WBB Game Day Central: Presbyterian
1/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Day Central Page
Liberty's Women's Basketball Game Notes
Game Time:
2 p.m.
Video Streaming Coverage:
Big South Network
Radio Coverage:
Liberty Flames Sports Network – Radio
WQLU 90.9 FM The Light
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Jamie Hall
Today's Game
Riding a season-best four-game winning streak, Liberty (7-7, 4-1 Big South) will travel to Presbyterian (7-7, 3-2 Big South), Saturday at 2 p.m. The Lady Flames are tied with UNC Asheville for the Big South lead, while PC shares third place with Charleston Southern, one game back.
The "Starting Five" - Liberty's Top Storylines
1) Defense will be the name of the game on Saturday. Liberty is yielding just 51.2 ppg during its four-game winning streak. Meanwhile, PC ranks second in the Big South for scoring defense (57.7 ppg). Eight of the last 11 Liberty-Presbyterian clashes have seen both teams held below 60 points.
2) Liberty's top six scorers this season are juniors and seniors. Conversely, four of PC's five leading scorers are freshmen and sophomores, paced by reigning Big South Freshman of the Week Taylor Petty (13.1 ppg).
3) Saturday will mark the Lady Flames' first game in South Carolina this season. Liberty is 57-7 when playing in the Palmetto State under Carey Green, including 5-1 at the Templeton Center.
4) Catherine Kearney tied her career high with 22 points during Monday's victory over Asheville, marking her third 20-point effort in the last four games. Kearney is averaging 17.0 ppg and 8.8 rpg while shooting 69 percent from the field guring Liberty's four-game winning streak.
5) After missing the season's first eight games with a wrist injury, Mickayla Sanders appears to be back in top form. The junior is averaging 18.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg during the last two games and needs 21 points to become one of Liberty's top 50 career scorers.
Liberty vs. Presbyterian At a Glance
Series History
Series Record: Liberty leads, 13-2.
Current Streak: Liberty has won three consecutive meetings.
Series Record at Presbyterian: Liberty leads, 5-1.
Current Streak at Presbyterian: Liberty won the most recent meeting.
Last Meeting Overall: Liberty 63, Presbyterian 41 (Feb. 14, 2015 at PC)
Last Meeting at Presbyterian: Same
Presbyterian's Last Series Victory: Presbyterian 46, Liberty 43 (Feb. 13, 2014 at PC)
Presbyterian's Last Series Victory at Home: Same
Coaching Matchup
Liberty Head Coach: Carey Green
Overall Record (Seasons): 390-135 (17th Season)
Record at Liberty (Seasons): Same
Record vs. Presbyterian: 13-2
Presbyterian Head Coach: Ronny Fisher
Overall Record (Seasons): 86-138 (Eighth Season)
Record at Presbyterian (Seasons): Same
Record vs. Liberty: 2-12
Notes and Anecdotes
• Presbyterian is tied with Charleston Southern for third place in the Big South standings at 3-2. However, both of PC's conference losses have come at home, including a 64-53 setback against Radford on Monday.
• After starting the season 2-5, the Blue Hose are 5-2 in their last seven games. PC had won three games in a row prior to Monday's setback.
• The youthful Blue Hose feature zero seniors on their roster. They are led by reigning Big South Freshman of the Week Taylor Petty, who leads PC and all conference freshmen with 13.1 ppg. She has hit a conference-best 37 triples this season. Additionally, reigning Big South Freshman of the Year Cortney Storey ranks second in the Big South with 3.9 apg.
• Presbyterian, which has led the Big South in scoring defense for two consecutive seasons, currently ranks second in the conference with 57.7 ppg allowed.
• Eight of the last 11 Liberty-Presbyterian matchups have seen both teams held below the 60-point mark. One exception was the Lady Flames' 63-41 victory in their last visit to Clinton, Feb. 14, 2015.
• Saturday's game will be the Lady Flames' first contest in South Carolina this season. Liberty is 57-7 when playing in the Palmetto State under Carey Green.
On This Date
Liberty is 7-6 all-time on Jan. 9, including 5-2 in Big South games. The Lady Flames have won four straight Jan. 9 contests since a 66-51 loss at Ohio State on Jan. 9, 2005.
Keys to the Streak
Liberty has won a season-high four straight games, despite the fact that leading scorer Ashley Rininger has missed all four contests due to injury. The following are a few keys to the Lady Flames' winning streak.
• Liberty has played strong defense, limiting opponents to 51.2 ppg, 30.7 percent field goal shooting and 19.2 percent from three-point range.
• The Lady Flames have blocked 23 shots during the four victories, including seven apiece by Catherine Kearney and Katelyn Adams.
• Liberty has received increased production from the trio of Kearney (17.0 ppg, 8.8 rpg), Mickayla Sanders (13.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Sadalia Ellis (11.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.3 apg).
• A Lady Flame has scored 20+ points in each of the four victories, including three 20-point games by Kearney and one by Sanders. If a Liberty player scores 20 points on Saturday, it would be the first time since Nov. 20-Dec. 4, 2012 (Devon Brown four times, Tolu Omotola once) that the Lady Flames have featured a 20-point scorer in five straight games.
Shaking Things Up
Head Coach Carey Green has used seven different starting lineups during this season's first 14 games, including a different combination in six of the last nine outings. The Lady Flames have already matched the number of starting lineups they used during the entire 2014-15 season. Ten different players have started this season.
A Look Back at the Lady Flames' 71-53 Victory Over UNC Asheville
• Liberty used a stifling defensive effort, an efficient shooting performance and another big night from Catherine Kearney (career high-equaling 22 points, 9 rebounds) to hand UNC Asheville its first Big South loss, 71-53, Monday evening at the Vines Center.
• Kearney, who recorded her third 20-point game in the last four outings, shot 11-of-12 from the field.
• Averaging a conference-high 74.5 ppg coming into the game, Asheville was held to 14 first-half points and 28.6 percent (20-of-70) field goal shooting on the night.
• Conversely, Liberty set season highs for field goal percentage (58.1 percent, 25-of-43) and three-point field goal percentage (54.5 percent, 6-of-11).
• Liberty led 44-18 during the third quarter before a late Asheville comeback attempt.
• Liberty used its size advantage to outrebound the Big South's top rebounding team (38-33), tally 34 points in the paint and block a season-high 11 shots.
• Mickayla Sanders chipped in 16 points and a career-high nine rebounds, while Sadalia Ellis scored in double digits for the third straight contest (10 points, 4 assists).
It's Been a While
• Liberty's 49-43 win at Radford on Jan. 2 marked the first time the Lady Flames have won a game when scoring fewer than 50 points since a 45-43 triumph at Virginia Tech on Dec. 30, 2008.
• The Lady Flames got off to their worst start through 10 games (3-7) since the 2008-09 team also opened up 3-7. However, that is not necessarily a bad sign, as both Liberty teams to start 3-7 or worse under Carey Green have reached the NCAA Tournament.
• After holding 69 straight opponents below 50 percent field goal shooting, Liberty has allowed three of its last nine foes to make at least half of their field goal attempts.
• The Lady Flames have already been outrebounded more times this season (4) than during the entire 2014-15 campaign (3).
• Liberty's 36-point loss (92-56) to Seton Hall on Dec. 12 was its largest margin of defeat in Vines Center history. The facility opened in 1990.
