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Saturday, December 16
Lynchburg, Va.
1:00 PM ET
Liberty University
9-3,0-0CUSA
99
vs
26
St. Andrews
0-4
1
2
F
St. Andrews
14
12
26
Liberty
52
47
99
Flames Down St. Andrews 99-26, Saturday Afternoon
12/16/2023 4:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty Flames downed the visiting St. Andrews Knights 99-26, Saturday afternoon at Liberty Arena.
Liberty's 26 points allowed is tied for the second fewest given up in a game in school history. The Flames improve to 9-3 after a 2-0 week at home. St. Andrews' record remains at 3-9. The Knights counted this afternoon's contest as an exhibition.
Zander Yates scored a career-high 23 points in the game, and Brody Peebles tallied a season-best 23 points. Liberty dished out 34 assists on 39 made field goals. The 34 assists are tied for the fourth most in a single game in school history.
Liberty Men's Basketball Head Coach Ritchie McKay earned his 400th career win.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Zander Yates 23 points, 8-9 FG, 6-7 3FG, 4 rebounds; Brody Peebles 23 points, 9-15 FG, 5-11 3FG, 4 rebounds; Zach Cleveland 8 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Ben Southerland 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals; Shiloh Robinson 6 points, 3-4 FG, 7 rebounds
St. Andrews Individuals: Garrett McRae 11 points, 5-13 FG; Caleb Brown 6 points, 3-6 FG
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 50.6 percent (39-of-77) from the field and made 18-of-44 from three-point territory (40.9 percent). The Flames' 18 threes are tied for the fourth most in a game in program history. The Liberty defense held St. Andrews to 19.6 percent (10-of-51) shooting. Liberty grabbed a season-high 56 rebounds, 39 defense and 17 offensive. Eight different Flames grabbed four or more rebounds, with Joseph Venzant, Shiloh Robinson and Ben Southerland leading the way with seven boards apiece. Liberty forced 18 Knights turnovers, leading to 28 points. The Flames held sizeable edges in points off turnovers (28-0), points in the paint (42-6), second chance points (21-2), bench points (70-9) and fast break points (14-0).
Thoughts From Head Coach Ritchie McKay
"It was neat to be able to get guys in that don't get long minutes. I think what was best about it was our starters and the way they celebrated those guys' success. They work so hard in practice and don't get the same acclaim as some of the guys that score a lot of points. We also had some defensive selflessness that was fairly honoring as well."
Turning Point
The Liberty defense held St. Andrews to two total field goals in the first 15:32 to help build a 38-4 advantage. Liberty took a 52-14 lead into the locker room. The Flames knocked down 12 threes in the opening frame, led by a trio of triples and 11 points from Brody Peebles. Zander Yates was 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point territory for eight points in the first 20 minutes.
The Flames yielded only 12 points and held St. Andrews to 15.4 percent (4-of-26) shooting in the second half.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will hit the road to face Utah Valley (6-4), Wednesday night. Tip time between the Flames and Wolverines is 8 p.m. Eastern from UCCU Center Arena in Orem, Utah. The game can be seen on ESPN+.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Both squads participated in the 2023 NIT, with Liberty advancing to the second round and Utah Valley making it to the Final Four.
Liberty's 26 points allowed is tied for the second fewest given up in a game in school history. The Flames improve to 9-3 after a 2-0 week at home. St. Andrews' record remains at 3-9. The Knights counted this afternoon's contest as an exhibition.
Zander Yates scored a career-high 23 points in the game, and Brody Peebles tallied a season-best 23 points. Liberty dished out 34 assists on 39 made field goals. The 34 assists are tied for the fourth most in a single game in school history.
Liberty Men's Basketball Head Coach Ritchie McKay earned his 400th career win.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Zander Yates 23 points, 8-9 FG, 6-7 3FG, 4 rebounds; Brody Peebles 23 points, 9-15 FG, 5-11 3FG, 4 rebounds; Zach Cleveland 8 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Ben Southerland 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals; Shiloh Robinson 6 points, 3-4 FG, 7 rebounds
St. Andrews Individuals: Garrett McRae 11 points, 5-13 FG; Caleb Brown 6 points, 3-6 FG
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 50.6 percent (39-of-77) from the field and made 18-of-44 from three-point territory (40.9 percent). The Flames' 18 threes are tied for the fourth most in a game in program history. The Liberty defense held St. Andrews to 19.6 percent (10-of-51) shooting. Liberty grabbed a season-high 56 rebounds, 39 defense and 17 offensive. Eight different Flames grabbed four or more rebounds, with Joseph Venzant, Shiloh Robinson and Ben Southerland leading the way with seven boards apiece. Liberty forced 18 Knights turnovers, leading to 28 points. The Flames held sizeable edges in points off turnovers (28-0), points in the paint (42-6), second chance points (21-2), bench points (70-9) and fast break points (14-0).
Thoughts From Head Coach Ritchie McKay
"It was neat to be able to get guys in that don't get long minutes. I think what was best about it was our starters and the way they celebrated those guys' success. They work so hard in practice and don't get the same acclaim as some of the guys that score a lot of points. We also had some defensive selflessness that was fairly honoring as well."
Turning Point
The Liberty defense held St. Andrews to two total field goals in the first 15:32 to help build a 38-4 advantage. Liberty took a 52-14 lead into the locker room. The Flames knocked down 12 threes in the opening frame, led by a trio of triples and 11 points from Brody Peebles. Zander Yates was 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point territory for eight points in the first 20 minutes.
The Flames yielded only 12 points and held St. Andrews to 15.4 percent (4-of-26) shooting in the second half.
Key Stats & Notes
- Liberty's 26 points allowed is the second fewest given up to an opponent in program history. The last time the Flames gave up 26 points came in a 73-26 triumph over Columbia International on Dec. 12, 2020. Liberty's best defensive effort ever came against Regent in the 2021-22 season opener, an 85-24 victory.
- Liberty surrendered only 78 total points (39.0 ppg) in this week's pair of home triumphs. The Flames are averaging 85.5 ppg at home this season while allowing 48.5 ppg. Liberty is 5-1 at home this year.
- Head Coach Ritchie McKay's 400th career victory comes in his 22nd season. McKay is 400-274 all-time in his coaching career, including a 235-116 mark at Liberty. McKay has led the Flames to a 140-40 record (.778 winning percentage) over the last six seasons. He is the 48th active Division I head coach to reach 400 career wins.
- Zander Yates notched a career-high 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting and 6-of-7 from long distance. He notched career highs in made field goals and made threes as well as rebounds (4).
- Brody Peebles' 23 points were a season high and one off a career high. His career high is 24 points, set last year at home against Southern Miss (Nov. 18, 2022).
- Liberty's 70 bench points are a season high. Yates and Peebles' 23-point efforts both came off the bench.
- Ben Southerland notched career highs in points (7), rebounds (7), assists (6) and steals (2), doing so in 22:37 of action. The redshirt freshman was a game-best +41 in the win.
- Shiloh Robinson appeared in his 144th career game as a Flame, moving him into second place in program history by himself for career games played.
- All 12 Flames who played today entered the scoring column.
- Liberty's 73-point margin of victory is its largest since besting Detroit Bible 135-43 (92-point difference) on Feb. 16, 1973. It is also the largest margin of victory ever at Liberty Arena.
- Today's win was No. 50 all-time for the Flames at Liberty Arena. Liberty is 50-5 all-time at the facility, a .909 winning percentage.
- In the two games this week against Tennessee State and St. Andrews, Liberty held those two teams to a combined 8-of-58 (13.8 percent) shooting in the second half.
Liberty will hit the road to face Utah Valley (6-4), Wednesday night. Tip time between the Flames and Wolverines is 8 p.m. Eastern from UCCU Center Arena in Orem, Utah. The game can be seen on ESPN+.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Both squads participated in the 2023 NIT, with Liberty advancing to the second round and Utah Valley making it to the Final Four.
400 and counting... pic.twitter.com/qy5zhK4UYg
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) December 16, 2023
Team Stats
SA
Lib
FG%
.196
.506
3FG%
.200
.409
FT%
.750
.429
RB
25
56
TO
18
5
STL
4
8
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
9
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
6
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
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/ Men's BasketballStep Into My Office with Ritchie McKay
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