Liberty University
4-10, 0-1ASUN
Florida Gulf Coast
10-4, 1-0ASUN
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 8 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 50 |
| FGCU | 17 | 15 | 24 | 12 | 68 |
FGCU Spoils Lady Flames' ASUN Opener 68-50
1/5/2019 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Liberty visited defending conference champion FGCU for the Lady Flames' inaugural ASUN Conference game, Saturday at Alico Arena. The Eagles hit 10 three-pointers and played stifling defense, spoiling Liberty's ASUN debut with a 68-50 decision.
Liberty falls to 4-10 overall and 0-1 in ASUN play after being limited to 14 first-half points and shooting only 35.7 percent (20-of-56) for the contest.
Led by Nasrin Ulel's 21 points and three triples, FGCU is now 10-4 overall and 1-0 to tip off ASUN play. The Eagles, who made 78.3 percent (18-of-23) from the foul line, are now 91-2 all-time at Alico Arena against ASUN opponents.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Bridgette Rettstatt – 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists; Kierra Johnson-Graham – 11 points, 6 rebounds; Emily Lytle – 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4-4 FT.
Other FGCU Individuals: Keri Jewett-Giles – 13 points, 5 rebounds; Destiny Washington – 10 points, 9 rebounds; Lisa Zderadicka – 6 assists.
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot only 16.7 percent (2-of-12) from the three-point line and got to the foul line 10 fewer times than FGCU, finishing at 61.5 percent (8-of-13). The Lady Flames finished with a slim 39-36 rebounding advantage, and their reserves outscored FGCU's bench players 29-14.
Turning Point
FGCU set the tone for the game with a 10-0 run during the first quarter, taking a lead it would never relinquish. The Eagles forced three Liberty turnovers and the Lady Flames missed all four shot attempts during that span, while Nasrin Ulel scored the first five of her 21 points for the Eagles.
Game Summary
First Quarter
• Ashtyn Baker got the Lady Flames on the scoreboard first with a jump shot one minute into the contest. But FGCU's Nasrin Ulel scored five points during the Eagles' ensuing 10-0 run, and the home team led for the remainder of the game.
• Liberty, which trailed 17-8 after 10 minutes of play, shot just 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from the field and 33.3 percent (2-of-6) from the line in the first quarter. Meanwhile, FGCU got to the free throw line nine times, converting seven of them, including a trio of three-point plays.
Second Quarter
• The Lady Flames' offensive struggles continued in the second period, as they made only 18.8 percent (3-of-16) of their field goals for six points. FGCU closed the half with eight straight points, taking a 32-14 halftime lead after Liberty's lowest-scoring half of the season.
• FGCU only hit three field goals during the stanza as well but sank six free throws, finishing the half at 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the charity stripe. Keri Jewett-Giles paced the Eagles with a 13-point first half.
Third Quarter
• After hitting only 3-of-11 three-point tries before halftime, FGCU shot 6-of-11 from long range during the third period, including three triples by Nasrin Ulel.
• The Eagles led by as many as 31 points before taking a 56-29 cushion into the final 10-minute period. Liberty scored more points during the third quarter (15) than they had during the first half (14), making half of their 12 field goal attempts.
Fourth Quarter
• Liberty outscored FGCU 21-12 in the fourth quarter, getting 11 points from Kierra Johnson-Graham. But it was too little, too late for the Lady Flames.
Notes and Nuggets
• Bridgette Rettstatt paced the Lady Flames in points (12), rebounds (8) and assists (3), tying her career high for assists.
• All 11 of Kierra Johnson-Graham's points came in the fourth quarter.
• Ashtyn Baker recorded a steal for the 18th consecutive game.
• Liberty won the rebounding battle for the eighth straight game.
• Liberty had held its last three opponents to 5-of-49 three-point shooting before FGCU went 10-of-30 on Saturday.
• Saturday marked the first time the Lady Flames have ever lost on Jan. 5. Liberty is now 8-1 all-time on this date.
• Liberty fell to 0-3 against teams from Florida (Bethune-Cookman, UCF, FGCU) this season.
Up Next
Liberty will remain in the Sunshine State to face Stetson (5-9, 0-0 ASUN) on Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Edmunds Center in DeLand, Fla., for the second all-time meeting between the Lady Flames and Hatters. Both teams will be seeking their first ASUN win of the season, as Tuesday marks Stetson's conference opener.
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019
Location: DeLand, Fla. (Edmunds Center)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (90.9 FM The Light Lynchburg)
Tipoff: 7 p.m.
