WBB Game Day: Valparaiso

Game Day Coverage

Liberty vs. Valparaiso (Wooden Family Fieldhouse in Xenia, Ohio)
Tipoff: Monday at 1 p.m. ET
TV: Gray Media (Televised locally in Lynchburg on WZBJ 24.1) Full list of TV stations carrying the game
Radio: LFSN Radio

Liberty Storylines

Liberty (18-16 in 2023-24) will tip off its 50th women's basketball season Monday afternoon, facing Valparaiso (5-25 in 2023-24) in the opening game of the Total Athlete Tip-Off in Xenia, Ohio.
After reaching the championship game during its first season as a CUSA member in 2023-24, Liberty is picked to finish second in the league in 2024-25.
Head Coach Carey Green begins his 26th season with the Lady Flames by returning four starters. Three of them (Bella Smuda, Emma Hess and Asia Boone) were preseason All-CUSA picks.
Fifth-year center Smuda is also a member of the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List. CUSA's top returning scorer (15.0 ppg) and rebounder (10.0 rpg), she was a first team All-CUSA performer a year ago.
Hess, who graduated next door to Monday's venue at Legacy Christian Academy, joined Smuda on the first team All-CUSA squad. She shattered the Liberty single-season record with 76 triples in 2023-24.
Boone was the 2024 CUSA Freshman of the Year after fashioning an incredible rookie season which included 10.1 ppg and 63 triples.

Notes and Anecdotes

Monday's 2024-25 season opener will essentially be a home game for senior guard Emma Hess. She graduated from Legacy Christian Academy, located next door to the John Wooden Family Fieldhouse.
Hess will be one of two Beavercreek, Ohio natives in Monday's game, joining first-year Valparaiso guard Maci Rhoades (Beavercreek High School).
This will mark the first of two Liberty-Valparaiso contests on the day in Xenia. The Flames and Beacons will face one another in men's basketball at 5 p.m.
Liberty Assistant Coach Andrea "Andy" Bloodworth spent two seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07) as Valparaiso's recruiting coordinator prior to joining Carey Green's staff for the 2007-08 campaign. Her sister Tracey Bloodworth served as Valparaiso's head coach for six years (2012-13 through 2017-18) and was at the helm for both previous Liberty-Valparaiso meetings.
This is the second time Liberty has opened a season by facing a MVC opponent. The Lady Flames fell to Creighton 40-35 in their 2010-11 opener, a game played at NC State.
This is one of two CUSA vs. MVC matchups on the 2024-25 season's opening day. At 7 p.m., WKU will travel to Indiana State. CUSA teams were 0-4 vs. MVC squads in 2023-24.

Lady Flames in Season Openers

Liberty is 24-25 all-time in season openers, including 8-17 away from Lynchburg and 12-13 under Carey Green.
Liberty is just 5-7 in its last 12 lid-lifters despite a 68-46 home triumph over Frostburg State in the 2023-24 opener.
The Lady Flames will attempt to open the season with a victory away from home for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign, when they prevailed 67-48 at Norfolk State.
Liberty will aim to win their season opener in back-to-back years for the first time since taking four straight between 2004-05 and 2007-08.

Schedule