Liberty University Flames

Game Time:

Saturday – 2 p.m. Eastern

TV Coverage:

ESPN+

Radio Coverage:

Liberty Flames Sports Network – Radio

WQLU 90.9 FM The Light

Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Jamie Hall

The Starting 5 – Liberty’s Top Storylines

• Liberty (16-2, 4-1 ASUN) will face its first ASUN West Division opponent of the season Saturday, heading to Central Arkansas (6-9, 1-3 ASUN) for its first-ever visit to Arkansas.

• Off to their best start in 14 years, Liberty will seek its first-ever victory over the Sugar Bears. Central Arkansas topped the Lady Flames 61-41 in San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 19, 2016 in the teams' only prior meeting.

• After missing the first three ASUN games, Priscilla Smeenge has excelled since her return. She tallied a career-high 15 points at FGCU last Saturday and hit the game-winning layup with 16.8 seconds remaining in Wednesday's win over Jacksonville.

• Mya Berkman ranks No. 2 nationally for field goal percentage (65.7). She led the Lady Flames in points (12) and rebounds (11) Wednesday for her team-high fourth double-double of the season.

• Celebrating her 21st birthday on Saturday, Jordan Bailey has been a key performer of late. The Lady Flames' top scorer off the bench (7.6 ppg), Bailey has reached double figures in five of the last nine contests.

Notes and Anecdotes – Liberty vs. Central Arkansas

• Liberty will travel to Central Arkansas on Saturday for the Lady Flames' second all-time meeting with the Sugar Bears and their first as conference foes.

• The Sugar Bears are the only team among the three ASUN newcomers Liberty had faced prior to this season.

• This will mark the first time Liberty has ever played a game in Arkansas.

• Liberty will attempt to record its first-ever victory over a sixth opponent this season. The Lady Flames previously picked up their inaugural triumphs over Bowling Green, Grand Canyon, Lee, Ohio and UTRGV.

• Saturday's game will pit the ASUN's top rebounding team (Liberty) against the conference's top individual rebounder (Central Arkansas's Lucy Ibeh - 10.9 rpg).

• Liberty's Carey Green and Central Arkansas's Sandra Rushing have combined for 1,087 victories in 56 total years as collegiate head coaches.

• Liberty is hoping to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 while UCA last appeared in 2017.

• In basketball circles, Central Arkansas is best known as the alma mater of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.

On the Road in the ASUN

• Liberty is 43-18 against ASUN Conference opponents since joining the league prior to the 2018-19 season, including 16-12 on the road.

• The Lady Flames are 15-11 in ASUN Conference games on the road (including 1-1 this season) and 1-1 in road contests in the ASUN Championship.

• Liberty is 4-11 when facing ASUN Conference opponents in Florida (including 1-1 this season) and 39-7 when matching up with ASUN foes in any other state (including 3-0 this season).

Nail-Biters

• Liberty's 49-48 home win over Jacksonville on Wednesday improved the Lady Flames' record to 4-2 in games decided by five points or fewer this season.

• It was Liberty's first game decided by a single point since a 68-67 loss at North Florida on Feb. 7, 2021.

• It marked the Lady Flames' first one-point win since a 49-48 home triumph over Radford on Feb. 7, 2017.

Schedule

WBB Game Day: Central Arkansas