ROCK HILL, SC— Winthrop men's basketball hosts Liberty for a midweek Big South Conference clash Tuesday evening. The game will air live on ESPN3 at 7 p.m.
 

Game 15: Liberty (11-5, 2-1 BSC) at Winthrop (7-7, 1-2 BSC)
Date	Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, 7 p.m. (EST)
Location	Rock Hill, SC (Winthrop Coliseum/6,100)
Live Stats	Statbroadcast (click here)
Television/Stream	ESPN3 (click here) Mike Gleason (PxP)-Jeff Jackson (Analyst)
Radio	94.3 FM & 104.1 The Bridge (click here) / Dave Friedman (PxP)-Mike Pacheco (Analyst) – Pregame 6:30 p.m.
Notes	Winthrop | Liberty
Social Media	@WUGameDay | @Winthrop_MBB | @WUEagles | #ROCKtheHILL
Tickets	$8 in advance (click here) | $10 walk-up | Group of 10 or more ($4)
Game Program	Click Here
Game Promos	"Welcome Back Students" – Free food from Moe's for first 200 students ROCKTHEMILL Night All Sports Night – recognition for student-athletes Big South Presidential Honor Roll Recognition (halftime)

 
PROBABLE STARTERS
Winthrop
G         10        Anders Broman (6-2, Gr., 13.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.7 apg)
G         13        Bjorn Broman (6-0, Jr., 11.2 ppg, 3.0 apg, 1.7 rpg)
G         14        Adam Pickett (6-1, Jr., 5.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.7 apg)
F          12        Xavier Cooks (6-8, Sr., 16.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.7 apg)
F          25        Josh Ferguson (6-8, So., 8.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 0.8 apg)
 
Liberty
G         3          Lovell Cabbil (6-3, Jr., 12.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
G         11        Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz (6-1, So., 11.0 ppg, 2.4 apg)
G/F      1          Caleb Homesley (6-6, R-So., 7.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
G/F      5          Ryan Kemrite (6-4, R-Sr., 9.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
F          31        Scottie James (6-7, R.So., 12.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg)
 
THE SERIES
Series Record: Winthrop leads 40-16
Series Streak: W2
Record at Winthrop Coliseum: 21-5
Streak at Winthrop Coliseum: W13
Kelsey vs. Liberty: 8-1
 
SERIES HISTORY

• This is the 57^th meeting all-time as the Eagles have won the last two meetings
• Winthrop has won 13 straight over Liberty at the Winthrop Coliseum
• Eagles have held Liberty to under 70 points in 11 of the last 12 meetings and 18 of the last 20
• In 56 meetings all-time the Eagles have averaged 68.6 ppg while Liberty has averaged 63.4 ppg
• In the last nine meetings, the winning team has won the game by 10 or more points
• The last meeting decided by fewer than 10 points came on Jan. 26, 2012 in the Winthrop Coliseum as the Eagles won 65-63

 
THE GAME

• Winthrop looks to avoid being 1-3 in the league for the first time since 2012-13 and end a two-game skid
• Liberty enters having won two straight and looks to remain near the top of the Big South standings
• Winthrop leads the league in scoring at 84.3 ppg while Liberty is the league's top defensive team allowing 59.9 ppg (6^th nationally)
• The Flames have the top scoring margin in the league at +14.4 while the Eagles are 4^th at +7.6
• Liberty also leads the league in free throw shooting and field goal percentage defense
• The contest features three of the Big South's top four rebounders as Liberty's Scottie James is first at 9.6 per game while Winthrop's Xavier Cooks is second at 8.9 and Josh Ferguson is 4^th at 6.6

 
WINTHROP       

• Eagles are averaging 77.3 points per game in league play
• Have increased their team free throw percentage significantly since league play started as the Eagles are shooting 81 percent at the line (Shot 66% in 11 games before conference play)
• Currently hold an eight-game winning streak at home against league opponents and have won 11-of-12
• Has won 27-of-34 against league opponents during the regular season
• Bjorn Broman has scored in double-figures in three consecutive games for the first time in his career and is averaging 22.3 ppg during that stretch
• In the last three games Bjorn Broman is 19-for-29 from the floor and 13-for-20 behind the arc
• Xavier Cooks leads the team in scoring at 16.2 ppg and ranks 7^th in the league
• Cooks also ranks in the Top 5 of rebounding (2^nd), assists (2^nd), blocked shots (4^th), assist/turnover ratio (5^th) and defensive rebounding (2^nd)
• Bjorn Broman leads the Big South and ranks 6^th nationally in assist/turnover ratio and 15^th in three-point field goal percentage (.480)
• This will be head coach Pat Kelsey's 90^th career regular season Big South contest (57-32) 

 
LIBERTY

• After dropping their league opener at Gardner-Webb, the Flames bounced back to win two in a row
• Has won six of the last eight games and lead the league in total wins on the year with 11
• This year's team is the 2^nd quickest to reach 10 wins
• Lead the league in scoring defense, scoring margin, free throw percentage, field goal percentage defense, three-point field goal percentage defense, rebounding defense, rebounding margin, defensive rebounds and defensive rebounding percentage
• Have three players averaging double-figures led by Scottie James at 12.4 followed by Lovell Cabbil (12.1) and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz (11.0)
• James shoots 62 percent from the floor and 72 percent at the foul line (44-for-61)
• Pacheco-Ortiz has led the Flames in scoring three of the last four games and five times all year (4-1 when he leads in points)
• Flames are playing in just their fourth road game of the year as they are 2-1 with wins at Wake Forest and Georgia State

 
LIVING IN THE 80'S

• The Eagles scored 80 or more points in eight straight games which is a school record (came to an end at VCU)
• The Eagles are 2-2 this year when scoring 80 or more in a game this season but since the arrival of head coach Pat Kelsey the Eagles are 57-11 when hitting the 80-mark
• Of the 11 losses when scoring 80 or more, seven of them have come against Big South opponents (3 in OT) and three against Power 5 opponents
• Streak of 80 or more points on the road came to an end at four straight as the Eagles have now hit that mark in eight of the last 11 dating back to last season

 
BIG SOUTH WEEKLY PLAYER HONORS

• Xavier Cooks has been tabbed the Big South Player of the Week twice this season (Dec. 4/Dec. 11)
• Cooks scored a career-high 31 points at Georgia that included five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal to earn his second league honor of the year
• Cooks grabbed his first weekly honor of the season by averaging 17.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in a week he recorded his first ever triple-double (11 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists vs. Reinhardt)
• Kyle Zunic was named the Big South Freshman of the Week on Nov. 20 after he averaged 14.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds against Colorado State and Central Penn 

 
WINTHROP SPORTS SHOW AT ROCO
Every Thursday at The Roasting Company throughout the basketball season will be the Winthrop Sports Show at ROCO hosted by the voices of the Winthrop Eagles Dave Friedman and Mike Pacheco. The two will sit down weekly with head coaches Pat Kelsey and Lynette Woodard as well as other selected guests throughout the season. The show is from 6-6:30 p.m. and also airs on 94.3 FM & 104.1 The Bridge.
(FULL SCHEDULE)