The Liberty Flames are headed to the NCAA Tournament.
The Liberty Flames upset regular season men's basketball champion Charleston Southern 87-76 to win the Big South Conference Tournament, before a crowd of 2,532 at The HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina on Saturday.
Liberty was led by John Caleb Sanders with 27 points. The Flames red hot shooting from three-point range was the difference. Liberty hit 9-of-18 from beyond the arc, and pulled away in the second half.
Charleston Southern's top scorer was Saah Nimley with 18 points. The Buccaneers (19-12) have earned a berth in the NIT.
Liberty (15-20) started the season with an 0-8 record. The Flames lost 20 games during the regular season, but peaked at the right time, winning their final five games, including four in the Big South Tournament, to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004.
Meanwhile, Liberty women also won the Big South Tournament title with a 54-45 victory over Longwood. The Lady Flames (27-6) have won 15 league titles in the past 17 seasons.
