MBB Game Day Central: Winthrop
2/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game Day Central
Complete Game Notes
The Game
The Liberty men's basketball team hits the road, Wednesday, squaring off with Winthrop inside the Eagles' Winthrop Coliseum. The Flames are looking to avoid a 0-11 record in Big South play for the first time in program history after suffering a 74-62 defeat at the hands of Charleston Southern, Saturday. Meanwhile, the Eagles defeated the Buccaneers, Monday, 77-55, victory to move to 7-4 in conference action. Dale Layer's squad will be looking to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Eagles and win inside the Winthrop Coliseum for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. with the contest broadcasted live on the Liberty Flames Sports Network, MASN HD, ESPN3 and the Big South Network.
What to Watch for
- Liberty's seven three-pointers on Saturday were the most by the Flames in conference play, this season. The number is also the most since Liberty knocked down nine treys against Cincinnati Christian on Dec. 28.
- Taking the court as a starter for the first time in his collegiate career on Saturday, freshman point guard Jordan Dembley performed admirably. The floor general concluded the contest with a season-high nine points and four assists.
- Liberty's starting five in its game against Charleston Southern marked the 12th different lineup the Flames have had in 23 games, this season.
- In games played away from the Vines Center, Liberty is averaging 58.5 ppg compared to 70.5 ppg for its opponents. The Flames are shooting 40.9 percent, while opponents are shooting 41.7 percent. Liberty is also committing 19.3 turnovers, and forcing 12.7 per game.
- In its 10 conference games, Liberty is averaging 58.8 ppg and allowing 72.1 ppg. The Flames are shooting 40.7 percent compared to 41.6 percent for their opponents. Rebounding averages are close, as Liberty is grabbing 34.8 boards per game, while opponents are averaging 34.6. The Flames are committing 17.4 turnovers in conference play and forcing 10.8 per game.
- The Flames have shot over 42 percent in the last six contests, but have struggled from beyond the arc. Liberty is shooting 45.9 percent (129-of-281) from the field during the span, but only 30.5 percent (25-of-82) from three-point land.
Notes and Anecdotes
- During Layer's tenure at Queens, the Royals matched up with Winthrop on four occasions, going 2-2 against the Eagles. The first meeting took place on Nov. 24, 1990, as the visiting Royals shocked the Eagles in their season opener in Rock Hill, S.C., 72-64. Winthrop also opened its season at home against Queens during the 1992-93 campaign on Dec. 2, 1992. The Eagles avenged the loss from the previous meeting, besting the Royals, 92-84. The following season, the Royals upset the Eagles once again, earning an 85-77 decision (Dec. 15, 1993). Layer's last meeting with Winthrop while at Queens occurred on Dec. 11, 1994. The Eagles managed to even the series with Queens, edging out the Royals, 73-70.
- Liberty has not been 0-10 in Big South since the 1998-99 season. That year, the Flames finished the conference slate with a 0-10 record. A Liberty loss on Wednesday would make the Flames 0-11 in Big South play for the first time in program history.
- The Flames 10-game skid is its first since the 2001-02 season, when it dropped 10 straight games (Jan.19-Feb. 16, 2002). Liberty has not lost 11 straight since the 1980-81 season, when it finished the year 5-19 and dropped the final 11 games of the season.
News and Notes vs. Charleston Southern - 1/31/15
- The Liberty men's basketball team hosted Charleston Southern Saturday night in the Vines Center, looking to stop a nine-game skid. Despite keeping the contest close, the Buccaneers were guided by Big South leading scorer Saah Nimley, who finished with 18 points en route to the 74-62 final.
- With the defeat, Liberty (6-17, 0-10 Big South) fell to 0-10 for the first time in conference play since the 1998-99 season. Charleston Southern (13-8, 7-3 Big South) is now on a three-game win streak against the Flames.
- Andrew Smith paced Liberty with 14 points, followed by David Andoh, who had 12 tallies. Jordan Dembley received his first career start, finishing with nine points and four assists.
- Along with Nimley, Arlon Harper (14), Will Saunders (13) and Cedrick Bowen (12) rounded out the Buccaneers' double-digit scorers.
- Liberty shot 48.8 percent (21-of-43) from the field including 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from three-point land. Charleston Southern concluded the night on 42.6 percent shooting (23-of-54). While the Buccaneers drained 17 three-pointers against the Flames on Jan. 14 at the Buc Dome, Liberty held Charleston Southern to 22.2 percent (6-of-27) shooting from long distance.
- The Buccaneers capitalized at the foul line, going 22-of-24 from the charity stripe. Charleston Southern also outscored the Flames in the paint, 33-22, and took advantage of points off turnovers, 21-7.
Last time vs. Winthrop – 2/1/15
- The Eagles jumped out to a 16-2 lead early. Despite Liberty cutting the deficit to six in the second half, Winthrop held off the Flames to take the contest, 71-56.
- Liberty shot 42.9 percent, while Winthrop shot 38.6 percent (22-of-57). Liberty went scoreless from three-point land (0-for-10) for the first time since going 0-for-8 in an 84-81 win against High Point (Feb. 1, 2005).
- Andrew Smith and David Andoh led the Flames with 11 points, apiece, while Theo Johnson finished with 10 tallies.
- Winthrop's Keon Moore finished with a game-high 22 points, followed by Keon Johnson with 16 tallies.
