The Flames will make their 3rd ever NCAA Tournament appearance Tuesday night against North Carolina A&T. Here is what you need to know:
- Liberty is 0-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament games. The Flames lost in 1994 to #1 seed North Carolina 71-51, and in 2004 Liberty was upended by #1 seed St. Joe’s 82-63.
- Former Liberty guard David Dees holds many Liberty NCAA Tourney records including points (22), field goals made (7), free throws made (5) and 3-pointers made (3).
- Gabe Martin holds the record for most rebounds by a Flame in the NCAA Tournament.
- Matt Hildebrand and Darryl Williams hold the program record for most assist in a NCAA Tournament game with 5.
- Liberty head coach Dale Layer is 0-1 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- Layer’s previous tourney appearance came in 2003 when he was the head coach of Colorado State. The Rams lost to #3 seed Duke 67-57.
- Despite being just 100 miles apart, Liberty and North Carolina A&T have never met on the basketball court.
- Either the Flames or the Aggies will pick up their first ever NCAA Tournament win on Tuesday night. Liberty is 0-2 all-time; N.C. A&T is 0-9.
- The Aggies 9 previous appearances came in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, and 1995.
- The Aggies earned the MEAC’s automatic bid after beating #10 Florida A&M, #2 North Carolina Central, #6 Delaware State, #5 Morgan State in last week’s conference tournament.
- Big South teams are 4-21 in the NCAA Tournament all-time. 3 of those wins have come in play-in games.
- The Aggies are led by 6’6″ 188lb senior forward Adrian Powell. Powell leads the team in scoring (12.5) and rebounding (5.0).
- Junior guard Lamont Middleton is 2nd on the team in scoring at 12.4 points per game. Middleton also leads the team in assists with 2.3 per game.
- 6’8″ 195lb senior forward Austin Witter is 2nd on the team in rebounding (7.1) and assists (2.1).
- The winner will advance to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament to take on #1 overall seed Louisville on Thursday at 6:40 in Lexington, Kentucky.
