FORT MYERS, Fla. - The preseason conference favorites to finish 1-2 will square off on Saturday as the FGCU women's basketball team (9-4) will meet Liberty (4-9) at 4 p.m. in Alico Arena to open conference play. It will be the first game of a doubleheader with the men and is the first-ever meeting between the two teams after the Flames joined the ASUN prior to this season.

Matchup: FGCU (9-4) vs Liberty (4-9)
When: Saturday, Jan. 5 at 4 p.m.
Rankings: FGCU is No. 8 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll
Where: Alico Arena | Fort Myers, Fla.
Tickets: here
Watch (ESPN+): here (PxP - Tom James; Color - Pete Lonergan)
Game Notes: FGCU (Interactive | Printable) | Liberty (Printable)
Live Stats: here 
Series: First-ever meeting
Coaches: Karl Smesko (17th season at FGCU - 444-91; 20th season overall - 505-118 | Carey Green (20th Season at Liberty - 444-177; same overall)
Promotions: Green Out | AmVets of Fort Myers Color Guard for the national anthem | Military Appreciation Night - discounted tickets are available for current or former military and their families. Women's tickets start at $8 each and the first 50 military discount orders include a free $10 gift card for Mission BBQ.
 
Liberty Notables
- Tomorrow represents Liberty's debut in the ASUN Conference.
- FGCU and Liberty were picked to finish first and second in the conference, respectively.
- Liberty represented the Big South Conference in the NCAA Tournament 17 times in the last 22 years, including last year.
- While FGCU set an NCAA Division-I record by making 431 3-pointers last season, Liberty ranked among the nation's top 20 rebounding teams for the 16th straight season.
- Liberty has played strong defense in recent weeks, allowing only 48.5 PPG over its last four games. They've also held their opponents to a 5-of-49 performance from beyond the arc over the past three.
- Liberty is 4-11 all-time playing in the state of Florida. They're 7-8 all-time against ASUN competition, although they've won three straight and are 1-1 against current ASUN members.

Liberty Leaders
PPG: Emily Lytle (12.9), Bridgette Rettstatt (8.4), Ashtyn Baker (8.3), KK Barbour (7.4)
RPG: KK Barbour (6.5), Bridgette Rettstatt (6.3), K. Johnson-Graham (4.6)
APG: Ria Gulley (2.6), Ashtyn Baker (2.2), Tatyana Crowder (1.7)
SPG: Ashtyn Baker (2.0), Bridgette Rettstatt (1.2)
BPG: KK Barbour (0.5), Amy West (0.4)

Series History
This is the first-ever meeting between these two teams.

ASUN Dominance
FGCU has won back-to-back ASUN regular season and tournament championships. Since joining the conference in 2007-08, the Eagles have captured eight regular season titles. They've also won five of seven tournament championships since becoming postseason eligible in 2011-12. Furthermore, the Green and Blue own a dominant 90-2 record all-time at home against ASUN opponents.

Among The Nation's Best
FGCU will enter Sunday ranked among the top 50 teams in the nation in eight categories:

Scoring offense - 30th, 79.4
Assist/turnover ratio - 30th, 1.19
Fewest turnovers per game - 32nd, 13.7
Turnover margin - 34th, 4.85
Field goal percentage - 45th, 44.5

3-point field goals attempted
1. DePaul - 516
2. FGCU - 472
3. Western Illinois - 462
4. Syracuse - 418
5. Denver - 403

3-point field goals made per game
1. DePaul - 12.8
2. FGCU - 12.1
3. Saint Francis (Pa.) - 11.6
4. Creighton - 11.0
5. Oregon State - 10.9

3-point field goals made
1. DePaul - 179
2. Denver - 163
3. FGCU - 157
4. Western Illinois - 145
5. Creighton - 143
 
600 Club
Tytionia Adderly (Jupiter, Fla./Cardinal Newman HS) became just the sixth player in program history to achieve 600 career rebounds in the team's win over Houston. The junior forward now has 662 and has jumped Adrianne McNally (658, 2006-10) for the third most in program history. She now trails only Sarah Hansen (887) and Whitney Knight (735).

Mid-Major Power
Over the past four seasons, FGCU has recorded 121 wins, which is the most among all mid-majors and seventh-most among any Division-I program, trailing only UConn (148), Notre Dame (137), Baylor (135), South Carolina (129), Mississippi State (126) and Maryland (123). On top of that, the program is one of only six in Division-I with three 30-win seasons during that stretch – joining UConn, Baylor, Notre Dame, Maryland and South Carolina.
 
Leading the 3-Point Revolution
At FGCU, head coach Karl Smesko has turned FGCU into one of the premier 3-point shooting teams in the nation. In 16 + seasons, his teams have shot a combined 5,013-for-14,466 (.347) from long range, or 9.37 per game. In fact, the team has made at least one 3-point field goal in 422 straight games and went without at least one make in only one game in program history – Feb. 21, 2006 vs Lynn University (0-for-11).

In 2017-18, the Green and Blue made an NCAA Division-I single season record 431 3-pointers on 1,190 attempts, equating out to a .362 percentage. In doing so, the team made and attempted over twice as many as they did in the program's initial season in 2002-03 (212-for-535). Since that first year, FGCU has made at least 300 in a season 10 times, including each of the past nine seasons.

2002-03 --- 212-for-535 (.396)
2003-04 --- 118-for-406 (.291)
2004-05 --- 253-for-722 (.350)
2005-06 --- 242-for-747 (.324)
2006-07 --- 337-for-891 (.378)
2007-08 --- 255-for-734 (.347)
2008-09 --- 296-for-763 (.388)
2009-10 --- 317-for-876 (.362)
2010-11 --- 350-for-940 (.372)
2011-12 --- 342-for-925 (.370)
2012-13 --- 319-for-974 (.328)
2013-14 --- 347-for-1,000 (.347)
2014-15 --- 327-for-928 (.352)
2015-16 --- 372-for-1,194 (.312)
2016-17 --- 338-for-1,058 (.319)
2017-18 --- 431-for-1,190 (.362)
2018-19 --- 157-for-472 (.333)
TOTALS: 5,013-for-14,466 (.347)

Including eight of 13 games this season, FGCU has made at least 10 or more 3-point field goals in a single game 245 times, including a single-season record 25 times in 2017-18. They have at least 15 games with at least 10 or more in each of the past 10 seasons.

RPI Tracker
The Green and Blue enter Saturday ranked 122nd in the latest RPI poll, while Liberty checks in at 273. FGCU's RPI is the highest among all ASUN teams. Here's how the rest of them stack up:

North Alabama - 152
Jacksonville - 210
Stetson - 226
Kennesaw State - 235
Liberty - 273
North Florida - 297
Lipscomb - 316
NJIT - 331

Next Up
FGCU will hit the road for three straight games following this weekend - North Alabama (Jan. 8), North Florida (Jan. 12) and Kennesaw State (Jan. 19). They return home Tuesday Jan. 22 for a 7 p.m. matchup against Lipscomb.

FGCU Career Record Book

Rebounds 
1. 887 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
2. 735 - Whitney KNIGHT (114o-621d) - 2011-12,13-16
3. 662 - Tytionia ADDERLY (275o-387d) - 2016-present 
4. 658 - Adrianne MCNALLY (240o-418d) - 2006-10
5. 640 - Robyn SWAIN (236o-404d) - 2002-04
6. 603 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
7. 508 - Kaneisha ATWATER (187o-321d) - 2013-16
8. 498 - Taylor GRADINJAN (117o-381d) - 2012-13,14-18
9. 422 - Katie MEADOR (193o-229d) - 2012-16
10. 408 - Kate SCHRADER (194o-214d) - 2005-07
 
Rebounding average (min. 40 games) 
1. 11.2 - Robyn SWAIN (57 games) - 2002-04
2. 8.3 - Tytionia ADDERLY (80 games) - 2016-present 
3. 6.7 - Sarah HANSEN (132 games) - 2010-14
4. 6.3 - Kate SCHRADER (65 games) - 2005-07
5. 5.8 - Andrea CLARKE (55 games) - 2003-05
6. 5.7 - Whitney KNIGHT (130 games) - 2011-12,13-16
7. 5.6 - Delia DE LA TORRE (61 games) - 2006-08
8. 5.5 - Noreen MCCALLUM (57 games) - 2002-04
9. 5.4 - Chelsea LYLES (62 games) - 2008-10
10. 5.1 - Adrianne MCNALLY (128 games) - 2006-10
 
Defensive rebounds 
1. 621 - Whitney KNIGHT (114o-621d) - 2011-12,13-16
2. 558 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
3. 420 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
4. 418 - Adrianne MCNALLY (240o-418d) - 2006-10
5. 404 - Robyn SWAIN (236o-404d) - 2002-04
6. 387 - Tytionia ADDERLY (275o-387d) - 2016-present
7. 381 - Taylor GRADINJAN (117o-381d) - 2012-13,14-18
8. 324 - DyTiesha DUNSON (61o-324d) - 2012-16
9. 321 - Kaneisha ATWATER (187o-321d) - 2013-16
10. 269 - Stephanie HAAS (96o-269d) - 2012-16
 
Offensive rebounds 
1. 329 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
2. 275 - Tytionia ADDERLY (275o-387d) - 2016-present 
3. 240 - Adrianne MCNALLY (240o-418d) - 2006-10
4. 236 - Robyn SWAIN (236o-404d) - 2002-04
5. 194 - Kate SCHRADER (194o-214d) - 2005-07
6. 193 - Katie MEADOR (193o-229d) - 2012-16
7. 187 - Kaneisha ATWATER (187o-321d) - 2013-16
8. 183 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
9. 127 - Noreen MCCALLUM (127o-189d) - 2002-04
10. 122 - Andrea CLARKE (122o-196d) - 2003-05
 
Assists average (min. 40 games) 
1. 4.7 - Chelsea DERMYER (65 games) - 2006-08
2. 4.5 - Brittany KENNEDY (58 games) - 2011-13
3. 3.9 - Megan JONES (86 games) - 2002-05
4. 3.9 - Ebonie HALLIBURTON (60 games) - 2004-06
5. 3.4 - DyTiesha DUNSON (132 games) - 2012-16
6. 3.4 - Shannon MURPHY (124 games) - 2007-11
7. 3.0 - Erica NELSON (66 games) - 2016-18
8. 2.9 - Lisa ZDERADICKA (48 games) - 2017-present
9. 2.8 - Courtney CHIHIL (120 games) - 2008-12
10. 2.6 - Adrianne MCNALLY (128 games) - 2006-10

WE'VE GOT YOUR SEAT
Experience FGCU basketball this season. The following ticket opportunities are on sale now:
Group Sales
Bring your group of 20 or more to an FGCU men's or women's basketball game. All group tickets include an FGCU hat ($15 value), a $5 game day discount at The Boardwalk restaurant, in-game group recognition and more. For more information on group outings, click HERE or call 239-590-7145.
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets are available for all remaining home games. Discounts are available for current or former Military and Youth ages 3-15. Purchase online HERE or call 239-590-7145.
Military Appreciation Games
Military Appreciation Night is Saturday, Jan. 5. Discounted tickets are available for current or former Military and their families. Women's tickets start at $8 each and Men's tickets start at $9 each and the first 50 military discount orders include a free $10 gift card for Mission BBQ. Purchase online HERE or call 239-590-7145.

COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko led the 2017-18 Eagles to another historic season. The Green and Blue finished 31-5 overall and 13-1 in ASUN play, capturing the program's eighth ASUN regular season championship and fifth ASUN tournament championship. The team finished the season ranked 25th in the final USA Today Coaches Poll, recaptured the NCAA record for most 3-point field goals made in a season with 431 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in seven seasons, where the Eagles knocked off 5th-seeded and No. 15 ranked Missouri in the opening round. It was the team's second tournament win over the past three appearances. Over the course of the season, FGCU knocked off three ranked teams - No. 15 Missouri, No. 20 Kentucky and No. 21 DePaul.

Over the past four seasons, Smesko has guided FGCU to three 30 plus win seasons while recording a 121-23 (.840) record overall. The now eight-time ASUN Coach of the Year rallied the 2016-17 team to its seventh straight 25-win campaign, culminating in an ASUN tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. In 2015-16, he was named the espnW mid-major coach of the year following a run that witnessed the Eagles claim a WNIT runner-up finish and a Division-I program best ever 33-6 record. In 2014-15, the team achieved its first-ever top-25 ranking and made another trip to the NCAA Tournament, where the Eagles earned a No. 7 seed and won the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament game, toppling No. 10 seed Oklahoma State.

Including the 2017-18 campaign, Smesko has guided the Eagles to 14-straight 20-win seasons and eight-straight 25-win seasons. He maintains a record of 505-118 (.811) overall in his career, including a 170-16 (.914) mark in ASUN play. Over the past seven seasons, he has guided FGCU to a 106-4 (.964) record in conference play with four undefeated seasons. Smesko earned his 400th career coaching win in 2014-15 in just 493 career games, two games faster than UConn's Geno Auriemma. Entering 2016-17, he ranked among an elite list of just four active Division I coaches with a career win percentage of .800 or higher, joining Auriemma, Baylor's Kim Mulkey and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer in the esteemed group. Over the past year, first-year NCAA Division-I head coaches Nancy Fahey (Illinois) and Bart Brooks (Belmont) pushed the list to six.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the women's basketball program, follow @FGCU_WBB on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook at /FGCUWBB.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to contribute, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.

SUPPORT THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM
Do you enjoy watching or following the FGCU women's basketball program? Would you like to play a role in the growth of the program and help take it to heights never before experienced? If so, you can reach out to Director of Advancement, Matt Ring, about opportunities to make an impact on the experiences of our student-athletes. He can be reached by email at mring@fgcu.edu or by office phone at 239-745-4434.