Over the next few days, we’ll be rolling out scouting notes for every team on our non-conference schedule.
We’ve already published the first two – on LSU and Kansas State – as part of our look ahead to the 2026 Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off. You can read those here:
Make the Trip: Why NC State Fans Need to Be in Fort Myers for the LSU Showdown
Make the Trip: Why NC State Fans Need to Be in Fort Myers for the Kansas State Matchup
NC State hosts Liberty on Wednesday, November 11 at Reynolds Coliseum.
This is the first true home game after the early stretch that includes the neutral-site Kentucky matchup in Charlotte.
Last season the Lady Flames went 18-13 overall and 11-7 in Conference USA under first-year head coach Alexis Sherard. They finished in a multi-team tie for third in the league and reached the CUSA Tournament semifinals before falling to Louisiana Tech. Sherard, a longtime Liberty assistant who took over after Carey Green’s retirement, is back for his second season as head coach.
Liberty scored about 64 points per game and held opponents to around 60. They were a solid rebounding team and could knock down threes at a decent clip. Key contributors last year included guard Avery Mills (around 15 points per game), post Emmy Stout (efficient scorer and rebounder), forward Ify Nwaobi (strong on the glass), and guard Claudia Acin (facilitator). Several of those pieces return or are still in the program mix heading into 2026-27, though the roster will have the usual mix of continuity and new faces.
What they bring
Liberty plays with structure and competes hard. They’re not an elite offensive group, but they rebound well for their level and can make you pay from outside if you over-help. Sherard’s teams tend to be organized and tough to completely blow out if they’re locked in.
For the Pack
This should be another favorable home matchup after the Kentucky test. NC State has won all four previous meetings with Liberty, including an 80-67 win in December 2023. The keys remain familiar: control the glass, force them into tough shots, and use superior athleticism and depth to create advantages in transition and the paint. With a short turnaround after the Ally Tipoff, focus and energy will matter more than pure talent differential.
Overall, Liberty is a respectable mid-major program that had a winning season and made a conference tournament run. They’re the type of team that can make a power-conference opponent work if the home team comes out flat, but NC State should be clear favorites at Reynolds.
Leave a Reply