The Lady Bisons started with a lead but lost it to Liberty right before halftime eventually costing them the game 70 to 79 on senior day.
“We were expecting to compete,” said head coach Lauren Sumski. “We were expecting to play a little bit smarter in the sense of taking care of the ball, but everything else was about what we expected. I thought our young ladies shot the ball well and played hard.”
Even trailing late in the fourth quarter, the Lady Bisons fought until the end.
Casey Collier fouled out with 1:04 left in the 4th quarter. And the team was fouling back and forth from 1:04 to the end.
“At the end, were just a team that doesn’t quit and just tries to find opportunities,” said Sumski.
The Bisons scored at least 20 in the first, third, and fourth quarters, but only seven in the second quarter. The Liberty Flames gained their lead in the middle of the second quarter and the Bisons didn’t gain their lead back after that.
Carleigh Short was injured during the game and walked off the court.
“I just know she got hurt and walked off the court,” said Sumski. “Carleigh is probably my physically and mentally toughest player so I knew when she walked off the court, she was done. So I’m gonna see what we can do to get her back by this weekend.”
The Lady Bisons finished the regular season with a record of 7-22 (4-12) including this loss and Liberty improves to 17-11 (10-5).
The Lady Bisons will play FGCU in the first round of the ASUN Tournament on March 7.
“We know we’re gonna have a really tough opponent, that we’re gonna see at their place,” said Sumski. “We know the things we have to do to face them and to play a little better than we have. We’re just excited for the opportunity to continue to compete and continue playing. We’re crazy enough to think and believe that we have a chance to go out there and win this thing.”
Gallery courtesy of Riley Hoag.