WBB Game Day Central: Radford
2/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Day Central Page
Liberty's Women's Basketball Game Notes
Game Time:
2 p.m.
Official Tipoff:
2:05 p.m.
TV Coverage:
American Sports Network
List of Clearances
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Evan Lepler
Color Commentator: Nate Ross
Radio Coverage:
Liberty Flames Sports Network – Radio
WQLU 90.9 FM The Light
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Jamie Hall
Color Commentator: Emily Stotmeister
Today's Game
Riding a season-best six-game winning streak, Liberty (13-8, 10-2 Big South) will host long-time Commonwealth rival Radford (11-10, 7-5 Big South) on Sunday. Tipoff is slated at 2 p.m. for the American Sports Network broadcast inside the Vines Center. The Lady Flames will look to complete a regular-season sweep of the Highlanders.
The "Starting Five" - Liberty's Top Storylines
1) Liberty has won six games in a row and is 10-1 in its last 11 contests, moving into a tie with UNC Asheville for first place in the Big South standings. The Lady Flames have also won five straight home games, 10 consecutive matchups with Radford and 19 straight home matchups versus Big South opponents.
2) Sunday's matinee will be the 65th all-time matchup between Liberty and Radford. The Highlanders are Liberty's most common opponent in program history, and the two teams have combined to win 25 of the 29 Big South Women's Basketball Championship titles.
3) Rebounding will be a key stat to watch on Sunday, as both teams rank among the top 25 rebounding squads in the nation. Radford is the only Big South team which has outrebounded the Lady Flames this season.
4) Speaking of rebounding, Katelyn Adams is averaging 11.4 rpg during the last five games for the Lady Flames and has notched two double-doubles over that span. The Minnesota native has also led Liberty in scoring in each of the last two games.
5) Mickayla Sanders is averaging 18.7 ppg in her last three appearances against Radford, including a season-high 21 points at the Dedmon Center on Jan. 2.
Liberty vs. Radford at a Glance
Series History
Series Record: Liberty leads, 40-24.
Current Streak: Liberty has won 10 consecutive meetings.
Series Record at Liberty: Liberty leads, 21-9.
Current Streak at Liberty: Liberty has won four consecutive meetings.
Last Meeting Overall: Liberty 49, Radford 43 (Jan. 2, 2016 at Radford)
Last Meeting at Liberty: Liberty 75, Radford 39 (Feb. 2, 2015)
Radford's Last Series Victory: Radford 62, Liberty 53 (Jan. 17, 2011 at Liberty)
Radford's Last Series Victory at Liberty: Same
Coaching Matchup
Liberty Head Coach: Carey Green
Overall Record (Seasons): 396-136 (17th Season)
Record at Liberty (Seasons): Same
Record vs. Radford: 33-4
Radford Head Coach: Mike McGuire
Overall Record (Seasons): 35-47 (Third Season)
Record at Radford (Seasons): Same
Record vs. Liberty: 0-5
Notes and Anecdotes
• Mickayla Sanders scored 19 of her season-high 21 points after halftime, leading Liberty to a 49-43 victory at Radford on Jan. 2 in the teams' first matchup this season. The Lady Flames' first win when scoring fewer than 50 points since Dec. 30, 2008 snapped the Highlanders' 13-game home winning streak.
• Despite losing guards Brittany Allen, Jen Falconer and Claudia Quevedo to season-ending ACL injuries, Radford is fifth in the Big South at 7-5. The Highlanders currently have 10 healthy players on the roster.
• The Highlanders are just 3-7 on the road this season but have won three of their last four contests away from the Dedmon Center, including a 49-36 victory at Coastal Carolina on Monday.
• Rebounding has been a key to Radford's success this season. The Highlanders lead the Big South and rank No. 13 nationally with a +10.0 rebound margin. Radford outrebunded the Lady Flames, 37-28, on Jan. 2. Sophomore Janayla White leads the Big South at 10.8 rpg, including a 17.0 rpg average over her last six games.
• Radford is Liberty's most common opponent in program history, as Sunday's game will mark the 65th all-time meeting between the Commonwealth rivals. The Lady Flames have had the upper hand in the series in recent years, winning 10 consecutive matchups and 18 of the last 19.
On This Date
Liberty is 9-3 all-time on Feb. 7, including 6-0 in Big South games. The Lady Flames have won seven consecutive Feb. 7 contests.
Competing Against the Commonwealth
Liberty is 2-1 against in-state opponents this season and is 12-1 in its last 13 games against Commonwealth foes.
Six in a Row
The Lady Flames have won six straight games, marking their longest winning streak of the season. Rebounding and defense have fueled the streak.
• Led by Katelyn Adams' 10.5 rpg, Liberty owns a +15.2 rebound margin during the streak. The Lady Flames' opponents are shooting 33.2 percent from the field.
A Look Back at the Lady Flames' 59-49 Victory at Charleston Southern
• Trailing during the second half for the third consecutive road game, Liberty used stout defense and timely free throw shooting to extend its winning streak to six.
• The Lady Flames held Charleston Southern to 19 second-half points and shot 16-of-22 from the foul line during the final 20 minutes of a 59-49 victory, Monday evening at the Buc Dome.
• CSU led by eight points with 7:01 to play in the third quarter before the Lady Flames posted a 16-1 run. Liberty never trailed again.
• Katelyn Adams paced the Lady Flames in both points (11) and rebounds (12) for her third double-double of the season and the 12th of her career.
• The Buccaneers were undone by 38.1 percent (8-of-21) free throw shooting, including just 23.1 percent (3-of-13) during the second half.
• The Lady Flames were victorious despite shooting just 32.1 percent (17-of-53) from the field and 20 percent (2-of-10) from three-point range. Liberty finished at 74.2 percent (23-of-31) from the free throw line, setting a season high for free throws made.
• Liberty parlayed its size advantage into significant edges in rebounds (51-34), points in the paint (28-16) and second-chance points (19-9).
Comeback Kids
Liberty has won the last three times it has trailed at halftime, improving to 4-8 when trailing at halftime this season.
The Lady Flames have recovered from a deficit of eight points or greater three times in the last five games (versus Coastal Carolina, Longwood and Charleston Southern).
Shaking Things Up
Head Coach Carey Green has used eight different starting lineups during this season's first 20 games. The Lady Flames have eclipsed the number of starting lineups they used during the entire 2014-15 season (7), and 11 different players have started this year.
It's Been a While
• Liberty's 49-43 win at Radford on Jan. 2 marked the first time the Lady Flames have won when scoring fewer than 50 points since a 45-43 win 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.
Lady Flames' Big 3
Liberty's roster features a trio of redshirt seniors standing 6-4 or taller, including 6-6 Catherine Kearney, 6-5 Katelyn Adams and 6-4 Ashley Rininger, who have combined for 2,571 career points and 2,160 rebounds. The Lady Flames are one of nine NCAA Division I women's basketball programs featuring three players who stand 6-4 or taller.
The other eight teams with at least three 6-4 players include Baylor, Duke, Oklahoma, Oregon State, South Carolina, Texas, Utah State and West Virginia.
Winning the Battle of the Boards
Liberty has outrebounded 17 of 21 opponents this season, including eight in a row. The Lady Flames have climbed to No. 23 nationally with a +8.5 rebound margin.
Tradition of Excellence
• Liberty has notched 17 consecutive seasons with 10+ Big South wins, including 2015-16.
Player Trends
#1 Mickayla Sanders
• Averaging 18.7 ppg in her last three appearances against Radford
• Tallied 19 of her season-high 21 points during the second half at Radford on Jan. 2, eclipsing the 500-point mark for her career in the process. She tied her career high with four three-pointers and sealed the win with a free throw with 6.6 seconds remaining.
• 13 of her points at Radford came during the third quarter, marking the most points a Lady Flame has scored in a single quarter.
• Has hit a three-pointer in nine straight games
#2 Candice Leatherwood
• After making one of her first eight three-pointers to start her career, Leatherwood is shooting 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from behind the arc during her last 15 games.
• Hit five-of-six free throws during the final 2:29 of a Jan. 24 victory at Longwood. Leatherwood has attempted more free throws during the final 5:00 of games than any other Lady Flame this season, going 17-of-26 for 65.4 percent in those end-of-game situations.
#3 Sadalia Ellis
• Played a season-high 36 minutes at Radford on Jan. 2, scoring 12 points including a three-pointer with 2:56 remaining which gave Liberty the lead for good
• Has recorded 18 assists and only five turnovers in the last four games
• Only a 24.3 percent three-point shooter for her career, Ellis has made 40 percent (12-of-30) of her triples during the 10 games since Christmas break
#10 Jaymee Fisher-Davis
• Had made just one of her 17 three-point tries during the previous four games, before going 14-for-33 (42.4 percent) during the last eight outings
• Has made multiple three-pointers in 11 of 21 games this season
• Has hit 34 of her last 36 free throw attempts, boosting her career free throw percentage to 88.4
• 76 percent (111 of 146) of her career made field goals have been three-pointers
#21 Mikal Johnson
• Nearing a pair of career milestones, as she is five points shy of 500 and eight three-pointers away from 100
#23 Brooke Alexander
• Averaging 6.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.7 spg since joining the starting lineup, helping Liberty go 6-0 in those games
• Has recorded a 25-to-14 assist-to-turnover ratio over the last nine games
#34 Katelyn Adams
• Led the Lady Flames in scoring for the second straight game, Monday at Charleston Southern, with a season high-tying 11 points. She added a team-best 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season and the 12th of her career.
• Adams has tallied six or more rebounds in 17 of 21 games in 2015-16, including eight 10+-rebound efforts. She leads the team in rebounding and ranks third in the Big South.
#44 Catherine Kearney
• Has hit 25 of her last 27 free throw attempts (92.6 percent), including her last nine in a row
#55 Ashley Rininger
• Has totaled 18 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks in 34 minutes since returning from injury
