Game Info
WKU (9-6, 0-0 CUSA) at Liberty (5-10, 0-0 CUSA)
Saturday, Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. (CT)
Lynchburg, Va. | Liberty Arena
Game Notes: WKU | Liberty
Watch: ESPN+
Links: Listen (ESPN 102.7/Varsity Network) | Live Stats
About the Lady Toppers
- The Lady Toppers finished non-conference play with wins against Mercer, Southern Utah, Cornell, Miami (OH), Bucknell, Vermont, Abilene Christian, Nevada and West Virginia State for a 9-6 record.
- WKU is 8-1 in CUSA openers all-time.
- Acacia Hayes is WKU's and CUSA's leading scorer, putting up 16.5 points per game. Hayes leads the conference in five different statistical categories (total field goals, free throw attempts, total free throws made, points, points per game). Her 248 total points on the season are the 35th most nationally and her 63 made free throws are 19th in the country.
- Destiny Salary has made her impact known with just four games under her belt as a Lady Topper. Salary is scoring 16.8 points per game after resetting her career high with 25 points against West Virginia State most recently.
- WKU is forcing teams into 20.00 turnovers per game this season, which is the second highest average in CUSA and 48th highest in the nation. On those turnovers, the Lady Toppers are averaging 11.2 steals per game which is the most in the league and 32nd in the NCAA.
- WKU was picked to finish tied for second place in the Conference USA preseason coaches poll released earlier in October. The Lady Toppers are coming off a second place CUSA finish in 2022-23, a championship game appearance in the CUSA tournament and a WNIT berth.
- Hayes and Mead were named to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team in October.
Series History
- Saturday's game will be just the third meeting all-time between WKU and Liberty.
- The Flames own a 2-0 record against the Lady Toppers.
- The two teams have not played since 2004.
About the Flames
- Liberty is coming off one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. The Flames played three ranked teams, four teams in the NET top 25, five in the NET top 50 and eight in the NET top 100. Liberty's opponents have a combined record of 142-51, which is the third highest opponent winning percentage in the NCAA.
- The Flames is 46-5 (.902) at home in the last four seasons and before this season Liberty had lost just three home games in the last seasons.
- Liberty was the runner-up in the ASUN last year, finishing second to FGCU.
- The Flames are led by forward Bella Smuda, who is scoring 13.2 points per game. Her 2.60 blocks per game is the 12th highest average in the country and she leads the conference in rebounds (135 total) and double doubles (6).
- Guard Emma Hess is the conference's leading 3-point shooter, connecting on 37.6 percent of her shots from long range.
Up Next
- The Lady Toppers will return home to host new CUSA foe Sam Houston on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on WKU Lady Topper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on X, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
