The Liberty women’s basketball team will welcome a pair of in-state foes to Liberty Arena during the month of December, including Norfolk State (Dec. 1) and Hampton (Dec. 9).
Both games will be rematches from the 2019-20 season. Liberty opened the year with a 67-48 victory at Norfolk State on Nov. 5 and later recorded an 83-59 triumph at Hampton on Dec. 14.
It has been more than a decade since either the Spartans or Lady Pirates have visited Lynchburg. Liberty last hosted Norfolk State on Nov. 11, 2006, while Hampton’s most recent visit to the Vines Center came on Feb. 6, 2003.
The 2019-20 Norfolk State Spartans finished 19-11, recording their most wins since the 2001-02 campaign. NSU tied for second place in the MEAC standings at 12-4 and had reached the conference tournament semifinals prior to the event being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Liberty and Norfolk State will be meeting for a third consecutive season in a third different venue. The Spartans topped the Lady Flames by a 66-53 margin at the Christmas City Classic, Nov. 25, 2018 in Bethlehem, Pa. Liberty then returned the favor with a 67-48 decision in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 5, 2019.
Liberty has historically fared well against both Norfolk State and the MEAC as a whole. The Lady Flames are 8-1 all-time versus the Spartans and 32-13 against MEAC opposition, including 20-4 under Carey Green.
Ashtyn Baker is averaging 15.5 ppg during two career matchups with Norfolk State. She knocked down a career-high five triples during a 19-point effort at Echols Hall last season.
Last season, Hampton was 18-11 overall and 14-6 in Big South play, earning the No. 4 seed for the Big South Women’s Basketball Championship during its second season as a conference member.
Hampton is 11-6 all-time against Liberty on the hardwood. However, the Lady Flames have won six consecutive matchups with the Lady Pirates since Hampton’s most recent head-to-head victory on Jan. 11, 1996.
This will mark Liberty’s second matchup against a Big South Conference foe since the Lady Flames left the league following the 2017-18 season, with both contests coming against Hampton. The Lady Pirates joined the Big South in 2018-19, which was Liberty’s first season as an ASUN Conference member.
During last season’s win in Hampton, the trio of Keyen Green (17 points, 9 rebounds), Bridgette Rettstatt (16 points) and Emily Lytle (15 points, 10 rebounds) scored in double digits for the Lady Flames.
Liberty’s 2020-21 Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 15 – at Virginia Tech
Nov. 24 – at Ohio
Dec. 1 – Home vs. Norfolk State
Dec. 6 – at Memphis
Dec. 9 – Home vs. Hampton
Liberty’s six remaining non-conference matchups, headlined by the team’s first-ever contests at Liberty Arena, will be announced during the coming weeks and months.
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