Men's Hoops Host Kentucky Christian Tonight
1/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Liberty concludes its two-game homestand with the final non-conference home game of the season, when the Kentucky Christian Knights enter the Vines Center on Tuesday evening. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
Tuesday's contest will air on the Flames Sports Network (flagship WRVL 88.3 FM) with Jerry Edwards providing play-by-play. Additionally, an Internet audio broadcast on LibertyFlames.com will be available. The game will be televised on the Flames Television Network with Ray Jones and Tim Scarborough calling the action. There will also be a live video stream of the broadcast via the Big South EDGE, available on BigSouthSports.com.
Liberty Update
The Flames enter tonight's game on the heels of a 74-57 triumph over Nyack on Saturday. Anthony Smith led Liberty with 21 points, while Alex McLean chipped in 18 points and 13 rebounds, good for his fifth double-double of the season and 17th of his career.
Prior to Saturday's win, Liberty suffered 72-64 setback at George Mason on Dec. 30. Anthony Smith tallied a career-high with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting against the Patriots. B.J. Jenkins chipped in 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, while Alex McLean tallied 16 points in the losing cause.
The last time Liberty stepped on the floor inside the Vines Center during 2007, the Flames recorded their fifth-straight home victory when Liberty topped Campbell on Dec. 28, 68-61. McLean led the Flames with 22 points and six rebounds. The win snapped the Flames' two-game losing skid. Liberty had dropped games on the road at Campbell and Virginia Tech prior to its home victory over the Camels.
Liberty versus Kentucky Christian
Tonight's contest marks the second all-time meeting between the two schools in basketball. Liberty leads the series, 1-0. These two teams first met on Nov. 20, 1979, the season the Flames captured the NCCAA National Championship.
Karl Hess, Ed Vickers and Mark Swift all scored 21 points in the contest, helping Liberty to victory. Freshman Steve Issacs tallied five points in the contest, joining Hess and Vickers, as three members of Liberty's 1,000-point club appeared in the game.
Hess dished out seven assists, while Vickers pulled down 10 rebounds for the game's only double-double. Tony Stone scored 15 points for the Knights in the loss.
All-Time Series Results
Nov. 20, 1979 W (98-62) Lynchburg
How the World was Spinning the Last Time
Kentucky Christian and Liberty Faced Off in Men's Hoops
The year was 1979, the date was Nov. 20. The No. 1 song that week was "Still" by the Commodores.
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" began production on Nov. 1, 1979, while "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" debuted on Dec. 7, 1979, in the United States to mixed reviews but strong box office, launching a film franchise that would span 10 films over the next 23 years.
The top-grossing film of 1979 was Dustin Hoffman's "Kramer vs. Kramer". "Rocky II" and "Alien" finished two and three respectively.
Notable TV programs that debuted in the fall of 1979 were "The Dukes of Hazzard", "The Facts of Life" and "You Can't Do That on Television".
On Sept. 7, 1979, ESPN began broadcasting sports 24/7, serving as the first cable channel to be launched.
Average cost of a new home in 1979 was $71,800.
Cost of a first-class stamp was 15 cents.
Average cost of a gallon of regular gas was 86 cents.
Cost of a gallon of milk was $1.62.
In world news on the Nov. 20, 1979, a group of terrorists of around 200 militants occupied Mecca's Grand Mosque. They were driven out by French commandos, who were allowed in the city under the incidents circumstances despite being non-Muslims.
Where was the Liberty coaching staff on Nov. 20, 1979?
Head Coach Ritchie McKay was a freshman at Powell Jr. High in Mesa, Ariz. McKay's high school, Westwood High School was a So.-Sr. institution.
Assistant Coach Dale Layer was a senior at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Assistant Coach Brad Soucie was in the eighth grade, living in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Assistant Coach Jason Eaker was not born yet.
The Liberty/Kentucky Christian Connection
Liberty women's basketball players Megan, Molly and Moriah Frazee's older brother Zeb played for Kentucky Christian his freshman year in college.
Zeb transferred to Liberty when his sisters matriculated in the fall of 2005.
Battle of the Bands
Kentucky Christian and Liberty each boast Grammy Award winning recording artists. Audio Adrenaline hails from Kentucky Christian, while dc Talk are alumnus of Liberty, which both groups helped shape Christian rock music in the 1990s.
Quick Look at Kentucky Christian
The 2006-2007 Knights compiled a 22-14 record, which included a Mideast Region Championship and a trip to the NCCAA II National Tournament. KCU made it to the semifinals of the National Tournament placing third, eventually losing in the semifinals. A seven-time NCCAA National Championship club, Kentucky Christian is currently ranked No. 5 in the most recent NCCAA Poll.
Liberty in Recent Years versus NCCAA Schools
This contest marks the third-straight season that Liberty has faced a school that participates in the NCCAA. The past two season, the Flames were victors over Cincinnati Christian, a team that graces Kentucky Christian's schedule twice this year.
Anthony Smith Reaches 800 Career Points
With a career-high 24 points at George Mason on Dec. 30, Anthony Smith became the 23rd player in Liberty history and only the eighth in the Division I era to score 800 career points. Smith currently has 825 markers in his career.
Anthony Smith Eyes 900 Career Points
Anthony Smith currently needs 75 points to become the 20th player in program history, and the ninth since Liberty moved to Division I, to score 900 career points. Every player in program history who has scored at least 900 career points went on to reach the 1,000-point plateau.
Next on the Scoring List for Anthony Smith
With 825 career points, Anthony Smith is breathing down the neck of Brad Hamersley, who sits in 22nd place all-time in Liberty annals, with 831 career points. Hammersley was a four-year letterwinner from 1984-88.
TeeJay Bannister Reaches 300 Career Assists
After dishing out eight assists against Campbell on Dec. 28, TeeJay Bannister reached the 300 career assist mark. Bannister dished out another five assists at George Mason on Dec. 30 and 10 more on Saturday against Nyack, giving the senior 321 assists during his collegiate career. Bannister registered 238 during his three years at Virginia.
The senior currently has 83 helpers for the Flames this season.
Liberty Undefeated at Home
Liberty is currently 6-0 at home this season in non-conference contests. With one non-conference home games remaining on the schedule this season, the Flames will be trying to go undefeated in home non-conference games for the first time since the 1995-96 season. That season, Liberty went 4-0 at home during the non-conference portion of its schedule. Since moving to the NCAA Division I level, Liberty has never gone undefeated at home during a non-conference slate when playing more than four non-conference contests.
Alex McLean Scores 600th Career Point
Alex McLean tallied 20 points in the Flames' loss at Campbell on Dec. 15, moving him over the 600- career point mark. McLean has now scored 685 points during his Liberty career, making the senior from Bay Shore, N.Y., the 36th player in program history to reach the 600-milestone.
Alex McLean Eyes 700 Career Points
Alex McLean needs 15 points to become the 29th player in program history to reach 700 career points. McLean would become the second Flame to reach the 600-point plateau this season, following Anthony Smith.
