LIBERTY/FGCU PREVIEW

Fort Myers, FL– FGCU (12-2) begins ASUN Conference play at home, as they face Liberty University (6-5), Monday night at 7 PM, from Alico Arena.

Stats (LU):

Liberty averages 65.0 ppg, shoots 42.8% (266/622) from the field, and 31.3% (70/224) from beyond the arc. The Flames average 39.0 team rebounds per game. Liberty dishes out 14.8 assists, 6.3 steals, and 4.1 blocks per game. The Flames average 16.8 team turnovers per game.

Stats (FGCU):

FGCU averages 75.2 ppg, shoots 45.2% (374/828) from the field, and 34.4% (150/436) from beyond the arc. The Eagles average 32.7 team rebounds per game. FGCU dishes out 15.3 assists, 8.4 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game. The Eagles average 13.9 team turnovers per game.

3 Players To Watch For (LU):

6’3 R-SR C Mya Berkman 14.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg

-All-ASUN first team

-ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Liberty’s first to accomplish the feat)

-ASUN All-Academic Team

-ASUN Winner for Life

-ASUN Academic Honor Roll member

-Only Liberty player to start all 33 games, and she led the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg) last season as a R-JR

6’1 R-JR F Jordan Bailey 9.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg

-Liberty’s leading bench scorer during her first season as a Flame, averaging 6.9 ppg

-ASUN Newcomer of the Week (Jan 10)

-ASUN Academic Honor Roll member

5’11 SO G Emma Hess 8.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg

-Last season she led the Flames with 29 three-pointers, and became the first freshman to lead the team in triples since Iva Ilic in 2016-17

-ASUN Academic Honor Roll member

3 Players To Watch For (FGCU):

5’3 5th G TK Morehouse 15.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg

5’8 R-JR G Alyza Winston 14.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg

6’0 5th G Sha Carter 10.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg

Overview:

The Flames and Eagles face off for the first time since February 24th of last season, where FGCU defeated Liberty, 69-61, in Lynchburg. FGCU took both games vs Liberty last season, and Liberty ended up falling to Jacksonville State, in the ASUN Conference tournament Semifinals. Head Coach Carey Green has led the Flames since 1999. Mya Berkman is the leading scorer for Liberty, averaging 14.5 ppg. The Flames front court consists of Bella Smuda (6’6), Mya Berkman (6’3), Alise Markova (6’2), and Jordan Bailey (6’1). The key to the Eagles will be to limit Berkman offensively, and not let the bigs beat them. Dee Brown also has had strong games vs FGCU, so the Eagles can’t forget about her in the backcourt. The Flames wins have come against Salem, Hampton, Radford, Limestone, Washington, and SIUE. Their setbacks came against Richmond, James Madison, East Carolina, Minnesota, and #1 South Carolina.

FGCU is led offensively by TK Morehouse, who is averaging 15.4 ppg. Alyza Winston continues her outstanding first season as an Eagles, and is averaging 14.5 ppg. The Eagles had a strong non-conference season, and look to pick up where they left off, as Coach Green and Coach Smesko face off for a final season, before Liberty departs for Conference USA. Should be a dandy, as both teams begins ASUN Conference play, from Alico Arena.