Liberty finished up a stretch of four games against Power 5 opponents in five days with a tough 56-52 loss to TCU on Sunday in the Hall of Fame Classic.
Liberty rallied from a nine-point deficit with 2:12 to go, scoring seven straight points and actually having a chance to win at the end, but a turnover with a second left spelled the difference.
The loss drops Liberty – which had posted back-to-back double-digit wins over SEC foes Mississippi State and South Carolina after a season-opening loss to Purdue of the Big Ten – to 2-2 on the season.
“We played against a really good TCU team,” Liberty coach Ritchie McKay said. “They deserve a lot of credit. They exposed some of the things we need to work on, so ultimately that is good for us. Overall, though, I am really proud of our group. I thought our effort was sensational. I think we will grow a little bit more from this game.”
Liberty will return to Lynchburg as the team preps for its home opener in the brand new Liberty Arena.
The Flames will face St. Francis (Pa.) on Thursday, Dec. 3. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.