The Liberty Flames (6-1) advanced to the championship of the 2024 Paradise Jam with a win over Kansas State on Sunday night. Now, the Flames will take on McNeese with the two mid-major programs looking for a nice early season tournament win.
Here’s what you need to know about the game:
Liberty vs McNeese How to Watch
8:00 p.m. ET | Monday, November 25
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands | Sports and Fitness Center
TV: ESPN+
Liberty vs McNeese Odds (KenPom)
Spread: Liberty -2
Projected score: Liberty 68, McNeese 66
Liberty Projected Starters
#0 Colin Porter
Junior Guard | 5’10”, 170
7.7 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.1 rpg
#3 Kaden Metheny
R-Senior Guard | 5’11”, 170
15.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg
#32 Jayvon Maughmer
Senior Guard | 6’6″, 205
7.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg
#25 Zach Cleveland
Junior Forward | 6’7″, 220
10.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 5.7 apg
#8 Owen Aquino
Junior Forward | 6’8″, 230
10.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Liberty vs McNeese History
The Flames are 0-2 all-time against McNeese with the last meeting coming during the 2005-06 season, an 85-72 McNeese win.
Liberty vs McNeese Storylines
PLAYING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP
The Flames are looking to go back-to-back in early season tournament championships. Liberty swept through the Myrtle Beach Invitational, winning three games on the home floor of Coastal Carolina. Now, Liberty will look to replicate that feat this season and win the Paradise Jam.
It won’t be an easy task. Liberty has already taken down their first high major opponent in the regular season since knocking off Missouri at Liberty Arena in December 2021. Now, the Flames must take down the Southland Conference favorite, a team that is expecting to get back to the NCAA Tournament. Not to mention, the Flames are coming off a full, 40-minute, very physical win over the Wildcats. Meanwhile, McNeese cruised to a comfortable win over Longwood and was probably asleep by time Liberty’s game ended.
COWBOYS LOOKING TO GET BACK TO THE DANCE
Veteran head coach, Will Wade, took over McNeese last year. This came after he had successful stops at Chattanooga, VCU, and LSU. He ran into some NCAA trouble with the Tigers, but he has had success everywhere he’s been, including last year at McNeese.
The Cowboys finished last season 30-4 and 17-1 in the Southland. They went a stretch where they won 24 out of 25 games before falling to Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys were clearly the best team in the Southland, winning the conference championship and advancing as a 12-seed.
This year, Wade and McNeese are expected to duplicate their success from last season. They’ve had strong results so far. After an opening night loss to South Dakota State, a team that made the NCAA Tournament last year and has been to the Big Dance two of the last three years, and a 72-64 loss at Alabama, McNeese has won three straight against Division I opponents. They beat one of the top teams in the AAC, North Texas, 68-61 before heading to the Virgin Islands. In the Paradise Jam, the Cowboys have picked up wins over Illinois State (76-68) and Longwood (84-69).
VETERAN TEAM AWAITS FLAMES
McNeese features a very veteran team. Their top seven players are all juniors and seniors. It starts with 6’3″ guard Sincere Parker. The junior transferred to McNeese this season from Saint Louis where he was the leading scorer last season at 15.9 points per game. So far this season, Parker is averaging 20.7 points per game though he is only 3 of 14 from three-point range.
6’3″ senior guard Javohn Garcia was named preseason second-team All-Southland after starting 32 games last year. So far this season, he is averaging 12.2 points per game and shooting 48.1% from three.
Joe Charles has transferred to McNeese from Louisiana. He averaged 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game with 11 double-doubles and starting all 33 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns a season ago. So far this year, Charles is averaging 10 points and 7 rebounds each game.
Christian Shumate brings some continuity and leadership to the Cowboys. He’s a multi-year starter at McNeese and has averaged double figures in his first three years with the Cowboys. The 6’6″ forward is currently averaging 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
6’5″ senior guard Brandon Murray came to McNeese this year from Ole Miss. He is currently averaging 9.3 points per game. Meanwhile, 6’6″ guard Quadir Copeland transferred from Syracuse and is currently averaging 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
6’4″ guard DJ Richards played in 33 games last year while starting 7. He’s currently averaging 7.2 points per game but has struggled from three-point range after shooting 43.8% from behind the arc a season ago.
