MBB Game Day Central: High Point
2/13/2017 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 for its seventh straight win as they welcome High Point to town. It will be a battle of the top two defenses in the Big South as Liberty is riding a six-game winning streak while the Panthers have won seven of their last nine.
Matchup Notes
• This will be the 39th all-time meeting between Liberty and High Point
• Liberty has swept five opponents in the Big South this season
• Liberty is tied for first place with UNC Asheville with a 12-2 conference record
• Head coach Ritchie McKay is 6-1 all-time against High Point and 3-0 at the Vines Center
• Liberty is 5-5 in the last 10 meetings against High Point
Quick Notes
•Liberty received two votes in the College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. UNC Asheville ranks no. 22 in the poll along with Winthrop at no. 24.
• This past weekend versus GWU and CSU, Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz averaged 20.5 ppg, 6.5 apg and 5.0 rpg.
• Liberty has surpassed last year's win total during conference play with 12 wins. Last year Liberty finished Big South play with a 10-8 record.
• Out of 347 teams, the Flames rank no. 27 in the country in scoring defense (63.6 ppg).
• In the last six games, the Flames have forced 97 turnovers (16.2 per game).
• In conference play, Liberty has had seven games decided by seven points or less with three in the last nine days
• In the Big South Preseason Coaches' Poll, Liberty was picked to finish second in the conference, while Charleston Southern was voted fifth in the conference.
Series History
Liberty vs. High Point History (39th All-Time Meeting, Liberty leads 22-16)
Coaching Matchup
Liberty Head Coach: Ritchie McKay
Overall Record: 234-215 (15th season)
Record at Liberty: 69-57 (Fourth season)
Big South Record: 41-23
Record vs. High Point: 6-1
High Point Head Coach: Scott Cherry
Overall Record: 131-114 (Eighth Season)
Record at High Point: Same
Big South Record: 85-53
Record vs. Liberty: 7-8
Notes and Anecdotes – High Point
• Liberty defeated High Point in North Carolina 62-58 earlier this season
• Miles Bowman Jr. averages 13.8 points per game, which ranks no. 9 in the Big South
• High Point ranks no. 2 in scoring defense allowing 68.3 points per game
• The two teams have not played in an overtime game since Jan. 16, 2013 when HPU defeated Liberty 77-72 in double overtime in North Carolina
• Under Coach McKay the past two seasons, Liberty is 18-3 when they hold its opponents to 62 points or fewer.
Team Talking Points:
• Liberty ranks no. 27 in scoring defense (63.6 ppg) and first in the Big South
• During conference games, Liberty has allowed opponents to a league-best 61.6 points per game
• On road games during conference play, the Flames have averaged 78.3 points per game compared to just 62.1 at home
• In Liberty's five losses at home (VCU, Furman, Princeton, UNC Asheville and Winthrop) each team has sat in first place or has been tied for first place in their conference this season
• Ryan Kemrite moved into sole possession of 35th place on Liberty's all-time career scoring list with 759 points
• Liberty currently is first in the Big South and ranks no. 31 in the country, averaging 9.3 three-point field goals per game (252-of-688/36.6 percent)
• Liberty currently ranks no. 104 in the country and fifth in the Big South in three-point field goal percentage (36.6 percent)
• Liberty has taken its offense on the road, shooting 48.9 percent from the field in conference play but has struggled at home shooting 41.2 percent
• Dating back to last season starting on Jan. 19, 2016 the Flames have posted a record of 19-5 in regular season games in the Big South with a winning percentage of .792
• When Liberty has played on the road in Big South games, they have won by an average of 15.1 points
• The Flames made a season-high 10 consecutive field goals against Campbell on Jan. 7, 2017
• 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. 196 in the country (out of 347 teams) in field goal shooting percentage (44.2 percent/609-1379)
• On the season, the Flames are shooting 6.2 percent better during the second half (first half shooting percentage 40.6/246-of-606; second half shooting percentage 46.5/272-of-585)
• The Flames have shot better than 40 percent from three-point range in 13 of their 17 wins
• In its 17 wins this season, Liberty has shot a combined 46.1 percent from the field (381-of-826)
• In its 10 setbacks this year, Liberty has shot a combined 39.9 percent from the floor (198-of-496)
• Liberty is 7-5 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 17 times this year and currently ranks second in the Big South in free throw shooting percentage (73.5 percent/374-of-509)
• Liberty has forced 10 or more turnovers in 19 of 27 games this season and ranks fourth in the Big South in turnovers forced (14.4 per game)
