The schedule report: Liberty

We chill out from women's basketball for a few days to lock in on the U.S. Open (Way to go, Sam! Holla, Novak! Ouch, Fed!) and bam! - 2011-12 schedules all over the place. So now, slowly but surely, we're taking a look at them one-by-one. Our series continues with....

LIBERTY 

(click on the link for the school's release)

On the marquee

Liberty vs. Oklahoma, Nov. 25

   - We love it when the teams test themselves against heavyweights and Oklahoma, led by the talented (and fashionable) Sherri Coale, is about as heavyweight as women's basketball gets this side of Storrs. The teams will meet in the first round of  the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament; the winner gets either Vandy or Lipscomb. For what it's worth, we like Vandy in that matchup.

Get your tickets early for....

James Madison at Liberty, Dec. 1

   - The Dukes have won three straight in the series and are 6-1 lifetime against Liberty. Two years ago, JMU snapped Liberty's 12-game home winning streak. This time, maybe a strong turnout at the Vines Center can help the Lady Flames do something about all that.

Food for thought

- The Lady Flames currently have home games against Virginia-Wise (NAIA) and Division II opponents Glenville State and Virginia Union. We were all set to tease Liberty coach Carey Green about a weak schedule, but then we took another look at the Lady Flames' conference record over the years and figured the man obviously knows a few things about getting a team ready for league play. Having said that, we reserve the right to toss in a wisecrack or two when these games come around.

- Other games against schools in Virginia: vs. VCU on Nov. 15; at Virginia on Dec. 7; at Richmond on Dec. 20 and twice against Big South rival Radford (away on Dec. 31, home on March 2).

- The Lady Flames open their season on Nov. 11 at UNC Greensboro. The game will mark the head-coaching debut of former Virginia great Wendy Palmer, who in April replaced longtime Spartans head coach Lynne Agee. 

- Liberty fans will definitely want to highlight the two games against Gardner-Webb (Jan. 30 away, Feb. 25 home), as the two teams have staged dramatic battles in the last three Big South title games. The Lady Flames won the first two, but Gardner-Webb prevailed 67-66 in the 2011 title game to deal Liberty its first loss in 14 trips to the Big South final.

- Instead of the usual 16-game conference schedule, Big South teams will play an 18-game slate with the addition of new league member Campbell.

- The Big South Tournament will be held March 9-11 at High Point for the fourth year in a row.

Jelena Antic no longer with Liberty

Jelena Antic, a creative and dynamic offensive force for Liberty the past two seasons, is no longer at the school and has signed to play professionally overseas. On Sunday, Antic inked a deal with Partizan, a club team in Serbia.

The 6-2 Antic, a native of Skopje, Macedonia who starred at Liberty Christian Academy before spending two seasons with the Lady Flames, said returning closer to home was a big factor in her decision.

"I have been away from home for a long time (five years)," Antic said via a Facebook message. "I thought about this decision for over a year. I will be playing pro and finishing school in the country I will be playing."

The Lady Flames will also be without Kylee Beecher, the 6-4 forward from Roanoke who will not play basketball this season but will continue to study at Liberty.

Said Lady Flames coach Carey Green: "Both have left the team in search of personal interest. We are thankful for each of their contributions while at Liberty. Both were named to the (Big South) All- Conference Freshman team and followed the next season in a starting role. Their efforts have impacted the program's march toward championships and the NCAA Tournament. They have been part of a winning tradition, and we wish the best for them.

Green added that Beecher is in position to graduate in less than four years and plans to seek job opportunities immediately.


As for Antic, we suspect she'll start scoring immediately, because few can put the ball in the basket more regularly - or with more style..During the 2010 European Division B Championships, Antic averaged more than 25 points per game and was named the tournament's most valuable player.

Antic is more than just a gunner, though, and she displayed a full array of skills during her two seasons at Liberty. Last year, in addition to averaging 10.2 points per game she ranked second among Lady Flames in rebounding (6.3 rpg), assists (74) and steals (42) and led the team in average minutes played (28.4).

She didn't just get it done on the court at Liberty, either. Like Beecher, Antic made the 2010-11 Big South Presidential Honor Roll. Seven Lady Flames basketball players received the honor; the others were Brittany Campbell, Carra Coy, Terika Lunsford, Kittery Maine and Rachel McLeod.