Liberty (3-3) vs. Missouri (4-3)
Lynchburg, Virginia – Liberty Arena (Capacity: 4,000)
Thursday, Dec. 2, 7:00 p.m. ET
ESPN+
Last Meeting: Missouri won, 69-60, on Dec. 9, 2020
Series History: Missouri leads 2-0
Projected LU Starters:
2 Darius McGhee (Sr., 5-9, 150) – 18.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg
23 Joseph Venzant (Fr., 6-3, 170) – 5.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.2 apg
20 Keegan McDowell (R-Sr., 6-6, 180) – 11.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg
22 Kyle Rode (Jr., 6-7, 220) – 4.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.3 apg
32 Blake Preston (R-Jr., 6-9, 230) – 6.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.0 apg
Projected Missouri Starters:
1 Amari Davis (Jr., 6-2, 175) – 11.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 apg
12 Dajuan Gordon (Sr., 6-3, 190) – 8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.8 apg
4 Javon Pickett (Sr., 6-5, 215) – 9.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.3 apg
24 Kobe Brown (Jr., 6-8, 250) – 15.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.9 apg
32 Jordan Wilmore (So., 7-0, 300) – 3.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.0 apg
PREVIEW
For the first time in program history, the Flames will welcome an SEC opponent to Lynchburg, as the Flames square off against Missouri. The Tigers are the first Power Five school Liberty has faced at home since 2009 when Clemson visited Lynchburg and played in the Vines Center.
“Not a lot of mid-majors across the country get to play a home game against a Power Five program, especially one that has been traditionally successful as Cuonzo’s Missouri team,” Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay said. “I think it’s significant. I think it came about because of a relationship with Coach Martin and Jim Sterk, their previous AD. We made the agreement at the beginning stages of the pandemic, just thankful that Coach stuck to it and decided to come play. Now, I suffer from a little bit of regret because it’s another really difficult opponent for us.”
The Flames, who are 4-3 in its last seven games against SEC opponents, puts its 39 game home win streak on line, the second longest home winning streak in the country. It has been over 1,000 days since Liberty last loss a home game on Jan. 29, 2019 against Lipscomb.
Thursday’s matchup is part of a three-game series between the two programs with two games being played in Missouri and the one meeting in Lynchburg. Last year, the first of the three meetings, the Tigers bested the Flames in a 69-60 win on Dec. 9. Liberty led most of the first half and by as many as 11 at 26-15 before Missouri closed on a 13-6 run to cut the deficit to four at the break. The two teams exchanged leads in the opening minutes of the second half until the Tigers utilized a 10-1 run to take control.
“They are completely different,” McKay said of this year’s Missouri team compared to last year’s. “Kobe Brown is playing at a really high level on both ends of the floor, really is the engine that drives that car. They’ve got so many different supporting casts. I think it’s just a matter of time for them. Having three transfers that play a really significant role and a number of minutes for them. I think they’re starting to get better. You can see it when they don’t self inflict they are really good. That is true about our team as well.”
Under fifth year head coach Cuonzo Martin, Missouri is looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. Martin and the Tigers finished the 2020-21 campaign with an overall record of 16-10 and 8-8 in the SEC. They lost to Oklahoma in the first round of the Big Dance.
So far this season, Missouri has wins over Central Michigan (78-68), Northern Illinois (54-37), SMU (80-75 in overtime), and Paul Quinn (91-59). They have losses to Missouri Kansas-City (80-66), Florida State (81-58), and Wichita State (61-55). The Tigers have yet to play a road game this season, playing five of their first seven contests at home with two neutral site matchups.
“What I know about Missouri, they will play extremely hard,” McKay said. “They are really physical and they will crash the glass and share the ball. Those are characteristics of a Cuonzo Martin coached team and you will see that Thursday.”
KENPOM PREDICTION
Liberty 65, Missouri 63
