LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty seniors Ashtyn Baker (19 points) and Emily Lytle (16 points) played leading roles in the Lady Flames’ record-breaking 85-60 victory over Carson-Newman, Sunday at Liberty Arena. The duo combined for eight of Liberty’s team-record 14 three-pointers, while Lytle knocked down her 27th consecutive free throw without a miss, setting a new program record.
Liberty improves to 3-3 on the season, remaining unbeaten at Liberty Arena with a 3-0 home mark. The Lady Flames dished out 20+ assists (22, to be exact) for the fourth consecutive home game and scored a season-high 85 points.
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Carson-Newman, the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference (SAC) preseason favorite, will retain an undefeated 3-0 season record, as the Lady Eagles classified the game as an exhibition. Braelyn Wykle paced three Carson-Newman double-digit scorers with 14 points, but the visitors’ 27 turnovers led to 33 Liberty points.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Baker – 19 points, 4-9 3FG, 5 assists; Lytle – 16 points, 4-7 3FG; Bridgette Rettstatt – 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals.
Other Carson-Newman Individuals: Lindsey Taylor – 13 points; Harli Smith – 10 points, 7 rebounds.
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 47.7 percent (31-of-65) overall, setting program single-game records for three-pointers made (14) and attempted (36). Despite being outrebounded (36-31), Liberty finished with an 18-0 edge in second-chance points and outscored Carson-Newman in the paint, 26-22. The Lady Flames more than doubled up the Lady Eagles in bench points, 34-16.
Turning Point
With Liberty clinging to a 43-37 edge three minutes into the second half, Baker and Lytle took over. They single-handedly outscored Carson-Newman 19-12 during the remainder of the third period as Liberty essentially put the game away.
Baker’s long-distance triple at the third-quarter buzzer sent the Lady Flames into the final period with a 70-49 lead.
Game Summary
First Quarter
• An action-packed first quarter saw a 20-20 deadlock after a stanza which featured five ties and eight lead changes.
• Carson-Newman shot 75 percent (9-of-12) during the first quarter, making eight straight field goals at one point. Liberty kept pace by converting the Lady Eagles’ 10 turnovers into 10 points and knocking down four triples.
Second Quarter
• Liberty opened up breathing room for the first time with a 16-4 second-quarter run. Baker hit a pair of fast break hoops during the surge, including one at the 2:35 mark which made it 40-29.
• Liberty owned a 42-34 advantage at the end of its highest-scoring first half of the season. The Lady Flames scored 23 points off 18 Carson-Newman turnovers prior to halftime.
Third Quarter
• Seniors Baker (12 points) and Lytle (8 points) combined for 20 of the Lady Flames’ 28 third-quarter points and five of the team’s six triples during the session.
Fourth Quarter
• The Lady Flames’ lead stayed above 20 points throughout the final period, reaching 29 (85-56) with 3:34 remaining.
• Nenna Lindstrom knocked down the Lady Flames’ record-breaking 13th triple from the right wing with 4:28 to play.
Notes and Nuggets
• Baker established season highs for points (19), three-pointers (4) and assists (3). She scored in double figures for the 40th time in her career.
• Lytle’s pair of free throws with 3:39 to play in the second quarter made her 15-of-15 to start the season and extended her streak to 27 in a row dating back to March 7, 2020. The previous program record of 26 consecutive free throws made was set by Jaymee Fisher-Davis between 2013 and 2015.
• Baker and Lytle both moved into Liberty’s top 20 all-time scorers list on Sunday. The duo ended the game in a tie for 19th place in program history with 851 career points apiece. Lytle also joined Reagan Miller in a tie for sixth place in program history with 132 career three-pointers made.
• Rettstatt needed only 16 minutes to score 14 points and grab a team-high six rebounds. She is averaging 16.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg in three contests at Liberty Arena.
• The Lady Flames are now averaging 23.7 assists per contest at Liberty Arena after assisting on 22 of 31 made field goals during Sunday’s win.
• The Lady Flames’ previous record for three-pointers made in a game was 12, set three times (Jan. 22, 1991 vs. Charleston Southern, Jan. 3, 2017 at Charleston Southern and Nov. 25, 2020 at Ohio).
• The home team is now 6-0 at Liberty Arena since it opened on Dec. 1, including 3-0 records for the Liberty men’s and women’s basketball teams.
• The Lady Flames have won eight consecutive home games overall, dating back to last season’s final five home contests at the Vines Center.
Up Next
The Lady Flames will renew an old Big South Conference rivalry Wednesday at 6 p.m. when they visit High Point (2-2, 0-0 Big South). Liberty leads the all-time series, 41-14.
Liberty will play its 33rd and final game at the Millis Center, as High Point is scheduled to move into Qubein Arena for the 2021-22 season. Liberty is 26-6 all-time at the facility and won three Big South Championship titles (2009, 2010 and 2012) at the Millis Center.
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020
Location: High Point, N.C. (Millis Center)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (90.9 FM The Light Lynchburg)
Tipoff: 6 p.m.