LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty University's Jordan Hodges connected on a clutch 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining, which was followed by a North Carolina A&T turnover as the Liberty Flames held on to defeat the Aggies 56-51 at Liberty Arena Saturday afternoon in non-conference women's basketball play.

A&T junior center Chaniya Clark had 13 points, seven rebounds, and three steals, but the Aggies dropped to 2-5 on the season following their near two-week layoff from competition. The Flames used a 14-6 advantage in points off turnovers in the tightly contested game to improve to 5-3 overall.

The Aggies only shot 34 percent from the field; however, they played their usual tenacious selves defensively. A Jordyn Dorsey jump shot at the end of the third quarter sent the Aggies into the fourth trailing only 43-42. The Flames eventually extended their lead to five, 51-46, with 2:41 to play. Two Maleia Bracone free throws cut the lead to three before Liberty's Bella Smuda scored in the paint to push the advantage back to five.

But Bracone responded with a clutch three of her own to bring the Aggies to within two, 53-51, with 45 seconds remaining. The excitement was short-lived as 15 seconds later, Hodges scored on her 3-pointer before officials whistled Dorsey for an offensive foul to clinch the win. Hodges' big three was her only made shot from beyond the arc. Asia Boone led the Aggies with 14 points.

Liberty led most of the game despite the thrilling finish and the fact its lead never went beyond six points. A&T did take its biggest lead of the game, eight points, on a steal and a 10-footer from Clark, which gave the Aggies a 23-15 lead with 6:08 remaining in the second quarter.

A 14-0 run by the Flames over the final six minutes of the first half erased that lead and gave Liberty a 27-23 halftime lead. The Aggies never led again. Dorsey led the Aggies with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Bracone added nine points and seven rebounds.

A&T returns to action on Sunday, December 15, when they invite one of the country's best mid-major and HBCU programs into Corbett Sports Center in Norfolk State. The Aggies and the Spartans tip at 2 p.m. The Spartans are ranked No. 14 in the latest Collegeinsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.