The Liberty Flames (18-5, 6-4 CUSA) are back in action on Saturday against Sam Houston (8-15, 1-9) to continue conference play.
Here’s what you need to know about the game:
Liberty vs Sam Houston How to Watch
4 p.m. ET | Thursday, Feb 8
Lynchburg, Virginia | Liberty Arena
TV: ESPNews
Liberty vs Sam Houston Odds (KenPom)
Spread: Liberty -12
Projected score: Liberty 77, Sam Houston 65
Liberty Projected Starters
#0 Colin Porter
Junior Guard | 5’10”, 170
9.2 ppg, 4.3 apg, 47.3% from 3
#3 Kaden Metheny
R-Senior Guard | 5’11”, 170
12.7 ppg, 39.0% from 3
#32 Jayvon Maughmer
Senior Guard | 6’6″, 205
8.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg
#25 Zach Cleveland
Junior Forward | 6’7″, 220
11.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 5.1 apg
#8 Owen Aquino
Junior Forward | 6’8″, 230
9.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg
Liberty vs Sam Houston History
Liberty leads the all-time series, 3-2, including a 76-68 win in Huntsville, Texas earlier this season.
Liberty vs Sam Houston Storylines
BEARKATS REELING
Sam Houston had a really good season last year, their first in Conference USA. The Bearkats were the surprise of the league finishing at 21-12 overall and winning the regular season title with a 13-3 conference mark. With several key pieces returning, many expected the Bearkats to once again compete at the top of the conference standings.
That hasn’t been the case though as the Bearkats have struggled in conference play. They opened 0-3 before picking up a win at home over FIU, but, since then, have dropped six straight including Thursday night in overtime at FIU to fall to 1-9 in conference action and sit alone in the cellar of CUSA through 10 games played.
Despite the poor record, Sam Houston has been very close in some of their contests. They have three overtime losses in conference play, including two straight. Additionally, the Bearkats have two other losses by four points or fewer with all of their conference losses coming by single digits.
WILKERSON ONE OF THE TOP SCORERS IN CUSA
Sam Houston’s Lamar Wilkerson is one of the top scorers in Conference USA. The 6’5″ senior guard is currently averaging 19.4 points per game while shooting 46.7% from the field, 44.1% from three, and 85.9% from the charity stripe.
Wilkerson has been one of the lone bright spots for the Bearkats to this point in conference play as he has put himself in consideration for all-conference recognition. He scored 25 points against Liberty back in the first meeting in January in Huntsville, and he will be key to Sam Houston if they are to have success on Saturday against the Flames in Liberty Arena.
MUST WIN?
In a one-bid league like CUSA, especially a conference with a tournament format on a neutral floor with no clear advantages to the higher seeded teams, it’s hard to call any single game in conference play a must win. Consider that there are still seven games remaining in the regular season following Saturday’s action and it exacerbates the statement that no game is a must win.
With that being said, if Liberty is to compete for a regular season title and potentially a top two finish in Conference USA this season (which provides a slight advantage in the conference tournament with a day off between the quarterfinals and semifinals), it certainly feels like this game is a must win for the Flames. Liberty is currently two games behind first place Jacksonville State and in a three-way tie for second with Middle Tennessee and Kennesaw State who play each other on Saturday. With four other teams within one game right behind Liberty, playing at home against the team currently in last place in the league, certainly sets up as what we could label a must win.
Following this game against the Bearkats, Liberty hits the road for a tough two-game trip out west to take on New Mexico State and UTEP. The final three home games follow that trip. If the Flames can take care of business on Saturday to improve to 7-4 in conference play and remain in second place, it puts the team in position to continue its pursuit of a regular season title as we enter the stretch run.
