smuda (14) both reached double figures and combined for six of Liberty's (16-6, 9-2 CUSA) 10 blocked shots. The Lady Flames recorded 36 bench points and held Sam Houston to 31.6 percent (18-of-57) from the field while snapping the Bearkats' three-game home winning streak.
Sam Houston falls to 10-11 overall and 3-8 in CUSA play despite getting a game-high 16 points from Fanta Kone and hitting seven three-pointers as a team (five over its season average). The Bearkats are now 0-4 all-time against the Lady Flames, including 0-2 in Huntsville.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Steenbergen – 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 6-7 FG, 3-4 3FG; Smuda – 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 6-7 FG; Asia Boone – 8 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 2-7 3FG; Avery Mills – 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2-3 3FG.
Sam Houston Individuals: Kone – 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 7-9 FT; Whitney Dunn – 13 points, 3 steals, 4-6 3FG; Deborah Ogayemi – 11 points, 7 rebounds; Sydnee Kemp – 8 points, 3 assists, 2-5 3FG.
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot well from both the field (53.7 percent, 29-of-54) and three-point range (41.7 percent, 10-of-24), overcoming a 23-turnover afternoon. The Bearkats got to the foul line more than twice as often as the Lady Flames, 21-9, but made only 11 of their 21 tries for 52.4 percent. Liberty won the rebounding battle (40-30) and dominated the points in the paint category (36-16). But Sam Houston corralled 15 offensive boards, leading to 19 second-chance points.
Turning Point
Aysia Ward-Strong's jump shot 16 seconds into the second quarter cut Liberty's lead to 12-11.
The Lady Flames then broke things open with a 19-2 burst over the next six minutes.
Smuda hit three field goals during the run and Boone knocked down a pair of triples, including one that punctuated the surge and extended the Lady Flames' advantage to 16 points (29-13).
Liberty's lead remained in double figures for the remainder of the contest.
Game Summary
First Quarter
- Liberty led 12-9 following 10 minutes of play despite shooting 27.8 percent (5-of-18) and committing nine turnovers.
- Sam Houston wasn't any better, making 18.2 percent (2-of-11) of its attempts and turning the ball over eight times.
- The Lady Flames found their way at the offensive end during a 22-point second quarter, shooting 75 percent (9-of-12) from the floor and knocking down four triples.
- Boone led the way with eight points, three assists and two steals, helping Liberty extend its advantage to 16 points (34-18) at the intermission.
- Liberty added four more points to its lead during the third period as six different Lady Flames scored points and the visitors blocked four Sam Houston shot attempts.
- Liberty was on top 51-31 heading to the final period.
- The Bearkats knocked down four triples during a 23-point fourth quarter.
- But the Lady Flames matched their 23-point output with all but two of the tallies coming from reserves.
- Liberty's 20-point margin of victory marked its largest in a CUSA road game during two seasons of conference membership.
- Steenbergen became the seventh different player to lead Liberty in scoring this season, matching her career high of 15 points. Her three blocked shots were the redshirt sophomore's most this season.
- Smuda scored in double digits for the fourth game in a row and the 15th time this season.
- Boone knocked down multiple three-pointers (2) for the eighth consecutive game, moving to within one triple of Daina Staugaitiene for 10th place on Liberty's career list. The sophomore has hit 105 three-pointers in 56 career games.
- Liberty has now won each of its last 10 games following a loss over the last two seasons.
- One game after allowing its highest opponent field goal percentage (61.9) in 26 years, the Lady Flames held Sam Houston to approximately half of that mark (31.6 percent).
- The Lady Flames moved to 6-1 this season and 160-6 under Carey Green when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
- Liberty is now 13-0 this season when outrebounding its opponent.
- Liberty hit 10+ three-pointers for the ninth time this year.
- The Lady Flames matched their season high with 10 blocked shots.
The Lady Flames will return home for their next two contests, beginning with a Thursday clash against New Mexico State (12-11, 5-5 CUSA). Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside Liberty Arena, and the game will be televised on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Lib
SHSU
FG%
.537
.316
3FG%
.417
.467
FT%
.667
.524
RB
40
30
TO
23
17
STL
5
12
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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