GCU, Liberty set for WAC/CUSA matchup

Wednesday, December 20

Lynchburg, Va.

12 p.m. MST

Grand Canyon

Liberty

12/19/2023 4:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Lopes play 1st of 2 games this season in new conference scheduling initiative

By: Nick Macdonald

Wednesday, Dec. 20 \| 12 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| Liberty Arena \| Lynchburg, Va.

	LIBERTY FLAMES 3-9	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES 8-2

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: LINK \| LISTEN: LINK \| GAME NOTES: LINK

THIS GAME

Grand Canyon closes out its four-game road trip with Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Wednesday afternoon.
The game is the first of two in the WAC/Conference USA Scheduling Initiative. GCU will host Middle Tennessee in the final nonconference game of the season on Dec. 30.
The Lopes look to extend their winning streak to seven games, which would mark the most under head coach Molly Miller and most since a seven-game winning streak during the 2019-20 season.

THAT'S THE T

Preseason All-WAC selection Tiarra Brown has been dominant as of late, recording 61 points (15.3 per game), 28 rebounds (7.0 per game) and 5 steals (1.7 per game) in her last four games.
Brown is coming off a season-high 19 points with eight rebounds in an overtime victory over Idaho. The senior forward has tallied seven double-digit scoring games, with the Lopes going 6-1 in such contests this season.
Brown is 19 points away from 1,000 for her career. Her 981 career points rank second in GCU's 11-year Division I era. Brown would join graduate teammate Shay Fano, who reached 1,000 career points on Dec. 2.

STORYLINES

Junior guard Trinity San Antonio has showcased her offensive abilities this season, including her ability to find open players. San Antonio is first in the WAC in assists per game (4.6) and leads the WAC in assists with 46. She has had five games with five or more assists as GCU has gone 4-1 in those contests.
The Lopes have forced double-digit turnovers in every game this season and have pressured opposing offenses to 15-plus turnovers in each of their last four games. GCU has tallied 64 points off turnovers in its last four games, averaging 17.8 forced turnovers per game in that stretch.
Junior guard Naudia Evans once again came up clutch to seal a victory for the Lopes, making a buzzer-beating floater off the glass against Idaho on Sunday afternoon. Evans, who finished the game with 13 points, mirrored her season-opening buzzer beater against Saint Mary's.
GCU's free throw shooting has improved over the course of the season, shooting 73.8% from the line (second in WAC). Senior forward Olivia Lane ranks second in the conference with a 86.7% clip from the line.
Head coach Molly Miller ranks fourth among active coaches in winning percentage (.844) with at least eight seasons of coaching. She trails only Kim Caldwell (Marshall), Geno Auriemma (UConn) and Kim Mulkey (LSU).
The Lopes are 41-10 at Global Credit Union Arena since Miller took the helm in 2020. GCU has won at least 12 games at home in each of her three seasons in Phoenix, including a season-high 13 last year. The Lopes have 17 games at home this season, including six of the first seven regular-season contests.

SCOUTING REPORT

Liberty is 3-9 on the season with a 2-2 home record. It has lost four straight, with its last win coming Dec. 1 vs. James Madison.
Liberty's strength of schedule is the third highest in the country, with losses against nationally ranked Texas, Louisville and North Carolina State along with mid-major power Gonzaga.
The Flames rank 40th in the country and first in Conference USA in blocks per game (4.8). Bella Smuda is sixth in the country in blocks (34) and ninth in blocks per game (2.8).
Emma Hess leads the team in scoring (12.6 points per game) and is shooting a team-best 38% from 3-point range.
Smuda has totaled over 100 rebounds on the season, pulling down 104 to rank first in Conference USA and 26th in the country.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Wednesday marks the second-ever matchup between these two schools. The first meeting took place at South Padre Island, Texas, on Dec. 17, 2021.
Liberty won that game 76-61. Only Brown and Evans were on the team in the first meeting, as Brown scored 12 points and added six rebounds.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU returns home for its first home game since Nov. 29 as it takes on Arizona Christian on Dec. 27.
It concludes the 2023 calendar with its final nonconference matchup of the season against Conference USA opponent Middle Tennessee at home on Dec. 30.