KENNESAW, Ga. – Making its 22nd conference tournament title game appearance in 25 years, Sunday at the KSU Convocation Center, No. 1 seed FGCU claimed its eighth ASUN Women’s Basketball Championship title with an 84-62 triumph over the Lady Flames. Lytle averaged 21.0 ppg for the three-game tournament, earning her third consecutive ASUN All-Tournament Team award. Tishara Morehouse (15 points, 5 assists) and Aaliyah Stanley (12 points) joined Bell on the all-tournament team. AdThe all-tournament team was rounded out by the duo of Lipscomb’s Dorie Harrison and North Florida’s Rhetta Moore.

Liberty will represent the ASUN in the 2021 NCAA TournamentROANOKE, Va. – During Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show, it was announced that Liberty would be a 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament. This will mark the Flames’ 5th NCAA Tournament appearance and the second under head coach Ritchie McKay. In 2019, Liberty defeated Mississippi State in the first round before falling to Virginia Tech in the second round, 67-58. The Flames will enter the NCAA Tournament with a 23-5 overall record and an active 12-game win streak. Darius McGhee was named the ASUN Player of the Year, ASUN Tournament MVP and also earned ASUN All-Tournament Team honors along with Chris Parker and Kyle Rode.

Liberty defeats UNA to win its third straight ASUN Tournament ChampionshipJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Top-seeded Liberty defeated No. 5 North Alabama, 79-75 to claim the program’s third consecutive ASUN Tournament Championship. ASUN Player of the Year, Darius McGhee, proved his worth by leading the Flames in scoring with 21 points. However, North Alabama is in year two of a four-year transition to Division I, making them ineligible for postseason play until 2023. However, the Flames still added to the trophy case by defeating North Alabama for the third time this season.

8 seed, Kennesaw State, in the ASUN Quarterfinals, Thursday afternoon at UNF Arena. Liberty’s defense kept them in the ball game, forcing Kennesaw State to commit nine turnovers in the first half. Kennesaw State ended the half shooting 43.5 percent while Liberty struggled, shooting 28.6 percent. Liberty held Kennesaw State scoreless for six minutes as Liberty extended its lead to double digits. Liberty’s defense forced Kennesaw State to commit 15 turnovers, which led to 15 points for Liberty.

1 seed heading into next week’s ASUN with a 20-5 record overall and an 11-2 record in the ASUN. Liberty snaps Bellarmine’s 10-game winning streak as the Knights fall to 13-6 and 10-3 in the ASUN Conference. Liberty shot 72 percent from the field and 66 percent from three-point range led by Darius McGhee scoring 13 points. Key Stats & NotesElijah Cuffee won his 101st career game at Liberty, which is tied for the second most wins in program history. Liberty shot 62 percent from the field and 60 percent from three-point range.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Liberty wrapped up a two-game ASUN series sweep with a hard-fought 79-73 victory at Bellarmine, Sunday afternoon. The Lady Flames shot 78.3 percent (18-of-23) from the foul line, including 10-of-12 during the fourth quarter. Notes and Nuggets• One day after scoring her 1,000th career point, Lytle scored a team-high 17 for the Lady Flames. • Four Lady Flames scored in double figures on Sunday after five Lady Flames reached double digits during Saturday’s game. • The 10-point deficit (21-11) Liberty faced early on was the largest deficit the Lady Flames have overcome during a victory this season.

Emily Lytle became the 18th member of Liberty’s 1,000-point club and was one of the Lady Flames’ five double-digit scorers during the matinee at Freedom Hall. Like the Lady Flames, Bellarmine also shot well from beyond the arc (50 percent, 10-of-20). Second Quarter• The Lady Flames outscored Bellarmine 24-13 during the second period, aided by 4-of-4 shooting from the three-point arc. • Jeffries hit three triples during Bellarmine’s ensuing 12-0 burst, which cut the Lady Flames’ advantage to 51-44. Notes and Nuggets• Lytle became the Lady Flames’ 18th 1,000-point scorer, one game after Baker became the 17th member of the 1,000-point club.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – For the first time in the Liberty-North Florida series, a team has won back-to-back games as the Flames complete the sweep over North Florida, defeating the Ospreys 80-60. The Flames improve to 17-5 and 8-2 in the ASUN Conference while North Florida drops to 7-13 and 5-5 in conference. As Liberty held North Florida on a near four-minute scoring draught, Liberty extended its lead to 18 points (60-42) with 11:52 left in the game. Liberty countered with an 8-0 run to keeping its double-digit lead as North Florida went on a three-minute scoring draught to seal the win. Liberty shot 54 percent while limiting North Florida to 41 percent.

The win bumped the Flames win streak to 11 and proved to be the program’s 16th straight win over an ASUN opponent. The Dolphins saw freshman Khalela Hayes score a game-high 17 points but they dropped their sixth straight game overall. Liberty outrebounded Jacksonville 52-26 leading to 30 second-chance points. Bella Smuda tallied a career-high 15 points and career-high 12 rebounds. Liberty is currently scheduled to play at North Florida Saturday and Sunday, with tipoff slated for 2 p.m. each afternoon at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – With Liberty trailing North Alabama by nine early in the second quarter of Sunday’s series finale at Liberty Arena, Mya Berkman went to work. • Berkman’s 11 rebounds set a new career high and a new Liberty Arena record. Bond had set the previous Liberty Arena mark with her 10 boards for North Alabama on Saturday. The Lady Flames also trailed Lipscomb by nine during a 76-66 overtime victory on Jan. 3 at Liberty Arena. • The home team is now 15-0 at Liberty Arena, including an 8-0 mark for the Liberty men’s basketball team and a 7-0 record for the Lady Flames.

DeLAND, Fla – Liberty bounced back to end in its weekend series at Stetson with an impressive defensive performance and a 68-58 win over the Hatters. Liberty improves to 12-5 this season and 4-2 in the ASUN Conference while Stetson falls to 4-6 and 2-2 in conference. Despite limiting Stetson to shooting 29 percent from the field, the Hatters were able to grab 11 offensive rebounds, giving Stetson four second chance points. Parker led Liberty with four assists. Liberty outscored Stetson 40-24 inside the paint.

Liberty women move to 5-0 in ASUN play with win over North AlabamaLYNCHBURG, Va. – Playing before a national television audience on ESPNU Saturday afternoon at Liberty Arena, Liberty posted an impressive 86-63 triumph over North Alabama. North Alabama (3-9, 2-1 ASUN) suffers its first conference loss of the season. North Alabama Individuals: Jaida Bond – 22 points, 10 rebounds; Jaila Roberts – 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists; Sakyia White – 8 points, 8 rebounds. North Alabama was the last ASUN opponent to defeat Liberty (86-75 on Feb. 8, 2020). Up NextLiberty and North Alabama will wrap up their two-game weekend series Sunday at 2 p.m. inside Liberty Arena.

Four Lady Flames scored in double figures, and Liberty tallied a season high for points in an 88-59 triumph over Lipscomb. The Lady Flames have won four straight contests overall, seven consecutive ASUN Conference games and nine home games in a row. Lipscomb Individuals: Jordan Peete – 12 points; Taylor Clark – 11 points; Jalyn Holcomb – 10 points, 3 assists; Jane Deason – 6 rebounds. Eleven different Lady Flames scored points, as the victors recorded 39 bench points. The home team remains undefeated at Liberty Arena, including a 6-0 record for the Liberty men’s basketball team and a 4-0 mark for the Lady Flames.

Liberty University Head Men’s Basketball Coach Ritchie McKay has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and will miss this week’s games at Lipscomb. He received the positive test result earlier this week and has experienced some mild symptoms. Since learning of the positive test result, Coach McKay has self-isolated himself and he continues to follow all guidelines set forth by the Liberty University medical staff and local health officials. Thoughts and prayers to Coach McKay who has tested positive for COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/QcM2g11SZH — Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB_) December 30, 2020“I have complete faith in our coaching staff to lead our team through my absence,” McKay said. “Throughout our season our players have been great in dealing with these challenging times and I am confident that they will persevere.”

LYNCHBURG, Va. – It proved to be a solid non-conference start for the 8-3 Liberty Flames. But the most important part of the season begins in just a few weeks, where they will have time to prepare for ASUN Conference play to begin on Friday. “I think what has been a blessing in disguise is the depth that we have has allowed us to not play our starters, or our heavy minute guys as much. “That variable may change when league play starts, because the games are significant, you’re positioning for seeding and winning a championship. The last team Liberty saw in 2020 was Lipscomb in the ASUN championship, and that is who they will open up with on Friday Jan. 1 with a 3 p.m. tipoff in Nashville.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty seniors Ashtyn Baker (19 points) and Emily Lytle (16 points) played leading roles in the Lady Flames’ record-breaking 85-60 victory over Carson-Newman, Sunday at Liberty Arena. The Lady Flames more than doubled up the Lady Eagles in bench points, 34-16. Baker’s long-distance triple at the third-quarter buzzer sent the Lady Flames into the final period with a 70-49 lead. • Nenna Lindstrom knocked down the Lady Flames’ record-breaking 13th triple from the right wing with 4:28 to play. Up NextThe Lady Flames will renew an old Big South Conference rivalry Wednesday at 6 p.m. when they visit High Point (2-2, 0-0 Big South).

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty remained undefeated at Liberty Arena, extending its home winning streak to 25 games after the 86-64 win over Bluefield College. Second HalfLiberty locked down defensively to start the second half, forcing Bluefield College to shoot 16 percent in the first five and a half minutes of the half. Bluefield struggled on offense in the second half, shooting just 30 percent (8-26) compared to shooting 54 percent in the first half. Liberty outscored Bluefield College 32-20 inside the paint. For the fourth time this season, Chris Parker had at least five assists in a game, posting six against Bluefield College.