Liberty (10-3) defeated Utah Valley (6-6), 79-63, in Orem, Utah on Wednesday night.
“There are ebbs and flows to seasons,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “Sometimes you are playing your best basketball and you are playing really confidently and the schedule hits right where your matchups are good. There are sometimes where you are struggling, you don’t shoot it well, defensively your role definition is clouding a little bit of your ability to prosper. We are still in the process. I think the way we finished the break was solid to the non-conference schedule.”
The Flames led for nearly the entire game behind hot shooting from the visitors. Liberty shot 84% from the field in the first half to take control of the game, and pushed the lead to over 20 points with a 10-0 run out of the locker room.
Zach Cleveland led the team in scoring with 19 points to go along with 8 assists and 7 rebounds as he continues to flirt with a triple double each night. Kyle Rode added 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Kaden Metheny added 13 points while Joseph Venzant chipped in 11 points (on a perfect 5/5 from the field) and 8 rebounds.
The Flames will take a break for Christmas now, with the players headed home. Following the break, Liberty will reconvene with a game against Alabama on Dec. 20 in Birmingham.
HOT SHOOTING PROPELS FLAMES
Liberty shot a staggering 84% from the field in the first half, using that scorching hot start to propel the team into the lead. The Flames would finish the game at 61% from the field and 8 of 19 from three point range.
In what has been uncharacteristic of this team so far this season, Liberty attacked the basket with a vengeance, finishing with 40 points in the paint and attempting 37 two point field goals. The Flames only attempted five three pointers the entire first half, finishing the game at 8 of 19 from behind the arc.
Perhaps it was the thin air of Utah that led to the strong shooting by the Flames?
DEFENSE LIMITS WOLVERINES
While Liberty’s offense was firing on all cylinders, the defense was equally as impressive. The Flames held Utah Valley to just 39% shooting on the night and 2 of 16 from three. The Wolverines got 13 of their points from the free throw line as they tried to take advantage of their size. They also had 17 offensive rebounds which led to 17 second chance points, but it wasn’t enough to stay within striking distance of the hot shooting Flames.
CLEVELAND, RODE IMPRESS
Zach Cleveland and Kyle Rode have become point forwards for this Liberty basketball team, similar to what Myo Baxter-Bell used to do for the Flames. They are just as confident handling the ball as they are working in the paint, maybe even more comfortable with the ball in their hands on the perimeter than inside.
The two 6’7″ forwards had their way with Utah Valley on Wednesday night, combining for 34 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. They were also 16 of 21 from the field.
“They are mismatches because of their ability to defend bigger players,” said McKay of his two forwards. “They have a positionlessness about them that really helps our offense. I know there are things that we’re not, but there are things that we really try to take advantage of. Part of those is the ability to play selflessly, read defenses, to play with smarts and discipline. Kyle Rode and Zach Cleveland are really highly rated in those categories.”
