Liberty Flames at UNC Asheville Bulldogs
· NCAA Men's Basketball
45 - 63
Thomas scores 31, UNC-Asheville remains tied atop Big South
UNC-Asheville (23-8, 15-3) tied for first place in the Big South with Winthrop and, thanks to Gardner Webb's two-point defeat of High Point, will host a quarterfinal on March 2. Liberty (19-12, 14-4) fell out of a first-place tie into third and also was denied its first 20-win regular season since 2008-09. Both teams get a bye into the quarterfinals.
Liberty closed to within 42-40 with just under nine minutes left when Myo Baxter-Bell sank two free throws. Within two minutes, however, the Bulldogs led by 10 after MaCio Teague's two free throws and six points from Thomas on a 3-pointer and a 3-point play. Liberty went scoreless for a critical four minutes.
UNC-Asheville shot 51 percent from the floor (24-47) and made 10 3-pointers while Liberty shot 30 percent and was just 3 of 24 from long range.
Baxter-Bell led the Flames with 18 points. Hot shooters in previous games were shut down: Ryan Kemrite five points on 2-for-7 shooting, Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz five points, 1-for-6, and Lovell Cabbil five points, 1-for-9.
How can I watch Liberty vs. UNC Asheville?
Statistics
 LIB |
 UNCA |
|
|---|---|---|
| 16-53 | FG | 24-47 |
| 30 | Field Goal % | 51 |
| 3-24 | 3PT | 7-19 |
| 13 | Three Point % | 37 |
| 10-12 | FT | 8-10 |
| 83 | Free Throw % | 80 |
| 26 | Rebounds | 36 |
| 5 | Offensive Rebounds | 3 |
| 21 | Defensive Rebounds | 33 |
| 8 | Assists | 15 |
| 8 | Steals | 4 |
| 2 | Blocks | 4 |
| 9 | Turnovers | 13 |
| 0 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 9 | Total Turnovers | 13 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Points Off Turnovers | 0 |
| 0 | Fast Break Points | 0 |
| 0 | Points in Paint | 0 |
| 10 | Fouls | 11 |
Game Information
Location: Asheville, NC
Capacity:
2025-26 Conference USA Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 17-3 | - | 26-8 |
| Sam Houston | 13-7 | 4 | 22-12 |
| Louisiana Tech | 11-9 | 6 | 20-14 |
| Western Kentucky | 11-9 | 6 | 18-14 |
| Middle Tennessee | 11-9 | 6 | 17-15 |
| Kennesaw State | 10-10 | 7 | 21-14 |
| Jacksonville State | 10-10 | 7 | 15-17 |
| New Mexico State | 8-12 | 9 | 16-16 |
| Missouri State | 8-12 | 9 | 16-18 |
| Florida International | 8-12 | 9 | 15-17 |
| UTEP | 7-13 | 8 | 11-20 |
| Delaware | 6-14 | 11 | 10-21 |
2025-26 Big South Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Point | 15-1 | - | 31-5 |
| Winthrop | 13-3 | 2 | 23-11 |
| Radford | 9-7 | 6 | 16-16 |
| Longwood | 8-8 | 7 | 16-16 |
| UNC Asheville | 8-8 | 7 | 15-17 |
| Presbyterian | 7-9 | 8 | 15-18 |
| Charleston Southern | 6-10 | 9 | 15-17 |
| South Carolina Upstate | 5-11 | 10 | 13-19 |
| Gardner-Webb | 1-15 | 14 | 4-29 |