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Saturday, December 7
Lynchburg, Va.
7:00 PM ET
Liberty University
9-1,0-0CUSA
89
vs
52
Mississippi Valley State
2-8,0-0SWAC
1
2
F
Mississippi Val.
16
36
52
Liberty
40
49
89
Liberty Makes Season-High 16 3s, Downs MVSU 89-52
12/7/2024 10:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty knocked down a season-high 16 three-pointers on the way to an 89-52 triumph over visiting Mississippi Valley State, Saturday night at Liberty Arena.
The Flames improve to 9-1 on the year and 3-0 at home and have won six consecutive games. The Delta Devils slip to 2-8 on the year. MVSU is 0-8 in road games during the 2024-25 campaign.
Liberty's Kaden Metheny led the way with a season-high and game-high 22 points, his highest scoring output in a Flames uniform. Brett Decker Jr. added 16 points, and Isaiah Ihnen chipped in 12 points.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 22 points, 7-10, 6-9 3FG, 3 rebounds; Brett Decker Jr. 16 points, 5-9 FG, 4-7 3FG; Isaiah Ihnen 12 points, 4-8 FG, 2 steals; Zander Yates 9 points, 3-6 3FG; Owen Aquino 7 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
Mississippi Valley State Individuals: Donovan Sanders 14 points, 6-10 FG; Alvin Stredic 10 points, 9 rebounds; Walter Hamilton 10 points, 3-4 FG, 5 rebounds
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 55.8 percent (29-of-52) on the night, its fifth game of the year shooting above 50 percent. The Flames are 5-0 in those games. MVSU shot 41.7 percent (20-of-48) from the field. Liberty connected on 48.5 percent (16-of-33) of its three-pointers, while MVSU struggled at 18.2 percent (2-of-11). The Flames held edges in assists (18-6), rebounds (30-27), points off turnovers (22-10), second chance points (13-4), fast break points (10-8) and bench points. Liberty forced 17 MVSU turnovers, the most the Flames have forced against a Division I opponent this season.
Turning Point
Liberty never trailed on the night, jumping out to a big 16-2 lead in the game's first 5:34. During the early spurt, Kaden Metheny knocked down all three of his three-point attempts, and Jayvon Maughmer added five early points.
The Flames limited the Delta Devils to 26.1 percent shooting in the first half in building up a 24-point lead, 40-16 at the break. Liberty's lead grew as big as 46, 84-38, with 5:14 left on the clock.
Key Stats & Notes
The Flames return to the court next Saturday to face North Carolina A&T (3-6) in a non-conference matchup. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Liberty Arena and can be seen on ESPN+.
Liberty and North Carolina A&T will be squaring off for the second time ever. The only prior meet came in a 2013 NCAA Tournament First Four matchup. The Aggies edged the Flames 73-72 in that matchup.
The Flames improve to 9-1 on the year and 3-0 at home and have won six consecutive games. The Delta Devils slip to 2-8 on the year. MVSU is 0-8 in road games during the 2024-25 campaign.
Liberty's Kaden Metheny led the way with a season-high and game-high 22 points, his highest scoring output in a Flames uniform. Brett Decker Jr. added 16 points, and Isaiah Ihnen chipped in 12 points.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 22 points, 7-10, 6-9 3FG, 3 rebounds; Brett Decker Jr. 16 points, 5-9 FG, 4-7 3FG; Isaiah Ihnen 12 points, 4-8 FG, 2 steals; Zander Yates 9 points, 3-6 3FG; Owen Aquino 7 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
Mississippi Valley State Individuals: Donovan Sanders 14 points, 6-10 FG; Alvin Stredic 10 points, 9 rebounds; Walter Hamilton 10 points, 3-4 FG, 5 rebounds
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 55.8 percent (29-of-52) on the night, its fifth game of the year shooting above 50 percent. The Flames are 5-0 in those games. MVSU shot 41.7 percent (20-of-48) from the field. Liberty connected on 48.5 percent (16-of-33) of its three-pointers, while MVSU struggled at 18.2 percent (2-of-11). The Flames held edges in assists (18-6), rebounds (30-27), points off turnovers (22-10), second chance points (13-4), fast break points (10-8) and bench points. Liberty forced 17 MVSU turnovers, the most the Flames have forced against a Division I opponent this season.
Turning Point
Liberty never trailed on the night, jumping out to a big 16-2 lead in the game's first 5:34. During the early spurt, Kaden Metheny knocked down all three of his three-point attempts, and Jayvon Maughmer added five early points.
The Flames limited the Delta Devils to 26.1 percent shooting in the first half in building up a 24-point lead, 40-16 at the break. Liberty's lead grew as big as 46, 84-38, with 5:14 left on the clock.
Key Stats & Notes
- Kaden Metheny's 22-point night was his best scoring output in a Liberty uniform. His previous high as a Flame was 21 points, achieved three times. His career high is 29 points, which he accomplished while at Bowling Green against Eastern Michigan on Feb. 23, 2021.
- Metheny knocked down six three-pointers, tied for the most he has ever made in a Flames jersey. The last time the guard made six triples was against FIU at home last season (Jan. 18, 2024).
- The Flames' 16 triples this evening are their most since also making 16 threes in a 78-69 triumph over the FIU Panthers last season at Liberty Arena.
- Brett Decker Jr. scored 16 points tonight. The freshman is averaging 17.3 points per game in three home contests this season while making 12 three-pointers on 25 attempts (48 percent).
- With three assists tonight, Colin Porter became the 19th Flame in program history to reach 300 career assists.
- Isaiah Ihnen (12 points) has scored in double figures in five of the last six games. During the Flames' six-game winning streak, the redshirt junior forward is averaging 14.5 ppg.
- Liberty's 9-1 start through 10 games is its best start since opening the 2019-20 season by winning 14 games in a row.
- Owen Aquino filled the stat sheet with seven points, eight boards, four assists and two blocks.
- All 13 Flames who dressed tonight saw playing time. Zander Yates scored a season-high nine points and converted on 3-of-6 three-pointers. Yates is shooting 45 percent from long range on the year.
- Liberty improves to 5-0 all-time against MVSU. The Flames have topped the Delta Devils in back-to-back seasons.
- This is the third time this year the Flames have not trailed in a game.
The Flames return to the court next Saturday to face North Carolina A&T (3-6) in a non-conference matchup. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Liberty Arena and can be seen on ESPN+.
Liberty and North Carolina A&T will be squaring off for the second time ever. The only prior meet came in a 2013 NCAA Tournament First Four matchup. The Aggies edged the Flames 73-72 in that matchup.
Team Stats
MVSU
Lib
FG%
.417
.558
3FG%
.182
.485
FT%
.667
.750
RB
27
30
TO
17
10
STL
6
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
6
FTM
2
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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