The #2-seed Liberty Flames (23-7, 14-3) and #8-seed Bellarmine Knights (15-17, 9-9) meet on Tuesday night at Liberty Arena in the ASUN Tournament Quarterfinals.

It’s fitting that the Flames will have to face Bellarmine in this year’s tournament, the last of five years for Liberty in the ASUN. Liberty has dominated the league over the past five seasons, winning at least a share of four regular season titles and three tournament titles. The Flames are 10-1 all-time in the ASUN Tournament with that one loss coming to Bellarmine last year in the semifinals at Liberty Arena. That loss ended dreams Liberty had of a four-peat.

“We played them here last year in one of the best college basketball games I’ve ever been involved in in my life,” said Bellarmine head coach Scott Davenport. “You talk about a high level basketball game, and I’ve been to a lot of games at a very, very high level, that game last year here was as good a college basketball game as I’ve ever been involved in terms of level of play, execution, and it’s basketball the way I think it should be played.”

The Knights got to the quarterfinal round thanks to a win over #7-seed North Florida in the first round Monday night. In a game played at Liberty Arena, the Knights got the winning bucket with 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock from Juston Betz to lift Bellarmine to the 76-74 victory. Bellarmine has won 4 straight in the ASUN Tournament and 2-0 in tournament games played at Liberty Arena.

“Scott Davenport has a really good program,” Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay said of Bellarmine. “They pass the ball over 400+ times a game. They beat us at our place last year. We know that that is a physical, tough basketball team that has a belief. It will take our best to win and advance. I have a lot of respect for them.”

Here’s everything you need to know for Tuesday’s Quarterfinal matchup:

How to Watch – Liberty Flames (24-7, 15-3) vs Bellarmine (15-17, 9-9)

  • Date: Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023
  • Start Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • TV: ESPN+
  • Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
  • Radio (Lynchburg): LFSN Radio (107.5 FM)

Odds and Statistics

  • KenPom currently gives Liberty a 94 percent chance to win the game with a predicted score of 73-56.
  • ESPN’s Basketball Power Index currently gives Liberty an 96.4 percent chance to win the game.

Previous Matchup

  • Liberty leads the all-time series, 4-1.
  • The Flames won both meetings against Bellarmine this season including a 70-50 final margin on Feb. 9 at Liberty Arena. The first meeting of the season came back on Dec. 29, both teams first game of conference play, as Liberty got the 70-53 win at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.

 Probable Starters

Stat Leaders (2022-23 Season)

Liberty:

  • Points: Darius McGhee – 22.3 PPG
  • Rebounds: Blake Preston – 5.3 RPG
  • Assists: Colin Porter – 3.9 APG

Ritchie McKay Press Conference Pre-Bellarmine