MBB Game Day Central: Gardner-Webb

TV Coverage:
Big South Network

Radio Coverage:
Liberty Flames Sports Network – Radio
WPLY 98.5/105.9 FM (Lynchburg)
Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Alan York

The Game

As Liberty notched its fourth straight win for the first time this season, the Flames will now look to extend their winning streak as they travel to North Carolina to take on Gardner-Webb. The Flames have not been defeated on the road in the Big South this season.

Matchup Notes

• This will be the 18^th all-time meeting between Liberty and Gardner-Webb

• Liberty defeated the Bulldogs 65-62 earlier this season at the Vines Center

• Liberty is tied for first place with Winthrop and UNC Asheville with a 10-2 conference record

• Head coach Ritchie McKay is 5-1 all-time against Gardner-Webb and 1-1 at Paul Porter Arena

• Liberty is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings against Gardner-Webb

Quick Notes

• Liberty has held its last nine opponents under 65 points and its last three opponents to 54 points or less.

• Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz has not recorded a turnover in the last three games and 103 minutes he has played.

• Out of 347 teams, the Flames rank no. 12 in the country in scoring defense (62.5 ppg).

• In the last four games, the Flames have forced 68 turnovers.

• In conference play, Liberty has had five games decided by seven points or less, GWU was one of them (65-62).

• In the Big South Preseason Coaches' Poll, Liberty was picked to finish second in the conference, while Gardner-Webb was voted fourth in the conference.

Series History

Liberty vs. Gardner-Webb Series History (18th All-Time Meeting, Liberty leads 11-6)

Coaching Matchup

Liberty Head Coach: Ritchie McKay

Overall Record: 232-215 (15th season)

Record at Liberty: 67-57 (Fourth season)

Big South Record: 39-23

Record vs. Gardner-Webb: 5-1

Gardner-Webb Head Coach: Tim Craft

Overall Record: 69-57 (Fourth Season)

Record at Gardner-Webb: Same

Big South Record: 37-27

Record vs. Liberty: 2-3

Notes and Anecdotes – Gardner-Webb

• In the previous meeting on Jan. 19, GWU's Tyrell Nelson led the game with 22 points while Liberty's John Dawson and Ryan Kemrite each scored 20 points

• Gardner-Webb has three players ranked in the top-15 in scoring average in the Big South in LaQuicny Rideau, Tyrell Nelson and David Efianayi.

• Gardner-Webb's LaQuincy Rideau ranks 10^th in the Big South averaging 13.8 points per game.

• The Flames have not won at Paul Porter Arena since Dec. 31, 2010 when Liberty won in overtime 64-62.

• The two teams have played in two overtime games in their history including a double overtime game on Feb. 4, 2009 (GWU 95-90).

• Gardner-Webb averages 75.9 points per game, which ranks no. 3 in conference.

• Under Coach McKay the past two seasons, Liberty is 18-3 when they hold its opponents to 62 points or fewer.

Team Talking Points:

• Liberty ranks no. 13 in scoring defense (62.5 ppg) and first in the Big South

• During conference games, Liberty has allowed opponents to a league-best 58.9 points per game

• On road games during conference play, the Flames have averaged 76.0 points per game compared to just 59.8 at home

• In Liberty's five losses at home (VCU, Furman, Princeton, UNC Asheville and Winthrop) each team has sat in first place or has been tied for first place in their conference this season

• Ryan Kemrite moved into a tie for 37^th place on Liberty's all-time career scoring list with 730 points

• Liberty currently is first in the Big South and ranks no. 41 in the country, averaging 9.1 three-point field goals per game (227-of-626/36.3 percent)

• Liberty currently ranks no. 124 in the country and fifth in the Big South in three-point field goal percentage (36.9 percent)

• Lovell Cabbil has averaged 11.3 points per game in conference games, which ranks 20^th in the Big South

• Liberty has taken its offense on the road, shooting 50.2 percent from the field in conference play but has struggled at home shooting 40.1 percent

• Dating back to last season starting on Jan. 19, 2016 the Flames have posted a record of 17-5 in regular season games in the Big South with a winning percentage of .772

• In its past nine conference games Liberty has limited its opponents to 56.2 points per game without allowing an opponent to score more than 64 points

• When Liberty has played on the road in Big South games, they have won by an average of 16.8 points

• The Flames made a season-high 10 consecutive field goals against Campbell on Jan. 7, 2017

• Since receiving a DNP against Princeton, Lovell Cabbil has averaged 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in the last 15 games

• After being inserted into the starting lineup in the past 11 games, Lovell Cabbil has averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists

• For the first time this season and the first time since Dec. 3, 2015 at Radford, the Liberty bench was held scoreless after not contributing points against UNC Asheville

• On the season, the Flames currently rank seventh in the Big South and no. 198 in the country (out of 347 teams) in field goal shooting percentage (44.1 percent/560-of-1271)

• On the season, the Flames are shooting 6.9 percent better during the second half (first half shooting percentage 40.1/224-of-558; second half shooting percentage 47.0/253-of-538)

• Liberty outscored PC & CSU' bench 51-37 in the Flames' first two conference games

• The Flames have shot better than 40 percent from three-point range in seven of their 12 wins (41.4 percent vs. Cairn; 43.8 percent vs. UMass Lowell; 53.8 percent vs. Mississippi Valley State; 19.2 percent vs. Central Penn; 46.2 percent at Presbyterian; 53.6 at Charleston Southern, 43.5 at Campbell)

• In its 15 wins this season, Liberty has shot a combined 46.2 percent from the field (332-of-718)

• In its 10 setbacks this year, Liberty has shot a combined 39.9 percent from the floor (198-of-496)

• Liberty is 6-5 on the road this season and has not won a non-conference road game since defeating Western Carolina, 63-62, on Dec. 31, 2012

• Liberty has shot 70 percent or better from the free-throw line 15 times this year and currently ranks second in the Big South in free throw shooting percentage (73.4 percent/329-of-448)

• Liberty has forced 10 or more turnovers in 17 of 25 games this season and ranks third in the Big South in turnovers forced (14.5 per game)

MBB Game Day Central: Gardner-Webb

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