Liberty (22-5, 10-4 CUSA) was able to overcome 18 turnovers and a season-low in scoring to defeat FIU (8-19, 2-12), 58-45, on Saturday afternoon in front of a season-best 4,000 fans at Liberty Arena.
“I felt like we were really sound defensively,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “I felt like we were really hard to play against for the most part. I think FIU presents a few problems with the way they play. Offensively, we were uncharacteristic. 18 turnovers is not our style, that’s not our lane. A little frustrated with that, but I think with the way FIU plays you are going to turn it over some. Happy for the win.”
The Flames have been dealing with some sickness in recent days. Associate head coach Derek Johnston did not make the game Saturday while assistant coach Stephen Burggraf missed time earlier in the week. McKay also stated that Owen Aquino and Zach Cleveland have also been under the weather.
“Hopping we can get a little time off and refuel a little bit because we’ve had some sick bodies,” McKay explained.
It was a game of runs in the first half with both teams exchanging punches as the Flames went on a 9-0 spurt that was answered by a 7-0 run by the Panthers. Liberty would close the opening half on an 11-0 run to take a 30-19 edge into the locker room. FIU was helped scoreless over the final 6:47 of the half to enable Liberty to go on that run.
That end of the first half run would end up being enough for the home team clad in white, FIU would only get as close as seven the rest of the way, doing so twice after halftime. The first came less than 90 seconds into the second 20 minutes but were followed by two Kaden Metheny three pointers. Midway through the second half, FIU cut it to seven once again but Liberty would answer with an 8-0 to push the advantage to double figures where it would remain the rest of the way.
“Their group never loses their spirit,” McKay said of FIU. “They play hard for 40 minutes. It’s ingrained in them. Every single game they will play for the whole 40. I knew that. Concerned we turned it over as much as we did and I felt like we just weren’t in the same flow, but I think they had a lot to do with it.”
The Flames entered the game as the best team in CUSA by only committing 10.0 turnovers per game, ranking 26th nationally in that category. The Panthers rank 2nd in CUSA and No. 21 in the country by forcing 15 turnovers per game. The 18 turnovers Liberty committed on Saturday are the most in a game this season with the previous high water mark being 15 and coming all the way back in the second game of the season at Seattle University. In the first meeting with the Panthers, Liberty only committed 10 turnovers.
Liberty made 12 of 31 three-pointers in the game, good for 38.7% compared to just 1 of 12 from behind the arc for the visiting Panthers. FIU was unable to make up that difference of 33 points elsewhere.
The 58 points are the lowest the Flames have scored in a game t his season. The previous low was 61 points scored in a loss at Jacksonville State just a few weeks ago on Feb. 1. The fewest points in a win prior to Saturday was 62 points on Nov. 25 against McNeese. It’s also the fewest points Liberty has scored in a win since beating Bradley, 55-44, on Nov. 23 and the fewest points in a win at home since March 3, 2022 in a 52-47 win over Lipscomb in the ASUN Quarterfinals.
Taelon Peter led the Flames in scoring and rebounding with 14 points and 6 boards. Kaden Metheny added 12 points on 4 of 8 shooting from three.
Jayvon Maughmer scored 11 points in the first half, marking just the second time in the past 10 games he had reached double figures as he also scored 11 in the Flames’ win over Louisiana Tech on Feb. 6.
Zander Yates added 9 points on 3 of 4 shooting from three while Colin Porter was 2 for 4 from three for 8 points to go along with 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Zach Cleveland had 6 assists and 4 rebounds but he failed to notch a point in the scoring column, missing both of his field goals and both of his free throws. It snapped a streak of 51 straight games in which Cleveland had scored, the last time he didn’t score a point was on Nov. 17, 2023 against Wichita State in the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
“Our team is dangerous,” said McKay. “We have so many guys that have the ability to have double figure scoring nights. To that degree, we have a bunch of guys that will assist on a lot of baskets.”
Liberty has a huge week upcoming, playing host to Jacksonville State on Thursday night in a battle for first place before hosting Kennesaw State for the regular season home finale on Sunday. The Gamecocks are currently 18-9 and 10-4 in conference play ahead of their game against UTEP on Saturday.
