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Thursday, February 22
Miami, Fla.
7:00 PM ET
Liberty University
71
at
76
FIU
FIU Slips Past Liberty 76-71, Thursday Night
2/22/2024 10:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MIAMI, Fla. – FIU slipped past Liberty 76-71 in CUSA action, Thursday evening at Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
The Flames fall to 16-11 on the season and 5-7 in CUSA games. Liberty is 2-7 on the road this season. Meanwhile, FIU bolsters its overall record to 9-18 and 4-8 in conference. The Panthers are 8-5 at home this year.
Liberty and FIU split the regular season series, with both teams winning on their home floor. The Flames bested the Panthers 78-69, Jan. 18 at Liberty Arena.
Kaden Metheny paced four Flames in double figures with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Kyle Rode added 18 points and six rebounds. Colin Porter and Brody Peebles contributed 10 points apiece.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 21 points, 9-14 FG, 3-6 3FG; Kyle Rode 18 points, 6-11 FG, 6 rebounds, 3 assists; Colin Porter 10 points, 5 rebounds; Brody Peebles 10 points
FIU Individuals: Arturo Dean 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Javaunte Hawkins 20 points, 8-16 FG, 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Jayden Brewer 10 points, 5 rebounds
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) for the game, compared to 46 percent (29-of-63) for host FIU. This is the first time this season the Flames have lost a game in which they outshot their opposition. Liberty entered the game 13-0 when shooting a better percentage than its foe. Both the Flames and Panthers found success in the paint, with Liberty scoring 36 points and FIU scoring 44 points in the paint. The Panthers held a 38-31 edge in rebounding and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds. FIU scored 16 second chance points, compared to only six for the Flames. Liberty turned the ball over only nine times, but it led to 16 points for the Panthers. FIU entered the game averaging the second-most turnovers forced per game in the nation at 18.35 per contest. The Flames connected on 40 percent (8-of-20) of their three-point attempts, and Panthers managed to shoot just 25 percent (6-of-24) from long distance.
Thoughts From Head Coach Ritchie McKay
"If you can't keep the ball out of the lane, it's going to be difficult for your team to secure the victory. We've got to do a better job of that. That's something we've tried to focus on. We haven't executed it in a way yet that warrants the opportunity to win the game on the scoreboard. Florida International did a really good job of trying to drive our guards. They were persistent at it. Consequently, 44 our of their 71 (points) were in the lane. Not a good recipe."
Turning Point
FIU opened the half on a 10-0 run in the first 2:11 of the second half to open up a 13-point lead, 47-34, with 17:49 left. The Panthers stretched the lead to 14 on two different occasions (50-36 and 52-38) before the Flames mounted a comeback to take a lead. Liberty's 19-3 run was capped off by a Shiloh Robinson three at the 11:07 mark to tie it at 55-all, followed by a layup from Kaden Metheny for a 57-55 lead with 10:37 remaining.
The two teams traded the lead over the next four-plus minutes until FIU took the lead for good with a three-pointer from George Pridgett Jr. at the 6:21 mark for a 65-63 edge. FIU never trailed again and took a six-point lead, 72-66, following a three from Javaunte Hawkins 2:01 left.
Metheny got Liberty within a possession with a three, but Hawkins scored again at the 1:05 mark to put the home side ahead 74-69. Liberty got within three on a pair of free throws from Brody Peebles with 47 seconds left and got a stop on the defensive end. In the closing seconds, the Flames had a chance to tie it, but Kyle Rode's shot from long range would not fall. Arturo Dean sealed the victory with a pair of free throws for the Panthers.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will be back in action a week from today at home against New Mexico State (11-15, 5-6 CUSA). Tip time between the Flames and Aggies is 9 p.m. from Liberty Arena. The game can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
New Mexico State edged Liberty 79-73 in overtime in the first matchup, Feb. 1 at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M.
The Flames fall to 16-11 on the season and 5-7 in CUSA games. Liberty is 2-7 on the road this season. Meanwhile, FIU bolsters its overall record to 9-18 and 4-8 in conference. The Panthers are 8-5 at home this year.
Liberty and FIU split the regular season series, with both teams winning on their home floor. The Flames bested the Panthers 78-69, Jan. 18 at Liberty Arena.
Kaden Metheny paced four Flames in double figures with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Kyle Rode added 18 points and six rebounds. Colin Porter and Brody Peebles contributed 10 points apiece.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 21 points, 9-14 FG, 3-6 3FG; Kyle Rode 18 points, 6-11 FG, 6 rebounds, 3 assists; Colin Porter 10 points, 5 rebounds; Brody Peebles 10 points
FIU Individuals: Arturo Dean 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Javaunte Hawkins 20 points, 8-16 FG, 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Jayden Brewer 10 points, 5 rebounds
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) for the game, compared to 46 percent (29-of-63) for host FIU. This is the first time this season the Flames have lost a game in which they outshot their opposition. Liberty entered the game 13-0 when shooting a better percentage than its foe. Both the Flames and Panthers found success in the paint, with Liberty scoring 36 points and FIU scoring 44 points in the paint. The Panthers held a 38-31 edge in rebounding and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds. FIU scored 16 second chance points, compared to only six for the Flames. Liberty turned the ball over only nine times, but it led to 16 points for the Panthers. FIU entered the game averaging the second-most turnovers forced per game in the nation at 18.35 per contest. The Flames connected on 40 percent (8-of-20) of their three-point attempts, and Panthers managed to shoot just 25 percent (6-of-24) from long distance.
Thoughts From Head Coach Ritchie McKay
"If you can't keep the ball out of the lane, it's going to be difficult for your team to secure the victory. We've got to do a better job of that. That's something we've tried to focus on. We haven't executed it in a way yet that warrants the opportunity to win the game on the scoreboard. Florida International did a really good job of trying to drive our guards. They were persistent at it. Consequently, 44 our of their 71 (points) were in the lane. Not a good recipe."
Turning Point
FIU opened the half on a 10-0 run in the first 2:11 of the second half to open up a 13-point lead, 47-34, with 17:49 left. The Panthers stretched the lead to 14 on two different occasions (50-36 and 52-38) before the Flames mounted a comeback to take a lead. Liberty's 19-3 run was capped off by a Shiloh Robinson three at the 11:07 mark to tie it at 55-all, followed by a layup from Kaden Metheny for a 57-55 lead with 10:37 remaining.
The two teams traded the lead over the next four-plus minutes until FIU took the lead for good with a three-pointer from George Pridgett Jr. at the 6:21 mark for a 65-63 edge. FIU never trailed again and took a six-point lead, 72-66, following a three from Javaunte Hawkins 2:01 left.
Metheny got Liberty within a possession with a three, but Hawkins scored again at the 1:05 mark to put the home side ahead 74-69. Liberty got within three on a pair of free throws from Brody Peebles with 47 seconds left and got a stop on the defensive end. In the closing seconds, the Flames had a chance to tie it, but Kyle Rode's shot from long range would not fall. Arturo Dean sealed the victory with a pair of free throws for the Panthers.
Key Stats & Notes
- Kaden Metheny scored 21 points tonight, his third time in the last five games that he has scored exactly 21 points. Metheny is averaging 18.5 ppg over his last six contests.
- Metheny has scored 992 career points in his collegiate career, 365 of which have come in his first season with the Flames.
- Kyle Rode became the 16th player in program history to eclipse the 1,400-point mark for his career. Rode finished the night with 1,411 career points, good for 15th most in Liberty men's basketball history. He passed Lovell Cabbil (1,406 points) to move into the No. 15 spot
- Rode has scored in double figures in four straight games. The fifth-year senior matched a game high with six boards tonight.
- Brody Peebles (10 points) has reached double digits in scoring in seven straight contests. The junior made the start for the third time in his last four games.
- Liberty is 2-4 this year in games decided by five points or less.
- FIU takes a 3-2 lead on Liberty in the all-time series.
Liberty will be back in action a week from today at home against New Mexico State (11-15, 5-6 CUSA). Tip time between the Flames and Aggies is 9 p.m. from Liberty Arena. The game can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
New Mexico State edged Liberty 79-73 in overtime in the first matchup, Feb. 1 at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M.
Players Mentioned
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