Liberty (20-6, 11-2) got back in the win column Thursday night, defeating Bellarmine (11-15, 6-7), 70-50.
“I thought it was a great defensive response to what I think is a really challenging team to guard,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “They cut with such a fervor. They are tremendously well-coached and well-disciplined. I felt like our guys matched that effort and execution.”
The Flames jumped out to a 22-6 lead midway through the first half to seize control of the contest. The margin would stay at 16 or more for the majority of the game as Liberty coasted to another win on their home floor.
Darius McGhee led the team with 21 points while also adding a season high 7 assists. Kyle Rode chipped in 15 points while Brody Peebles had 12 points. The Flames won despite shooting 24% from three-point range. Liberty was 17 of 18 from two-point range on the evening.
A huge game looms as the Flames play host to Eastern Kentucky on Saturday night at 7 p.m. from Liberty Arena. EKU handed Liberty its first loss in ASUN play last month. The Colonels are currently just one game behind the Flames and Kennesaw State for first place in the conference with their 10-3 conference record. EKU defeated Queens, 84-80, on Thursday night.
20 WINS AGAIN
Liberty has clinched its seventh consecutive 20-win season, improving to 20-6 on the season. In 10 seasons as Liberty’s head coach, McKay has guided the program to eight 20-win seasons. Prior to McKay, Liberty had never had consecutive 20-win seasons. In 41 seasons of Liberty basketball without Ritchie McKay as head coach, the Flames have just four 20-win seasons.
“We’ve had really, really tremendous players, some great assistant coaches and a sacrifice from top to bottom that has warranted an opportunity to create a really healthy atmosphere,” said McKay. “There are some great programs, I won’t name individual names. It’s elusive. That success just doesn’t happen, so I’m very, very grateful for the players that we have in our program, the support we get from our administration, and the assistant coaches and the support staff that are really the hands and feet of Liberty basketball.”
BRODY PEEBLES MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE
Liberty guard Brody Peebles was very aggressive, particularly in the first half, on Thursday night against Bellarmine. It was good to see for the team’s second leading scorer who has seen his production decrease in recent games. The sophomore guard scored 8 first half points as he was actively looking for his shot and attacking the basket.
“He’s a good player and we need him to be aggressive,” McKay said of Peebles. “He’s getting better defensively. As long as our guys do things within the parameters of what we’re trying to accomplish out there, we want them to dream big and maximize what the defense is giving them. We have 15 of them that will do that.”
LIBERTY CONTINUES TO EXCEL AT HOME
The Flames have been virtually unbeatable to this point during conference play on their home floor. Liberty has won all of their home conference games by very comfortable margins and Thursday against the Knights was no different. With the conference tournament played at the site of the higher seed each game, that certainly bodes well for Liberty who is tied for first with Kennesaw State presently.
