The Flames went 2-0 last week to extend their winning streak to three games. Let’s take a look at the current condition of Liberty Basketball as we near the middle of February.
Record:
The Flames are currently 16-9 overall with a 13-9 record over Division I opponents. Liberty is 5-5 in Conference USA play.
Last Week’s Recap:
The Flames began last week with preseason conference favorite Middle Tennessee. Despite the preseason hype, the Blue Raiders came into this game in last place and are still tied for the worst record in the league.
The Flames were firing on all cylinders last Thursday, shooting over 56% from the field and over 53% from three to put up 88 points in what has proven to be their best offensive performance in conference play thus far. Four out of Liberty’s five starters were in double figures and six players had at least eight points for the Flames.
Brody Peebles continued his superb play, scoring 21 points in his first start of the season which led the team. Peebles went 7-12 from the field and a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line but attempted no three-pointers. Peebles has continued to prove to be a scoring threat in other ways, instead of just beyond the arc.
The Flames led this game from start to finish and dominated the paint, which is something that they haven’t always done this season. The Flames outscored the Blue Raiders 56-26 in the paint and outrebounded them 41-28.
After a convincing win over Middle Tennessee, Liberty welcomed the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs to town, Conference USA’s first-placed team. This game had been hyped up all week, as the Flames boasted a sell-out crowd and had the game televised on ESPNU.
Both teams struggled to find their rhythm in the first half as great defense and a multitude of turnovers led to a 29-22 Bulldogs lead at the end of the first half. Isaiah Crawford gave the Flames all they could handle, scoring 19 points while also recording six assists.
Crawford made a layup with just over 12 minutes remaining that gave the Bulldogs a nine-point lead, their largest of the game. Liberty would storm back and cut the lead to two on a Kyle Rode three-pointer with just over nine minutes remaining. The Flames would take the lead on a Kaden Metheny three with roughly five minutes to go and would not surrender it, however, there were multiple ties, including three in the final minute.
After a Bulldogs layup to tie the game at 62, Liberty called a timeout with eight seconds remaining. After the inbound, Zach Cleveland drove in and kicked the ball out to an open Kaden Metheny, who swished in a game-winning three-pointer with just two seconds remaining as Liberty Arena went berserk.
Metheny led the Flames in scoring with 21 points, Kyle Rode, who also hit multiple clutch three-pointers added 18, and Brody Peebles once again made a significant impact on the score sheet by scoring 16 points.
Rankings Roundup:
Here’s where the Flames currently stand in current credible national rankings:
NET: 106 (+12)
KenPom: 103 (+4)
ELO Rankings: 117 (+23)
SOS (Strength of Schedule): 173 (-5)
BPI (Basketball Power Index): 76 (+11)
Best Win: vs #98 Charlotte (Quad 2)
*Liberty’s win over Louisiana Tech is a Quad 3 win because it was at home, but the Bulldogs are 78th in the NET, which is the highest among teams that Liberty has beaten.
Worst Loss: at #266 New Mexico State (Quad 4)
CUSA Standings: 5th
Statistical Leaders:
Points per game: Kyle Rode – 13.4
Rebounds per game: Joseph Venzant – 7.0
Assists per game: Zach Cleveland – 4.1
Steals per game: Joseph Venzant – 1.1
Blocks per game: Zach Cleveland – 1.2
Field Goal Percentage: Zach Cleveland – 60.5%
Up Next:
This week, the Flames have just one game at Sam Houston State. This will prove to be a big game, as Sam Houston is currently tied with Louisiana Tech at the top of the conference standings. Assuming the Bearkats take care of business at home versus FIU on Thursday, this will be Liberty’s second consecutive game against a first-place CUSA foe.
Liberty defeated Sam Houston in their first meeting handily, winning 82-66 in the confines of Liberty Arena. The Flames, much like the rest of the conference, have struggled on the road so this game will be a huge test.
Entering last week, Liberty was 3.5 games back of first place. After two straight wins, Liberty is now only 1.5 games back with just six games remaining. Despite the brutal 2-5 start to conference play, the Flames are right in the mix of the fight for the regular season conference crown and the tournament 1-seed. Hopefully, the Flames can keep the momentum rolling and defeat Sam Houston State for a second consecutive time on Saturday night. This game will tip-off at 7:30 pm EST. and you can watch the game on ESPN+.
