It’s no question that Darius McGhee has emerged this season as the Flames’ best player. He leads the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game, and, despite being listed at 5’9″, he is second on the team in rebounding at 4.3 per game. He’s also making a very strong push to be named the ASUN Player of the Year.
After setting a career high with 29 points on Monday against North Alabama, McGhee follwed that up with 24 points while making 7 of 13 from the field and 6 of 11 from three on Tuesday. For the two games against UNA, McGhee scored 53 points while shooting 18 of 32 from the field and 13 of 23 from three-point range.
Over the past three games, McGhee is averaging 25 points per game while shooting 19 of 34 (55.9%) from 3. He’s made at least six three point field goals each of the past three games. In his first 91 career games, McGhee had just two games where he made at least six threes, doing so his freshman season at Florida Gulf Coast in Liberty’s first ever ASUN conference game and also earlier this season against Mississippi State when he made seven.
“We see it every day in practice,” McKay said about McGhee earlier this week. “He may be the most undervalued, underrated player in the country. He does whatever it takes to win the game. Darius McGhee could lead the country in scoring, but we don’t need him to. I think he’s got a chance for great success, and, obviouisly, he was really good offensively tonight.”
McGhee is looking to become the second straight Liberty player to be named ASUN Player of the Year following Caleb Homesley who won the award last season. Homesley averaged 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game last year while shooting 47.4% from the field and 36.9% from three.
The biggest competition McGhee faces for the award this season is Bellarmine’s Pedro Bradshaw. The 6’7″ junior for the Knights is averaging 15.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 37.8% from three.
Liberty and Bellarmine are scheduled to meet on Saturday at noon in a game that will be televised by ESPNU. The Flames and Knights are both currently 10-2 in ASUN play and tied for first place in the conference. Saturday’s game will determine the regular season champion as well as the number one seed in next week’s ASUN Tournament. Could it also decide who wins the ASUN Player of the Year?
