WBB Game Day: Sam Houston

Game Day Coverage

Liberty Storylines

Liberty (6-13, 1-3 CUSA) will head to Texas on Saturday for its first-ever matchup with fellow conference newcomer Sam Houston (5-10, 0-3 CUSA).
Sam Houston is the sixth opponent Liberty is facing for the first time this season, including the third in as many games.
Both teams are looking to halt lengthy losing streaks. Liberty has dropped six straight road games, while the Bearkats have lost seven in a row overall.
Asia Boone earned her fifth CUSA Freshman of the Week honor on Monday, the most Freshman of the Week awards by a Lady Flame since 2017-18 (Ashtyn Baker - Big South Conference). She matched her career high of 18 points and grabbed a career-best nine rebounds during a 70-59 loss at FIU on Thursday.
Bella Smuda has recorded double-doubles in three of four CUSA contests, giving her a league-high nine for the season. She is averaging 15.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg and 2.5 bpg in CUSA play. Smuda's next blocked shot will be No. 50 this season, matching her career-best total from 2022-23. No Lady Flame has recorded back-to-back 50-block seasons since current assistant Katie (Feenstra) Mattera did so three years in a row (2002-03 through 2004-05).

Notes and Anecdotes

Liberty's inaugural matchup with Sam Houston will see the Lady Flames face a team searching for its first-ever CUSA victory and looking to snap a seven-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Liberty will attempt to halt its own six-game road losing skid. The Lady Flames' last road win came in Texas (Nov. 10 at Stephen F. Austin).
Two of the CUSA's top post players will square off in Liberty's Bella Smuda and Sam Houston's Raanee Smith. Smuda leads the conference in rebounding (9.5 rpg) and double-doubles (9) and is followed closely by Smith in both categories (9.5 rpg and 6 double-doubles). Smuda and Smith are also two of three CUSA players averaging more than two blocked shots per contest.
Sam Houston will be just the fourth opponent in Liberty's first 20 games this season which enters the contest with a losing record.
Although the Lady Flames will be making their first visit to Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum, two other Liberty squads have played contests there previously. Men's basketball lost at Sam Houston in 2012-13, while volleyball went 2-0 in Huntsville during the 2023 season.
Liberty is playing in its third different conference in seven years (Big South, ASUN, CUSA), while Sam Houston is in its third league in four years (Southland, WAC, CUSA).

A New Era Begins

The third time was the charm for Liberty, as the Lady Flames' 66-59 home win over Louisiana Tech on Jan. 13 marked their inaugural CUSA victory. It previously took the Lady Flames four tries to post their first win in both the Big South (1991-92 season) and ASUN (2018-19) Conferences.
Liberty is 7-9 all-time vs. CUSA opponents (at the time of meeting). Prior to Jan. 13, Liberty's last win over a CUSA foe was a season-opening 63-55 triumph at Old Dominion on Nov. 10, 2017 in a Preseason WNIT first round clash.
The Lady Flames have only faced four of the current CUSA members in program history. They are 0-1 all-time vs. FIU, 1-0 vs. LA Tech, 2-2 vs. Jax State and 2-1 vs. WKU.

All About Asia

Asia Boone won her fifth CUSA Freshman of the Week honor on Monday, becoming the Lady Flames' first five-time Freshman of the Week since Ashtyn Baker in 2017-18 (Big South).
Boone previously swept all four CUSA Freshman of the Week nods in December (Dec. 4, Dec. 11, Dec. 18 & Dec. 26), becoming the fourth player in conference history to win the award four times in a row.
Boone's 9.6 ppg is the highest scoring average by a Liberty freshman since 2016-17 (Keyen Green - 12.3 ppg).

Spending Time in Texas

Liberty is 3-10 all-time when playing in Texas, including 1-4 this season.
Prior to this season, the Lady Flames had only visited the Lone Star State eight times in program history. Saturday's game at Sam Houston will be their sixth of seven contests to be played in Texas in 2023-24.

First-Time Foes

The Lady Flames are 2-3 vs. first-time opponents this season, including wins over Louisiana Tech and Stephen F. Austin and losses to FIU, Gonzaga and Texas.
Four of Liberty's next five games (all except Jan. 27 vs. Jax State) will pit the Lady Flames against opponents they are facing for the first time in program history.

Schedule