Liberty (17-13, 6-9 CUSA) will wrap up the regular season against Western Kentucky (19-10, 8-7) on Saturday afternoon in a Conference USA game.
Here’s what you need to know about the game:
How to Watch
1:00 p.m. ET | Saturday, March 9
Lynchburg, VA | Liberty Arena
TV: ESPN+
Liberty vs WKU Odds (KenPom)
Spread: Liberty -4
Projected score: Liberty 78, WKU 74
Liberty Projected Starters
#0 Colin Porter
Sophomore Guard | 5’9″, 170
7.9 ppg, 3.8 apg
#3 Kaden Metheny
R-Junior Guard | 5’10”, 170
13.3 ppg, 2.8 apg, 3.4 rpg
#23 Joseph Venzant
Junior Guard | 6’3″, 200
5.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg
#22 Kyle Rode
R-Senior Forward | 6’7″, 220
13.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.4 apg
#25 Zach Cleveland
Sophomore Forward | 6’7″, 215
12.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.9 apg
Liberty vs WKU History
The Flames are 0-1 all-time against Western Kentucky with the first and only prior meeting coming earlier this season. Liberty lost to the Hilltoppers way back in the CUSA opener for both teams in early January.
Liberty vs WKU Storylines
FLAMES HOPING TO HALT SKID, AVOID PLAY-IN GAME
Liberty has struggled recently, dropping four out of five games to slip to 6-9 in conference play. The Flames must win Saturday to ensure they will not play in the 8/9 play-in game next week as part of the 2024 CUSA Tournament in Huntsville, Alabama. With a win, Liberty could finish as high as the 4-seed as there are several teams fighting for their final positioning in the conference tournament entering the conclusion of the regular season on Saturday.
SENIOR DAY
Saturday’s game, which is the regular season finale for both teams, will serve as Liberty’s senior day. Prior to the game, Liberty will honor seniors Kyle Rode and Shiloh Robinson, the team’s two super seniors on the roster.
Rode and Robinson have spent five seasons at Liberty, their entire collegiate career coming on the Mountain. The two forwards were part of Liberty’s last NCAA Tournament team, making the appearance in 2021. Rode and Robinson were also true freshmen on the 2019-2020 team that closed out the program’s time in the Vines Center, helping the team to the 2020 ASUN Tournament Championship.
