The Liberty Flames (13-2, 1-1 CUSA) are back in action on Thursday night at Sam Houston (7-8, 0-2) to continue conference play.
Here’s what you need to know about the game:
Liberty at Sam Houston How to Watch
9 p.m. ET | Thursday, Jan 9
Huntsville, Texas | Johnson Coliseum
TV: CBS Sports Network
Liberty at Sam Houston Odds (KenPom)
Spread: Liberty -4
Projected score: Liberty 74, Sam Houston 70
Liberty Projected Starters
#0 Colin Porter
Junior Guard | 5’10”, 170
7.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.2 rpg
#3 Kaden Metheny
R-Senior Guard | 5’11”, 170
14.7 ppg, 43.4% from 3
#32 Jayvon Maughmer
Senior Guard | 6’6″, 205
9.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg
#25 Zach Cleveland
Junior Forward | 6’7″, 220
11.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 5.3 apg
#8 Owen Aquino
Junior Forward | 6’8″, 230
10.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Liberty at Sam Houston History
Series tied, 2-2. The teams split last season, with both winning on its home floor.
Liberty at Sam Houston Storylines
BEARKATS LOOKING TO REPEAT LAST YEAR’S SUCCESS
There wasn’t a ton of fanfare about Sam Houston joining CUSA last season. They were picked 6th in the preseason poll but went on to win the regular season title behind a 13-3 mark in conference play, including a win at Louisiana Tech in the final week of the regular season to stay ahead of the Bulldogs in the regular season title chase. The Bearkats would fall to UTEP, 65-63, in the CUSA Tournament semifinals, seeing their season and quest for an NCAA Tournament bid come to an end at 21-12 overall under first year head coach Chris Mudge.
Mudge and Sam Houston returns several of their key playmakers from last season including Lamar Wilkersson, Marcus Boykin, Cameron Huefner, and Kian Scoggins, Wilkerson a preseason all-conference selection. They have battled through injuries this year with Boykin, Huefner, and Scoggins all missing serious chunks of the season. The injuries coupled with a tough non-conference schedule has led to a disappointing first half of the season. The Bearkats have four top 100 losses.
Wilkerson, a 6’5″ senior guard, leads the team in scoring at 18.8 points per game while shooting 44.3% from three. Boykin, who missed six games earlier this year with Sam Houston posting a 3-3 record while he missed, has returned for the past three contests. The 6’1″ senior guard is averaging 9.2 points and 5.1 assists per game. Huefner missed two games early in the season, but he is averaging 14.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The 6’8″ senior forward provides size and flexibility with his ability to shoot from three, currently averaging 36.7% from behind the arc.
Scoggins has missed the last three games. The 6’7″ senior forward is averaging 7.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. 6’5″ junior Dorian Finisher (10.5p, 6.1r) and 6’11” senior Kalifa Sakho (7.7p, 5.8r) are key pieces for the Bearkats, as well.
SAM LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Sam Houston dropped their first two conference games this past week, losing on the road to New Mexico State (75-71) and UTEP (81-72). The Aggies and Miners both held serve at home in the first week of league play to sit atop the conference standings as the only two teams at 2-0. The Bearkats, at home this week, will be looking to get into the win column after those two losses.
Against NMSU, it was a back and forth contest with the lead changing hands several times in the closing minutes before the Aggies grabbed the lead late and held on for the close win. The Bearkats were just 4 of 15 (26.7%) from three in the loss.
A 15-2 UTEP run late in the first half, followed by a 15-0 run early in the second half helped the Miners take the lead and control of the game.Trailing by as many as 22, Sam Houston would trim their deficit to 9 with about three minutes left before the Miners closed the door.
FLAMES LOOKING FOR ROAD SUCCESS
Liberty struggled away from home in conference play last year, as most teams did. The Flames dropped its first four games away from home in conference play and finished 1-7 on the road in conference play. That included an 83-73 loss at Sam Houston on February 17. The Bearkats opened the game on an 18-2 run and never looked back. The lead grew to 22 early in the second half before Liberty responded with a 19-1 run to cut the lead to 7 but the Flames were unable to crawl all the way out of the early hole it dug.
Currently the highest rated team in KenPom and Net in CUSA, the Flames are hoping to return towards the top of the conference standings, a familiar position Liberty has had under Coach McKay the past several seasons. If that is to happen this year, the Flames must steal a few wins on the road and will be looking to get off to a strong start in that regard this weekend with two road contests, beginning Thursday at Sam Houston.
