Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – Liberty University defeated North Carolina A&T, 72-58, in the opening game of the Hokie Hardwood Classic on Monday evening at Cassell Coliseum.
The Flames improved to 4-7 with the win and will take on the winner of the Virginia Tech-Lafayette contest on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the tournament’s title game. The Aggies fell to 5-4 with the loss and will play the loser of Tech-Lafayette in the consolation game at 5 p.m.
The contest was tied as late at the 11-minute mark of the second half when the teams were knotted at 44, but a personal foul and a technical foul on the Aggies proved to be the turning point of the game. Liberty’s Megan Frazee hit four consecutive free-throw attempts following the A&T miscue, and the Flames went on to double up the Aggies, 28-14, over the remainder of the game.
Frazee scored 18 of those 28 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and wound up with a game-high 23 points for the game. Rachel Hammond added 13 for the victors, who collected 51 rebounds to the Aggies’ 31.
Amber Bland paced A&T with 14 points and six rebounds, while Ta’wuana Cook added 13 and 5.