Liberty Features 3 on All-CUSA Teams, 1 on All-Defensive Team
3/11/2024 12:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Ahead of the 2024 Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship, the Liberty Flames featured three players on the 2023-24 All-CUSA teams and one player on the CUSA All-Defensive team.
The Flames' three All-CUSA selections are tied for the most in the conference alongside Louisiana Tech. Liberty's All-CUSA honorees included second team members Kyle Rode and Zach Cleveland and third team recipient Kaden Metheny. Between the All-CUSA first, second and third team, 15 players in the league were recognized. Ten players from the league were tabbed All-CUSA honorable mention as well.
In addition to the three All-CUSA members, Liberty's Joseph Venzant was one of five players voted to the CUSA All-Defensive team.
This is Rode's third all-conference nod after receiving ASUN All-Conference second team recognition each of the last two seasons (2021-22, 2022-23). Cleveland and Metheny are both first time all-conference honors. This is Venzant's first nod to a conference's all-defensive team in what is his first opportunity. The ASUN Conference did not have an all-defensive team during Venzant's first two years of his collegiate career.
The Flames earned the No. 4 seed for the upcoming 2024 CUSA Men's Basketball Championship in their first year in the league. Liberty will face No. 5 seed UTEP (16-15, 7-9 CUSA) in the quarterfinals, Thursday evening. Tip time is 6:30 p.m. Eastern from Propst Arena in Huntsville, Ala.
Liberty led all teams in the conference with four Conference USA Player of the Week awards, with Rode earning three and Cleveland earning one.
Kyle Rode (All-CUSA second team) | Redshirt Senior | Forward | Lexington, Ky.
The Flames' three All-CUSA selections are tied for the most in the conference alongside Louisiana Tech. Liberty's All-CUSA honorees included second team members Kyle Rode and Zach Cleveland and third team recipient Kaden Metheny. Between the All-CUSA first, second and third team, 15 players in the league were recognized. Ten players from the league were tabbed All-CUSA honorable mention as well.
In addition to the three All-CUSA members, Liberty's Joseph Venzant was one of five players voted to the CUSA All-Defensive team.
This is Rode's third all-conference nod after receiving ASUN All-Conference second team recognition each of the last two seasons (2021-22, 2022-23). Cleveland and Metheny are both first time all-conference honors. This is Venzant's first nod to a conference's all-defensive team in what is his first opportunity. The ASUN Conference did not have an all-defensive team during Venzant's first two years of his collegiate career.
The Flames earned the No. 4 seed for the upcoming 2024 CUSA Men's Basketball Championship in their first year in the league. Liberty will face No. 5 seed UTEP (16-15, 7-9 CUSA) in the quarterfinals, Thursday evening. Tip time is 6:30 p.m. Eastern from Propst Arena in Huntsville, Ala.
Liberty led all teams in the conference with four Conference USA Player of the Week awards, with Rode earning three and Cleveland earning one.
Kyle Rode (All-CUSA second team) | Redshirt Senior | Forward | Lexington, Ky.
- Three-time CUSA Player of the Week (Nov. 13, Nov. 20, March 10), most of any player in the league
- Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List (Jan. 10)
- Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week (Nov. 21)
- Lou Henson National Player of the Week (Nov. 20)
- 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational MVP
- MVP of the Hall of Fame Series game against Charlotte (Nov. 10)
- Team leader in scoring (14.3 ppg) and three-pointers made (98), also averages 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game
- Averaged 15.6 ppg and 5.7 rpg in 16 CUSA regular season games, hit 58 threes in league play
- Leads CUSA in total three-pointers made (98) and threes per game (3.16), ranks 16th and 17th in the nation in those categories
- Had a pair of 31-point games in the regular season against Western Kentucky (March 9) and Wichita State (Nov. 17)
- Ranks 14th in school history in career points (1,488), 13th in rebounds (624) and sixth in assists (462)
- Has appeared in and started all 31 games this year, has an active streak of 92 straight starts
- CUSA Player of the Week on Feb. 5
- Averaging 12.0 points (third on team), 6.2 rebounds (first on team) and 4.0 assists (first on team) per game and shooting 57.3 percent from the field
- Averaged 13.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 4.1 apg in 16 CUSA regular season games
- One of two players in the nation with 370+ points, 190+ rebounds, 120+ assists and 35+ blocks
- Averaged 20.5 ppg, 7.0 apg, 5.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg and 1.5 spg in the road games at New Mexico State and UTEP, shot 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from the field and 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the free throw line
- Tallied 23 points in two different CUSA games, both on the road at Western Kentucky (Jan. 6) and at New Mexico State (Feb. 1)
- Scored 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting and added nine rebounds, two assists and two steal in the win over Vermont in Myrtle Beach Invitational title game
- Also team leader in blocks (36) and second in steals (28) while appearing in and starting all 31 games
- Team's second-leading scorer at 13.2 ppg, paces the Flames with 24 games in double figures and is second on the team with 81 three-pointers made
- Also averages 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.8 steals per game
- Averaged 14.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 2.6 apg in 16 CUSA regular season contests
- Currently ranks 35th in the nation in three-point percentage (40.3)
- Totaled 21 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals at home vs. Louisiana Tech (Feb. 10), hit the game-winning three with 2.1 seconds remaining
- Has four 20-plus point games on the season, has started all 31 games
- Second career postseason honor after being named to the MAC All-Freshman team during 2020-21 season while at Bowling Green
- Team leader in total steals (32, 1.1 spg) and ranks second in blocks (12, 0.4 bpg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg)
- Averaging 1.3 spg in 15 CUSA league games, good for the 11th best mark in CUSA
- Averages 5.0 ppg and shooting 58.1 percent from the floor, the best percentage of any Flame
- Has multiple steals in eight games, tallied season-high four steals at Louisiana Tech (Jan. 14)
- Blocked two shots in two of the last three regular season games (vs. UTEP, March 2, at Middle Tennessee, March 5)
- Has appeared in 30 games, making 28 starts
Remarkable first season as a Flame! ??@kmeth3 | #NoLimitsOnUs pic.twitter.com/RjV2k1MK1i
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) March 11, 2024
Remarkable first season as a Flame! ??@kmeth3 | #NoLimitsOnUs pic.twitter.com/RjV2k1MK1i
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) March 11, 2024
Remarkable first season as a Flame! ??@kmeth3 | #NoLimitsOnUs pic.twitter.com/RjV2k1MK1i
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) March 11, 2024
Dominant on the defensive end. ??#NoLimitsOnUs pic.twitter.com/443mKOTNXy
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) March 11, 2024
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