Liberty (5-8) opens up Big South play Thursday night at Presbyterian (4-7). Tip-off is scheduled for 7pm.
1. The Blue Hose are 2-7 against Division I opponents this season.
They have wins over Furman and VMI, with losses to UNC Greensboro, William & Mary, Boise State, The Citadel, Tennessee, USC Upstate, and East Carolina.
2. Presbyterian has faced 3 common opponents as the Flames this year.
PC is 1-2 with a 73-71 win over Furman in the season opener, and a 61-42 loss at UNC Greensboro and 89-59 loss at William & Mary. Liberty is 0-3 against those opponents, losing to Furman, 61-58, UNC Greensboro, 72-65, and William & Mary, 79-70.
3. Jo’Vontae Millner leads the Blue Hose in scoring, averaging 12.1 points per game.
Millner is a 6’6″, freshman guard from Burlington, North Carolina. He’s the only PC player averaging double figures. He also leads the team in rebounding as he’s grabbing 5.9 boards per game.
4. The Flames and PC split their 2 head-to-head meetings a season ago.
Both teams won on the road, with Liberty edging the Blue Hose, 65-61, in Clinton, while Presbyterian defeated the Flames, 79-73, at the Vines Center.
5. Coach McKay is 3-2 against the Blue Hose as Liberty’s head coach.
This includes a 2-1 mark in his first stint as the Flames’ coach from 2007-2009.
6. PC hasn’t had a winning overall record since moving to Division I prior to the 2007-2008 season.
They’ve also never had a winning record in Big South play.
7. KenPom gives the Flames a 66% chance at the win.
The predicted score is Liberty 65, Presbyterian 60.
