WBB Game Day: North Alabama
2/10/2023 9:00:02 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Day Links:
Live Video (ESPN+)
Live Audio (LFSN Radio)
Liberty Women’s Basketball Instagram
Liberty Women’s Basketball Twitter
Liberty Women’s Basketball Facebook
North Alabama Women’s Basketball Webpage
ASUN Women’s Basketball Webpage
Game Time:
Saturday – 6 p.m. Eastern
TV Coverage:
ESPN+
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Benjamin Ray
Radio Coverage:
Liberty Flames Sports Network – Radio
WQLU 90.9 FM The Light
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Jamie Hall
Liberty’s Top Storylines
• Liberty (16-7, 10-2 ASUN) will visit North Alabama (9-12, 4-6 ASUN) for the first time in three years, Saturday evening.
• The Lady Flames' last visit to Florence saw them defeat the Lions 90-87 in overtime in an ASUN semifinal clash on March 11, 2020. Liberty has won four straight meetings with North Alabama, improving to 6-2 in the all-time head-to-head series.
• Liberty has won a season-best eight straight games, moving into a tie for second place in the ASUN. The Lady Flames have wrapped up their 24th straight season with 10 or more conference victories.
• Reigning ASUN Player of the Week Mya Berkman set a Liberty record with her 144th career game played on Thursday. She leads the Lady Flames in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg), while pacing the nation in field goal percentage (70.5). She posted 16 points and 10 boards on Thursday for her second straight double-double and seventh of the season.
• Audrey Clark notched career highs for points (14) and rebounds (7) the last time she played at North Alabama. Two of her three career double-digit scoring efforts have come against the Lions.
Notes and Anecdotes – Liberty vs. North Alabama
• Liberty will visit North Alabama for the first time since defeating the Lions 90-87 in overtime on March 11, 2020 to advance to a championship game which was never played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Lady Flames have won four straight matchups with North Alabama and a season-high eight consecutive contests overall.
• Liberty and North Alabama joined the ASUN the same season (2018-19). The Lions are fully Division I eligible for the first time this year after completing their transition from Division II.
• Only one North Alabama player (6-2 freshman Cameron Jones) stands 6 feet or taller, compared with seven for the Lady Flames.
• Despite the Lions' lack of size, they lead the ASUN and rank No. 17 nationally with 5.2 blocked shots per game. Skyler Gill is No. 7 in the NCAA, blocking 2.8 shots per contest.
• Meanwhile, the Lady Flames rejected seven Central Arkansas shots on Thursday. Liberty is averaging 5.5 blocks per ASUN contest, pulling its season average up to 4.8. The Lady Flames rank No. 27 nationally in the category and have not averaged this many blocks for a full season since 2011-12 (5.0 blocks/game).
Lighting it Up vs. the Lions
• Mya Berkman has scored in double figures the last four times she has faced North Alabama, averaging 15.8 ppg and 7.4 rpg versus the Lions during that span.
• Two of Audrey Clark's three career double-figure scoring games have come against North Alabama. She posted a career-high 14 points and a career-high seven boards the last time she visited Florence (March 11, 2020).
• Bella Smuda has totaled 25 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in 36 minutes played in three games vs. the Lions.
On the Road in the ASUN
• Liberty is 64-22 against ASUN Conference opponents since joining the league prior to the 2018-19 season, including 26-15 on the road.
• The Lady Flames are 25-13 in ASUN Conference games on the road (including 4-2 this season) and 1-2 in road contests in the ASUN Championship.
• Liberty is 7-13 when facing ASUN Conference opponents in Florida (including 1-2 this season) and 57-9 when matching up with ASUN foes in any other state (including 9-0 this season).
