Bearkats fall 89-57 as Flames advance to semifinals behind hot shooting and rebounding edge
Liberty surges past Sam Houston in conference tournament
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Liberty used strong shooting and rebounding to defeat Sam Houston 89-57 Thursday in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Air National Guard Conference USA Championship at Propst Arena inside the Von Braun Center.
The fifth-seeded Flames improved to 18-12 overall and advanced to the semifinal round, while the fourth-seeded Bearkats finished their season at 18-12.
Liberty built control early and stretched its lead to as many as 32 points midway through the third quarter. Sam Houston responded with a brief rally late in the third period that cut the deficit to 20, but the Bearkats were unable to close the gap further in the final quarter…