Liberty (13-6, 4-0) vs. North Alabama (8-11, 1-5)
Lynchburg, Virginia – Liberty Arena (Capacity: 4,000)
Thursday, Jan. 27, 7:00 p.m.
ESPN+
Last Meeting: Liberty won all three games last season, including the 2021 ASUN Championship game
Series History: Liberty leads 7-0
Projected LU Starters:
2 Darius McGhee (Sr., 5-9, 150) – 23.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.9 apg
23 Joseph Venzant (Fr., 6-3, 170) – 4.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.7 apg
20 Keegan McDowell (R-Sr., 6-6, 180) – 10.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.9 apg
22 Kyle Rode (Jr., 6-7, 220) – 5.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.9 apg
33 Shiloh Robinson (R-Jr., 6-7, 200) – 9.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg
Projected North Alabama Starters:
11 CJ Brim (Sr., 5-9, 170) – 9.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.9 apg
3 Jamari Blackmon (Jr., 6-1, 205) – 10.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.6 apg
2 Daniel Ortiz (Fr., 6-0, 180) – 11.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.4 apg
12 Isaac Chatman (Jr., 6-6, 200) – 5.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.5 apg
33 Damian Forrest (So., 6-10, 220) – 5.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.3 apg
PREVIEW
Thursday night at Liberty Arena will be a rematch of last March’s ASUN Championship game between the Flames and North Alabama. Liberty got the best of the Lions that Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville, Florida, 79-75. LU had already clinched the ASUN’s automatic bid due to UNA not being eligible for the NCAA Tournament as part of their four-year transition to Division I from DII.
While the Flames are back in contention for a fourth straight ASUN title, it has been a little bit more of an uphill climb for North Alabama and head coach Tony Pujol. The Lions entered conference play with a 7-6 overall record that included losses to Mississippi State, Auburn, UCF, and Gonzaga. They also took part in the ASUN-MAAC challenge, as the Flames did, in mid-November, losing to both Manhattan and Iona. UNA had four wins against non-Division I teams and their other non-conference wins came against SWAC members Alabama State, Mississippi Valley State, and Alabama A&M.
The Lions have only one win during the ASUN season so far, defeating Eastern Kentucky by one point at home on Jan. 11. Losses have come against Lipscomb, Jacksonville State, Central Arkansas, Bellarmine, and Stetson. The loss at UCA was by one point in overtime and North Alabama also fell at home to Stetson by two.
Forwards Emanuel Littles and Mervin James, who provided matchup problems for much of the ASUN last season, have transferred out of the program, and North Alabama is now fully reliant on their guard play.
Jamari Blackmon is one of the best scoring guards in the conference, and he became UNA’s first Division I era player to reach 1,000 career points, eclipsing that mark last season. Brim continues to provide a valuable piece in the backcourt alongside Blackmon, and true freshman Daniel Ortiz is now leading the team in scoring. Ortiz has reached double figures in each of the past five games, including two 20 point performances, as he is averaging 16.8 points per game during that stretch.
It will be Liberty’s first game back after a COVID pause wiped out their games last week against Kennesaw State and Central Arkansas
“Since we got back from Hawaii, we have yet to practice with a full squad, and we won’t until Friday before Jacksonville State, at the earliest,” Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay said. “We’re slowly but surely coming out of our protocols. It is what it is. The guys that are able to practice, I use that word lightly, they’ve been doing a good job.”
KENPOM PREDICTION
Liberty 73, North Alabama 58
