MBB Game Day Central: Gardner-Webb
1/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TV Coverage:
WFFP TV (Lynchburg)
ESPN3
Big South Network
MASN
The Walk Network
• The Walk Network Game Day Distribution List
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Matt Warner
Color Commentator: Paul Nazigian
Radio Coverage:
Liberty Flames Sports Network – Radio
WPLY 98.5/105.9 FM (Lynchburg)
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Alan York
The Game
Liberty looks to remain in the hunt for first place in the Big South Conference as they start a two game homestand at the Vines Center this week with a matchup against Gardner-Webb. It will be one of Liberty's toughest weeks in conference this season as they host Gardner-Webb and Winthrop who have a combined 8-4 record in conference.
Matchup Notes
• This will be the 17th meeting all-time between Liberty and Gardner-Webb.
• Last year Liberty swept the season series, winning by an average of 9.5 points.
• Liberty is 5-1 all-time at the Vines Center against Gardner-Webb.
• While Liberty is tied for first place at 5-1 in the Big South, Gardner-Webb is tied for fourth place at 3-3.
• Head coach Ritchie McKay is 4-1 all-time against Gardner-Webb and 2-0 at the Vines Center.
Quick Notes
• For just the second time in school history, Liberty has won its first four conference road games. In the 2010-11 season the Flames also won its first four road games in the Big South
• Liberty held Radford to a season-low 12 points in the 1st half in its overtime win
• Ryan Kemrite currently sits in a tie for 46th place with 648 career points, three points way from 45th place (Kenny Gunn, 651)
• In the Big South Preseason Coaches' Poll, Liberty was picked to finish second in the conference, while Gardner-Webb was slotted in four place.
• 2016 Big South Coach of the Year Ritchie McKay is in his fourth year as head coach at Liberty.
Series History
Liberty vs. Gardner-Webb Series History (17th All-Time Meeting, Liberty leads 10-6)
Coaching Matchup
Liberty Head Coach: Ritchie McKay
Overall Record: 226-214 (15th season)
Record at Liberty: 61-56 (Fourth season)
Big South Record: 27-15
Gardner-Webb Head Coach: Tim Craft
Overall Record: 64-55 (Fourth Season)
Record at Gardner-Webb: Same
Big South Record: 33-25
Notes and Anecdotes – Gardner-Webb
• It will be a battle of two of the defense's in the Big South as Liberty ranks no. 1 allowing 64.8 points per game while Gardner-Webb is no. 4 at 70.1 points per contest
• Gardner-Webb has scored 75 points or more in four its six conference games and is averaging 73.8 points per game in conference
• During conference play, GWU's LaQuincy Rideau is averaging 15 points per game which is eighth best in the Big South
• During conference games, Gardner-Webb has four players rank in the top-25 in points per game
• Under Coach McKay the past two seasons, Liberty is 15-2 when they hold its opponents to 62 points or fewer
• The Bulldogs shoot 47.8 percent from the field, ranking first in the Big South
Team Talking Points:
• Dating back to last season starting on Jan. 19, 2016 the Flames have posted a record of 13-4 in regular season games in the Big South with a winning percentage of .764
• In Liberty's last two games the Flames have shot 28-32 (87.5%) from the free-throw line with 1:15 left in regulation and overtime
• When Liberty has played on the road in Big South games, they have won by an average of 9.5 points
• In its past three conference games (vs. Campbell, at High Point, at Radford) Liberty has limited its opponents to 58.6 points per game
• The Flames made a season-high 10 consecutive field goals against Campbell
• Since receiving a DNP against Princeton, Lovell Cabbil has averaged 11.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in the last nine games
• Lovell Cabbil scored a career high 21 points against Campbell after surpassing his season high (14) in the first half scoring 15 points
• After being inserted into the starting lineup in the past six games, Lovell Cabbil has averaged 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists
• Ryan Kemrite currently sits in 45th place on Liberty's all-time career scoring list with 648 points
• For the first time this season and the first time since Dec. 3, 2015 at Radford, the Liberty bench was held scoreless after not contributing points against UNC Asheville
• On the season, the Flames currently rank seventh in the Big South and No. 194 in the country (out of 347 teams) in field goal shooting percentage (43.9 percent/422-of-960) moving up 37 spots from Dec. 21
• On the season, the Flames are shooting 4.4 percent better during the second half (first half shooting percentage 41.7/178-of-426; second half shooting percentage 46.1/192-of-416)
• Liberty currently is second in the Big South and ranks No. 49 in the country, averaging 9.05 three-point field goals per game (172-of-467/36.8 percent)
• Liberty currently ranks no. 105 in the country and third in the Big South in three-point field goal percentage (36.8 percent)
• After just nine bench points in the last two games, (0 vs. UNC Asheville, 9 vs. Campbell) Liberty averaged 17.5 points at High Point and Radford
• Liberty outscored PC & CSU' bench 51-37 in the Flames' first two conference games
• The Flames have shot better than 40 percent from three-point range in six of their seven wins (41.4 percent vs. Carin; 43.8 percent vs. UMass Lowell; 53.8 percent vs. Mississippi Valley State; 19.2 percent vs. Central Penn; 46.2 percent at Presbyterian; 53.6 at Charleston Southern)
• In its 10 wins this season, Liberty has shot a combined 46.9 percent from the field (242-of-515)
• In its nine setbacks this year, Liberty has shot a combined 40.6 percent from the floor (181-of-445)
• Liberty is 4-5 on the road this season and has not won a non-conference road game since defeating Western Carolina, 63-62, on Dec. 31, 2012
• Liberty has shot 70 percent or better from the free-throw line 12 times this year and currently ranks second in the Big South in free throw shooting percentage (73.6 percent/254-of-345)
• Liberty currently leads the Big South in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 64.8 points per game
• Liberty has forced 10 or more turnovers in 13 of 19 games this season and ranks fifth in the Big South in turnovers forced (13.8 per game)
