WBB Game Day: No. 1 seed FGCU
3/13/2021 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Day Links:
Live Video (ESPN+)
Live Audio (LFSN Radio)
Live Stats
Liberty Game Notes
Liberty Women's Basketball Instagram
Liberty Women's Basketball Twitter
Liberty Women's Basketball Facebook
FGCU Women's Basketball Webpage
ASUN Women's Basketball Webpage
Tournament Bracket
Game Time:
Sunday - 2 p.m.
TV Coverage:
ESPN+
Radio Coverage:
Liberty Flames Sports Network - Radio
WQLU 90.9 FM The Light
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Jamie Hall
The Starting 5 - Liberty's Top Storylines
• No. 2 seed Liberty (19-7) will face No. 1 seed FGCU (25-2) in Sunday's ASUN Championship title game, marking the third straight year these same two teams have qualified for the championship tilt.
• FGCU topped first-year ASUN member Liberty 72-49 in the 2019 title game, while the teams' 2020 championship game matchup was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Liberty has qualified for a conference tournament championship game for the fourth straight year and the 22nd time in 25 seasons. The Lady Flames are in search of their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2018.
• The Lady Flames are 0-7 all-time against FGCU, including losses in Fort Myers on March 5 & 6. Liberty will aim for its first win over a Top 25 opponent since 2005, as FGCU currently sits No. 24 (AP)/No. 21 (coaches).
• Two-time ASUN All-Tournament Team member Emily Lytle is averaging a team-high 19.0 ppg during this year's tournament. She knocked down five triples during the semifinals against UNF, helping Liberty break the team single-season record for triples.
Notes and Anecdotes - Liberty vs. FGCU
• Liberty will face a familiar foe in the ASUN championship game. The Lady Flames and FGCU will be meeting for the third time in 10 days, after the Eagles closed out the regular season with a pair of wins at Alico Arena, March 5 & 6.
• FGCU topped Liberty 72-49 in the 2019 championship game, during the Lady Flames' first season of ASUN play. The two teams were slated to square off in the 2020 title game as well, before it was cancelled due to COVID-19.
• The Lady Flames are seeking their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance and their first since 2018, when Liberty won the Big South title. Current seniors Ashtyn Baker and Bridgette Rettstatt were freshmen on that team.
• FGCU is the only ASUN team Liberty has yet to defeat during its three seasons as a conference member. FGCU (2019) is also the only ASUN team which has ever defeated Liberty three times in a season.
• FGCU is ranked No. 21 in the coaches poll and No. 24 in the AP poll. Liberty has lost 33 straight meetings with Top 25 opponents since an 88-79 win over No. 16/16 DePaul on March 22, 2005 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• This will be the first ASUN title game since 2014 (FGCU vs. Stetson) to feature four or more members of that year's first team all-conference squad.
Tournament Tidbits
• Liberty has advanced to the championship game of its conference tournament for the fourth straight year and the 22nd time in the last 25 seasons.
• Liberty is 17-3 all-time in conference tournament finals, including 0-1 in the ASUN. The Lady Flames are 2-1 in the final when playing as the worse seed, including 0-1 in the ASUN.
• Carey Green is 53-6 all-time coaching in conference tournament games, including 6-1 in the ASUN Championship. He is 14-3 coaching in title games, including 0-1 in the ASUN.
• Not counting last year's shared title, Liberty will try to win conference titles in men's and women's basketball during the same season for the first time since 2013 (Big South).
• The No. 2 seed has won two of the last four ASUN Championship titles. Most recently, FGCU won as the No. 2 seed in 2017. Liberty won the Big South Championship title two of the four times it was the No. 2 seed (1997 & 2010).
• The following current Lady Flames have earned all-tournament team honors during their careers: Emily Lytle (2019 & 2020 ASUN) and Ashtyn Baker (2018 Big South).
• Liberty is 6-0 all-time at the KSU Convocation Center, including 4-0 this season. The Lady Flames' first-ever ASUN victory came at this facility, on Jan. 15, 2019.
