The Flames head to Nashville to take part in a 3 game tournament called the Challenge in Music City. Liberty will play the first game of the event at 3pm on Thanksgiving Day against Appalachian State (aired on American Sports Network). On Friday at 3:30, the Flames face Western Michigan, and on Sunday at 2pm Liberty will face Tulane (aired on American Sports Network). We will learn a lot about the 2015-16 Flames this week.
1. Appalachian State is 1-3 on the season.
Photo courtesy appstatesports.com
The Mountaineers beat Jacksonville to open the season, before dropping their last 3 to Furman, Hampton, and Tulane. App State is ranked 316 in the country according to KenPom.
2. Former Liberty basketball player Jason Allison is an assistant for the Mountaineers.
He graduated from Liberty in 1999 after playing with the Flames from 1995-98. Allison was an assistant at VMI for 9 seasons and is in his 2nd season at Appalachian State.
3. Western Michigan is 2-2 on the year.
Photo courtesy mlive.com
The Broncos have defeated San Diego and Rochester and have lost to DePaul and UNC-Wilmington. Western Michigan is ranked 124 in the country according to KenPom.
4. The Broncos are being led in scoring by Tucker Haymond.
Photo courtesy USA Today
The 6’6″ wing is averaging 20 points per game.
5. Tulane is 2-2 on the season.
Photo courtesy TulaneGreenWave.com
The Green Wave have defeated Drake and Appalachian State (76-48) and have lost to Alabama A&M and Southern. Tulane is ranked 240 in the country according to KenPom.
6. The Green Wave featured a balanced scoring attack with 3 players averaging double figures.
Photo courtesy swac.org
Louis Dabney leads the way at 14.8 points per game, but Malik Morgan (13.5) and Dylan Osetkowski (11.5) are trailing just behind.
7. It will be a Liberty basketball reunion in the Music City.
Former Liberty assistant Jason Eaker and his Mercer team are also competing as part of the Challenge in Music City this week. You may also remember Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman was a finalist for the Liberty coaching job before Ritchie McKay was named head coach back in April.
