Liberty upsets UNC Asheville 69-64, faces Radford in finals
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Scottie James grabbed 18 rebounds and scored 14 points, including a go-ahead free throw with 3:34 to play, and fifth-seeded Liberty upset top-seeded UNC-Asheville 69-64 in Friday night's Big South Conference Tournament semifinals.
Lovell Cabbil scored 14 points and made all five of his free throws for the Flames (20-13), who face No. 2 seed Radford in Sunday's championship game.
Liberty rallied from 13 down in the first half and James' free throw amid a 15-0 run tied it at 56. Caleb Homesley hit a 3-pointer in the run and Liberty led 66-56 on Cabbil's free throw with 33 seconds left. The Bulldogs closed to 67-64 on Raekwon Miller's 3, but Cabbill's two free throws iced it and Jonathan Baehre's jumper with three seconds left missed.
The Flames outscored the Bulldogs 28-14 in the paint and held them to 34.6 percent shooting from the field to win 20-plus games in back-to-back seasons for the first time.
Miller and Macio Teague scored 19 points apiece and Ahmad Thomas added 11 for the Bulldogs (21-12).
Game Information
- Referees:
- Tony Chiazza
- Tim Comer
- Michael Luckie
2023-24 Conference USA Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Sam Houston | 13-3 | - | 21-12 |
Louisiana Tech | 12-4 | 1 | 22-10 |
Western Kentucky | 8-8 | 5 | 22-12 |
Liberty | 7-9 | 6 | 18-14 |
UTEP | 7-9 | 6 | 18-16 |
Middle Tennessee | 7-9 | 6 | 14-19 |
New Mexico State | 7-9 | 6 | 13-19 |
Jacksonville State | 6-10 | 7 | 14-18 |
Florida International | 5-11 | 8 | 11-22 |
2023-24 Big South Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
High Point | 13-3 | - | 27-9 |
UNC Asheville | 12-4 | 1 | 22-12 |
Gardner-Webb | 11-5 | 2 | 17-16 |
Winthrop | 8-8 | 5 | 17-15 |
Longwood | 6-10 | 7 | 21-14 |
Presbyterian | 6-10 | 7 | 14-19 |
Charleston Southern | 6-10 | 7 | 10-20 |
Radford | 5-11 | 8 | 16-17 |
South Carolina Upstate | 5-11 | 8 | 10-20 |