Streak extended
Lady Flames enter conference tourney as No. 1 seed
Earlier in the season, Winthrop did something that no other women’s basketball team in the Big South has been able to do this year — beat Liberty.
A little more than a month later, the Lady Flames (23-6, 19-1 Big South) made certain it did not happen again during their Feb. 24 rematch with the Eagles (17-12, 13-7), dominating from the start in a 91-71 victory in the Vines Center. The Lady Flames have now won 10 in a row and 12 straight at home and hit the 90-point mark in a game for the first time this season.
HOT — Ashley Reninger led all scorers. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
Liberty redshirt junior forward Ashley Rininger led the way with a phenomenal performance for the Lady Flames, pouring in 27 points on 12-14 shooting just three days after moving into the 1,000-point club in a win over Charleston Southern. Rininger matched her season high in points and finished two points shy of her career high. She added 13 rebounds to record her 10th double-double of the season and fifth straight against Winthrop.
“I think I just got a lot of really good looks,” Rininger said. “It was just one of those nights where the ball came to me at the right moments.”
Redshirt senior guard Emily Frazier added 14 points, five assists and five rebounds in her final home game as a Lady Flame. Two days after her 21st birthday, junior guard Sadalia Ellis was all over the court, putting up eight points and seven assists, adding three blocks and three steals for Liberty.
Sophomore forward Erica Williams and sophomore guard Aliyah Kilpatrick each had 19 points for Winthrop. Junior forward Pamela Decheva added 18 off the bench for the defending Big South champions, who missed their chance to become the only team to beat Liberty three consecutive games during Lady Flames Head Coach Carey Green’s tenure.
Both teams traded baskets early on, and Winthrop took its first and only lead of the night following a made free throw from Williams on an and-one that put the Eagles up 5-4 with 17:38 remaining. Liberty answered with a 15-0 run that began with a Rininger tip-in off a missed free throw from Karly Buer. From that point on, it was all Liberty.
“We were just really focused,” Frazier said. “We ran ‘fist,’ which is a ball screen, … the whole night, because we knew we were gonna have the pull-up jumper or the post ducking in, and if we just stayed patient, (Winthrop) would eventually break down, and we’d get an even better shot.”
The Lady Flames led by as much as 20 and went into the locker room at halftime leading 47-31. The 47 points were the most in a first half this season for Liberty thanks to a 64.7 field goal percentage, which was also the best first half of shooting Liberty has put up all season.
NO. 1 — The Lady Flames celebrate another regular season championship. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
“I know (that kind of offensive production) is what we’re capable of,” Frazier said. “So (we) always hope for that, but I don’t think (Winthrop) expected that either.”
Winthrop only pulled as close as 14 in the second half as Liberty continued to knock down shots (57.6 field goal percentage total) and dominate inside, scoring 58 of its 91 points in the paint.
It was a completely different Liberty team than the one that shot only 29.7 percent against Winthrop a month ago. Liberty has now won 23 straight home contests against Winthrop, who knocked Liberty out of the Big South Women’s Basketball Championship last year.
“We looked at (this) game not as a revenge game, but as a great opponent and as a tournament atmosphere,” Green said.
With just under a minute to play in the game, Frazier and Buer, two starters, came out of the game to a rousing ovation from the crowd in their final home game at Liberty. Frazier admitted it was a very sentimental moment for her.
“It was emotional,” Frazier said. “Both of us have been through some injuries, and we’ve had to overcome a lot of trials, so it was really cool.”
Green also took some time to brag on his four seniors — Frazier, Buer, Jasmine Gardner and Ellee Rollins.
“They’ve given us great leadership,” Green said. “They’ve been involved in so many details in the game and outside the game. … We’re going to miss those four. They’re champions for Christ, no doubt about that.”
Tuesday’s matchup served as the Lady Flames annual Play 4Kay game in support of breast cancer awareness. Liberty dedicated the game to Michelle Meadows, Longwood’s senior associate athletics director, who is currently battling breast cancer.
The Lady Flames were presented with their Big South Championship trophy following the game for clinching the regular season conference title, giving them their 15th conference championship in 18 years.
Liberty took care of business in its final regular season game as well, toppling Campbell (18-11, 13-7) 64-57 in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Buer led all scorers with 19 points, going 4-5 from three-point range.
Next on the horizon for the Lady Flames is the Big South Championship in Conway, South Carolina, which begins March 3. Liberty has a first-round bye as the No. 1-seed and will play the winner of Tuesday’s UNC Asheville-Coastal Carolina matchup. The Lady Flames defeated the Bulldogs and Chanticleers by an average of 12.3 points in four regular-season clashes.
With a triumph in this year’s championship, the Lady Flames would capture their 16th tournament title in 19 years.
VANDENBOSCH is a sports reporter.