Saturday, March 1
Kennesaw, Ga.
2:00 PM ET
Liberty University
21-6,14-2CUSA
71
at
69
Kennesaw State
11-17,6-11CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Liberty
16
23
15
17
71
Kennesaw St.
12
17
21
19
69
Bella Smuda
Smuda Saves the Day in 71-69 Victory at Kennesaw State
3/1/2025 8:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENNESAW, Ga. – Bella Smuda's contested basket from close range with 0.4 seconds remaining lifted Liberty to a nail-biting 71-69 triumph over Kennesaw State, Saturday afternoon at the KSU Convocation Center.
Liberty (21-6, 14-2 CUSA) led by 16 points late in the first half before the Owls roared back to tie the score three times in the second half. But the Lady Flames hung on for their sixth consecutive win overall and their 13th straight triumph over Kennesaw State.
The Owls fall to 11-17 overall and 6-11 in CUSA action despite getting 47 points from the duo of Prencis Harden (24 points) and Carly Hooks (23). Kennesaw State pushed Liberty to the final buzzer after losing 74-39 in its visit to Lynchburg on Jan. 30.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Asia Boone – 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4-10 3FG; Emma Hess – 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3-6 3FG; Jordan Hodges – 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3-3 3FG; Smuda – 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks.
Kennesaw State Individuals: Harden – 24 points, 4 rebounds; Hooks – 23 points, 4-8 3FG; Keyarah Berry – 10 points, 3 assists, 6-6 FT.
Key Team Stats: Kennesaw State shot better than Liberty from the field (49.0 percent to 38.8 percent), three-point range (45.5 percent to 39.4 percent) and the free throw line (84.2 percent to 54.5 percent). But the Lady Flames were able to win due to getting 18 more field goal attempts and sinking 13 triples. Liberty dominated in rebounding (39-23), converting 19 offensive boards into 19 second-chance points. The Lady Flames also tallied 19 bench points to the Owls' three. The two squads committed 10 turnovers apiece for the contest.
Turning Point
Liberty led 69-64 following Elisabeth Aegisdottir's hoop from the paint with 1:35 remaining before Carly Hooks went to work for the Owls.
She hit her fourth triple of the matinee 12 seconds later, pulling the Owls within two.
Following two missed free throws and two missed field goals by the Lady Flames, Hooks was fouled attempting a three-pointer with six seconds left. Hooks hit two-of-three from the line, leveling things at 69-all and setting the stage for Smuda's heroics.
With only 0.4 seconds remaining, Kennesaw State was unable to attempt a shot on its final possession.
Game Summary
First Quarter
The Lady Flames will return home for their final two regular-season tilts, beginning with a Thursday showdown against CUSA-leading Middle Tennessee (23-6, 15-1 CUSA). The rematch of the 2024 CUSA Championship title game will begin at 7 p.m. inside Liberty Arena and will be televised live on ESPN+.
Liberty (21-6, 14-2 CUSA) led by 16 points late in the first half before the Owls roared back to tie the score three times in the second half. But the Lady Flames hung on for their sixth consecutive win overall and their 13th straight triumph over Kennesaw State.
The Owls fall to 11-17 overall and 6-11 in CUSA action despite getting 47 points from the duo of Prencis Harden (24 points) and Carly Hooks (23). Kennesaw State pushed Liberty to the final buzzer after losing 74-39 in its visit to Lynchburg on Jan. 30.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Asia Boone – 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4-10 3FG; Emma Hess – 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3-6 3FG; Jordan Hodges – 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3-3 3FG; Smuda – 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks.
Kennesaw State Individuals: Harden – 24 points, 4 rebounds; Hooks – 23 points, 4-8 3FG; Keyarah Berry – 10 points, 3 assists, 6-6 FT.
Key Team Stats: Kennesaw State shot better than Liberty from the field (49.0 percent to 38.8 percent), three-point range (45.5 percent to 39.4 percent) and the free throw line (84.2 percent to 54.5 percent). But the Lady Flames were able to win due to getting 18 more field goal attempts and sinking 13 triples. Liberty dominated in rebounding (39-23), converting 19 offensive boards into 19 second-chance points. The Lady Flames also tallied 19 bench points to the Owls' three. The two squads committed 10 turnovers apiece for the contest.
Turning Point
Liberty led 69-64 following Elisabeth Aegisdottir's hoop from the paint with 1:35 remaining before Carly Hooks went to work for the Owls.
She hit her fourth triple of the matinee 12 seconds later, pulling the Owls within two.
Following two missed free throws and two missed field goals by the Lady Flames, Hooks was fouled attempting a three-pointer with six seconds left. Hooks hit two-of-three from the line, leveling things at 69-all and setting the stage for Smuda's heroics.
With only 0.4 seconds remaining, Kennesaw State was unable to attempt a shot on its final possession.
Game Summary
First Quarter
- Asia Boone (8 points) and Jordan Hodges (6) combined for all but two of Liberty's points, as the Lady Flames built a 16-12 advantage through 10 minutes of play.
- Kennesaw State turned the ball over six times during the opening period.
- Liberty scorched the nets for six triples during a 23-point second quarter. Pien Steenbergen's triple made it 39-23, Lady Flames, 1:32 before the intermission.
- Kennesaw State then fashioned a quick 6-0 run, cutting the deficit to 39-29 at the break.
- The Owls continued that momentum into the third period, opening the stanza with a 14-4 surge which included nine straight points from Prencis Harden. Keiara Griffin's two foul shots at the 6:08 mark tied the score at 43-43.
- Emma Hess nailed a triple on Liberty's ensuing possession, and the Lady Flames were able to bounce back and take a 54-50 edge into the fourth.
- Kennesaw State evened things up at 61-61 and 69-69 during the final period but could never get over the hump.
- Liberty grabbed five offensive boards and scored six second-chance points during the fourth, contributing significantly to its sixth victory in eight games decided by 10 points or fewer this season.
- Boone's 19 points marked a season high, and the sophomore's four triples matched her season high.
- Hess's three triples give her seven in two meetings with the Owls this season.
- Hodges went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, finishing 5-of-6 from three-point range during the two-game road swing this week. All four of the point guard's rebounds came at the offensive end.
- Smuda's last-second game winner was the first by a Lady Flame since Dec. 19, 2022, when Jordan Bailey's putback hoop with 0.1 second remaining defeated SIUE.
- Smuda, who has yet to miss a game during her five years at Liberty, tied former teammate Mya Berkman's program record of 154 games played.
- With six rebounds, Smuda passed Megan Frazee for fifth place on Liberty's career rebounding list and tied Ashley Rininger for fourth with 952 career caroms.
- Liberty is now 13-0 all-time against Kennesaw State, including 6-0 at the KSU Convocation Center.
- Saturday marked the ninth out of 13 Liberty-KSU clashes to be decided by 10 points or fewer.
- The Lady Flames close out the regular season with an 8-4 mark in true road games.
The Lady Flames will return home for their final two regular-season tilts, beginning with a Thursday showdown against CUSA-leading Middle Tennessee (23-6, 15-1 CUSA). The rematch of the 2024 CUSA Championship title game will begin at 7 p.m. inside Liberty Arena and will be televised live on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Lib
KennSt
FG%
.388
.490
3FG%
.394
.455
FT%
.545
.842
RB
39
23
TO
10
10
STL
2
5
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's Basketball
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