BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Campbell women's basketball team fell 77-56 on Thursday to Liberty at Gore Arena/John W. Pope, Jr. Convocation Center. Sophomore guard Kiera Gaines (Mechanicsville, Va.) totaled a team-best 13 points, while senior guard Tonisha Baker (High Point, N.C.) contributed 11 for the Lady Camels.
Campbell dropped to 13-8 overall and 5-5 in Big South play, while Liberty improved its mark to 16-6 on the season and 8-2 in league play.
It was a new beginning for Campbell as juniors Heather Beadle (Austin, Texas) Jessica Moore (Jacksboro, Tenn.) and Juli Osborne (Kingsport, Tenn.), sophomore Casey Elliott (Wilson, N.C.) and freshman RaeChaun Edwards (Spring Grove, Va.) earned spots in the starting lineup against the Flames.
Osborne paced the group that provided a nine-point spark to begin the contest with eight points followed by Moore and Edwards with five.
Campbell was unable to find its shooting rhythm during the game, finishing 17-of-53 from the field (32.1 pct.), but the Lady Camels did see success from behind the arc making 4-of-10 attempts. The Flames on the other made shots at a 47.5 pct. rate including seven three pointers.
Leading the team with six rebounds was Gaines, but Liberty controlled the boards with a total of 51 to hold a decisive rebound advantage. Despite having a large margin on the glass, the Flames had just 21 second-chance points, while the Lady Camels registered 16 points on just 12 opportunities.
Campbell was aggressive defensively and forced 23 turnovers that created 23 points in transition. Both teams totaled 10 steals.
The Lady Camels began the game strong with a new starting five as Osborne made two jumpers and Gaines drilled a three-point field goal to take a 9-5 lead. Each team went on a three-basket run as Campbell maintained a 14-11 advantage with 11:40 to go in the frame.
Liberty used a 19-7 run to take a 30-21 lead with 3:16 remaining as Frazier and Brown connected on back-to-back threes to highlight the scoring.
A five-point stretch by Campbell sparked by a made layup and free throw by Baker brought the deficit to four, 30-26, at 2:34. The Flames closed the half by scoring the final seven points to post a 37-26 advantage at the break.
Each team forced 12 turnovers, but the difference was that Liberty shot 48.4 pct. from the field and made four three pointers. Campbell was just 10-of-27 from the floor, making just two of five attempts from beyond the arc.
The hot-shooting Flames began the second half with an 18-4 run to increase their advantage to 21 points, 55-32 with 12:55 left. Liberty cruised to the 78-56 victory from there.
The Lady Camels return to the court on Saturday for a contest that will be aired on ESPN3 at 1 p.m. against Longwood.
