LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On the strength of what was perhaps its best offensive performance of the season, the Bellarmine University women's basketball team conjured up a major upset bid against Liberty on Sunday in Freedom Hall.

The Knights couldn't quite take down the Lady Flames, who are second in the ASUN and managed to pull out a 79-73 victory in a conference contest that went down to the wire.

"I was really proud of our effort and what we did today," Knights Coach Chancellor Dugan said. "They're the No. 2 team in the league, and we played right there with them even as undersized as we are."

Bellarmine (4-13, 4-8 ASUN) and Liberty (14-5, 10-2) both impressed offensively. The Knights posted season highs in field-goal percentage (45.0), 3-point percentage (53.8, 7-for-13) and field goals made (27) while recording their second-highest point total. In addition, Bellarmine was rock solid from the free-throw line (12-of-16, 75 percent).

Senior guards and team captains Breia Torrens and Tasia Jeffries tallied 16 points apiece for Bellarmine while senior forward Lauren Deel added 12 and six rebounds. Junior forward Sheniqua Coatney barely missed a double-double with 12 rebounds and nine points while adding three blocks, sophomore guard Ashlee Harris scored nine points off the bench and junior guard Kathleen Scott distributed six assists and collected three steals.

"I thought we played great basketball today," Dugan said. "We looked for each other, we hit shots, we did some things we hadn't been doing in a game yet that we'd seen in practice."

Liberty was also efficient offensively, shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 78.3 percent (18-of-23) from the charity stripe. Bella Smuda was a force off the bench, converting 8-of-9 shots in scoring 16 points. Emily Lytle led the Lady Flames with 17, Bridgette Rettstatt tallied 11 and Mya Berkman had 10 and eight rebounds.

Just as it did Saturday, Bellarmine got off to a strong start, even leading by 10 in the first quarter. The Knights fell behind 7-0 at the outset, but they quickly recovered and rattled off a 12-0 run that seemed to set the tone for what would be a competitive, back-and-forth affair that saw 10 lead changes and six ties.

Bellarmine led 22-20 after the first quarter, Liberty held a 46-42 halftime advantage and the Lady Flames carried a 60-56 edge into the final period. Once there, Liberty built a nine-point lead with about four minutes left, but the Knights countered with a 7-1 run in a little over a minute that was bookended by baskets by Coatney.

With a little under a minute left, Coatney spotted Deel underneath for a bucket that cut Bellarmine's deficit to 75-73. The Knights followed by forcing a turnover, but they missed on an ensuing drive to the basket that would have tied it up. Dee Brown then sank a pair of free throws to extend Liberty's lead to 77-73 with 18 seconds left.

After a timeout, Bellarmine missed a 3-point attempt with 10 seconds left and Liberty corralled the rebound to essentially seal up the win.

"We really went to battle in the second half," Dugan said.

Bellarmine will play Saturday and Sunday at North Alabama.

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