WBB Game Day: Stephen F. Austin

Game Day Coverage

Liberty Storylines

Liberty (1-0) will tip off a two-game Texas swing Friday with its first-ever matchup against Stephen F. Austin (1-0).
The Lady Flames are 3-0 all-time versus WAC opponents. This is the first of Liberty's two meetings with WAC foes this season. The Lady Flames will also host WAC preseason favorite Grand Canyon on Dec. 20.
Beginning his 25th season at Liberty, Head Coach Carey Green made history during Monday's 68-46 season-opening win over Frostburg State. His 548th victory made Green the winningest coach in Liberty Athletics history (in any sport).
Liberty's top two returnees from 2022-23 both played well on Monday, as Emma Hess scored a game-high 21 points and Bella Smuda (10 points, career-high 13 rebounds) posted her third career double-double in her first career start.
All 12 Lady Flames in uniform scored points during Monday's triumph, including Brooke Moore who totaled 13 points in her collegiate debut. It was the most points by a Liberty freshman in her first collegiate game since the 2011-12 season (Reagan Miller - 17 points at UNCG).

Notes and Anecdotes

Stephen F. Austin is the first of nine first-time opponents on Liberty's 2023-24 schedule. The list also includes Texas, Gonzaga and CUSA opponents FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston and UTEP.
This will be the first of the Lady Flames' two contests which are part of a scheduling agreement between Conference USA and the WAC. Liberty will also host WAC preseason favorite Grand Canyon on Dec. 20.
Liberty and Stephen F. Austin both appeared in the Postseason WNIT last season. SFA advanced to the second round, while the Lady Flames were eliminated in the first round.
Both teams will be facing their first Division I opponent of the season on Friday after recording comfortable home wins over non-Division I foes on Monday (Liberty vs. Frostburg State and SFA vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State).
Both head coaches recorded memorable wins on Monday, as Carey Green became the winningest coach in Liberty Athletics history (any sport) with his 548th victory and SFA's Leonard Bishop picked up his first career win.
The Lady Flames and Ladyjacks have both been regular fixtures in postseason play. Liberty has made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances (last in 2018), while SFA has qualified for 18 NCAA Tournaments (last in 2022).

Fast Start on Monday

Freshman Brooke Moore scored 13 points during Monday's 68-46 season-opening win over Frostburg State, the most by a Liberty freshman making her collegiate debut since the 2011-12 season (Reagan Miller - 17 points at UNCG).
Bella Smuda (10 points, career-high 13 rebounds) became the first Lady Flame to record a double-double in the season opener since 2018-19 (KK Barbour - 12 points, 13 boards at Bethune-Cookman).
Emma Hess tallied a game-high 21 points, the most by a Lady Flame in the first contest of a season since 2020-21 (Emily Lytle - 21 points at Ohio).

Liberty vs. the WAC

Liberty is 3-0 all-time versus WAC opponents, including 1-0 vs. Grand Canyon, 1-0 vs. Kansas City and 1-0 vs. UTRGV.
The Lady Flames posted a 68-44 win at Kansas City at the Roo Holiday Classic on Dec. 21, 2019. They then recorded back-to-back wins over WAC foes at the South Padre Island Classic on Dec. 17-18, 2021, defeating Grand Canyon 76-61 and topping tournament host UTRGV by a 54-32 count.
Liberty has never hosted a WAC opponent in Lynchburg, but the Lady Flames will do so on Dec. 20 when Grand Canyon travels to Liberty Arena.
Two of the three times the Lady Flames have faced a WAC opponent, the Liberty football team has won a bowl game that same day. The Flames won the Cure Bowl on Dec. 21, 2019 and the LendingTree Bowl on Dec. 18, 2021.

Schedule