The Liberty Flames (11-4, 2-0) and Jacksonville State Gamecocks (7-8, 0-2) will meet Thursday night at Liberty Arena.
Jacksonville State had a banner year in their first season in the ASUN a year ago. The Gamecocks finished the season with a 21-11 overall record and were the ASUN regular season champions with a 13-3 record in conference play. Despite falling to Jacksonville in the ASUN Tournament semifinals, JSU was still able to advance to the NCAA Tournament after Bellarmine won the ASUN Tournament. In the Big Dance, the Gamecocks lost to Auburn, 80-61, in the first round.
This year, Jacksonville State has had to replace several of their top pieces from last year’s team, and it has taken some time for them to find some consistency. JSU started the year just 1-4 against Division I competition before finding some rhythm and winning three out of four during non-conference play. The Gamecocks have dropped their first two conference games, falling to North Alabama and Jacksonville.
Here’s everything you need to know for Thursday’s matchup:
How to Watch – Liberty Flames (11-4, 2-0) vs Jacksonville State (7-8, 0-2)
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 5, 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 90 percent chance to win the game with a predicted score of 71-57.
- ESPN’s Basketball Power Index currently gives Liberty a 94.8 percent chance to win the game.
Previous Matchup
- Jacksonville State leads the all-time series, 1-0.
- The only prior meeting happened last year, with the Gamecocks picking up the win at Liberty Arena, 77-67. Jalen Gibbs paced four double figure scorers for JSU with 21 points and the ASUN newcomers had enough to overcome Darius McGhee’s 25 points.
Probable Starters
Stat Leaders (2022 Season)
Liberty:
- Points: Darius McGhee – 22.0 PPG
- Rebounds: Joseph Venzant – 5.5 RPG
- Assists: Kyle Rode – 4.0 APG
Ritchie McKay Press Conference Pre-Jacksonville State
