MBB Game Day: FIU
1/23/2025 1:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Day Coverage
- Liberty at FIU (Ocean Bank Convocation Center | Miami, Fla.)
- Tipoff: Saturday at 6 p.m. EST
- TV:Â ESPN+
- Radio:Â LFSN Radio
- Live Stats
- Liberty (15-4, 3-3 CUSA) will hit the road to face FIU (7-12, 1-5 CUSA) on Saturday night. This is the Flames' lone game this week.
- The Flames topped CUSA-leading NM State 68-60 in their most recent action, handing the Aggies (4-1) their first league loss. FIU has dropped four straight games. The Panthers fell 81-73 at home to UTEP in their last game.
- Liberty and FIU split a pair of meetings last year, with both teams winning on their home floors. The Flames topped the Panthers 78-69 at Liberty Arena. FIU bested Liberty 76-71 last year on its home court.
- This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs and third meeting in CUSA play. Last year, Liberty and FIU split a pair of games, with both teams holding serve on their respective home floors.
- The Flames topped the Panthers 78-69 at Liberty Arena (Jan. 18, 2024) for their first-ever CUSA victory. The Flames assisted on 26 of their 27 made field goals (96.3 percent) on the night and knocked down 16 threes on 33 attempts (48.5 percent). Kyle Rode led four Liberty players in double figures with 19 points and added eight rebounds and five assists. Guard Kaden Metheny knocked down six threes for 18 points and chipped in six assists. In the road matchup in Miami, FIU edged Liberty 76-71. Metheny paced the Flames with 21 points. FIU held edges in points in the paint (44-36), rebounding (38-31) and second chance points (16-6).Â
- Metheny led the Flames in scoring (19.5 ppg) in two games last year versus FIU. Metheny shot 57.7 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from three.
- Head coach Ritchie McKay (259-131 at Liberty) is tied for the most victories as head coach in program history with Jeff Meyer (259 wins, 1981-97). McKay's next victory will establish a new record.
- Liberty ranks eighth nationally in scoring defense (61.5) and ranks in the top 20 in the country and also first in CUSA in fewest fouls per game (No. 5, 12.6), effective field goal percentage (No. 9, 58.1), scoring margin (No. 11, 16.8), assist/turnover ratio (No. 11, 1.65) and threes per game (No. 20, 10.3). Â
- Liberty's four losses this season have been by a combined 11 points. The Flames' average margin of victory in their 14 wins is 23.1 points (80.1 ppg-58.0 ppg).
- Liberty is 85th in the nation in the current NCAA Men's Basketball NET Rankings. The Flames debuted at No. 53 in the first set of rankings on Dec. 2. Liberty is also No. 83 in the KenPom rankings. FIU is No. 243 in the NET and No. 24 Â in KenPom.
- Taelon Peter is the Flames' leading scorer (16.0 ppg) in conference play so far. He is shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three-point land in those four games.
- It will be a game of contrasting styles on Saturday night. The Flames rank 41st nationally and second in the league in turnovers per game (10.4). The Panthers rank 29th in the country and No. 2 in CUSA in turnovers forced per game (15.47).Â
- Metheny ranks 26th in the nation in threes per game (3.06) and 41st in total threes (55). He is second in CUSA in both categories.
- Colin Porter ranks 27th in the country and second in CUSA in assist/turnover ratio (3.04).Â
- This will be Liberty's 12th all-time game on Jan. 25. The Flames are 5-6 all-time on this date. Liberty last played on this date five years ago in 2020, a 48-43 road ASUN setback at Stetson. The Flames led 29-18 at the break but were outscored 30-14 by the Hatters in the second half. Despite that loss, Liberty has still won four of its last six games on Jan. 25.Â
- Liberty is ranked No. 10 in the College Insider Men's Mid-Major Top 25®. The Flames were ranked No. 8 last week, No. 6 two weeks ago and No. 3 in back-to-back weeks prior to that.Â
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballLiberty Basketball: The Best of the "Big 3"
Friday, April 03
Taelon Peter: From Liberty to the NBA
Tuesday, March 31
Coach McKay Talks About The Nevada Game
Monday, March 23
Coach McKay, Brett Decker Jr. & Josh Smith Talk About The Win Over George Mason
Wednesday, March 18