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MBB Game Day: Sam Houston
1/8/2025 11:36:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game Day Coverage
- Liberty at Sam Houston (Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum | Huntsville, Texas)
- Tipoff: Thursday at 9:05 p.m. EST/8:05 p.m. CST
- TV: CBS Sports Network
- Radio:Â LFSN Radio
- Live Stats
- Liberty (13-2, 1-1 CUSA) will play its first CUSA road game at Sam Houston (7-8, 0-2 CUSA). The Flames and Bearkats split a pair of meetings last year, with both teams winning on their home floors.
- This will be the fifth all-time meeting between the two programs. The two squads squared off twice in Conference USA regular season play. Liberty upended Sam Houston 82-66 at Liberty Arena, handing the Bearkats their first CUSA loss of the season at the time. In that game, the Flames shot 56.6 percent (36-of-56) from the field. Kyle Rode led the way for the Flames with a team-high 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Colin Porter flirted with a triple-double, totaling 12 points, a career-high nine boards and eight assists. Kaden Metheny added four three-pointers and 17 points for the home side.
- This is the Flames' third straight nationally-televised game on CBS Sports Network. Liberty will play at Louisiana Tech on ESPNU on Saturday night. The Flames will host UTEP next Thursday night, a game on CBSSN that will make it five straight national audiences.
- In the road matchup in Huntsville, Texas, Sam Houston jumped out to an 18-2 lead in the first 5:10 and led by as many as 25 (69-44) in the second half. Liberty went on a 16-0 run to cut the deficit to 69-60 with 5:42 left. Liberty clawed within seven on two occasions (70-63 and 78-71), but Sam Houston held on down the stretch to secure the 10-point victory.
- The Flames picked up their first league win of the year on Saturday night, besting Middle Tennessee 73-63. Meanwhile, the Bearkats are looking for their first CUSA victory. Sam Houston fell 81-72 at UTEP in their last CUSA game.Â
- Kaden Metheny paced the Flames with 19 points against MTSU and is averaging 18.8 ppg over his last four contests. Colin Porter added 16 points, while Zach Cleveland had 11 points, eight boards and six assists. Owen Aquino chipped in nine points and 13 boards.
- Liberty will play a true road game for the first time in 53 days (last was a 68-47 road win at Charleston, Nov. 17). Sam Houston, last year's CUSA regular season champion, brings a 4-0 home record into the matchup.
- Liberty has won 162 games since the start of the 2018-19 season, tied for seventh most nationally.
- The Flames are No. 2 in the nation in effective field goal percentage (59.5). Liberty is also in the top 10 in the country in fewest fouls per game (No. 5, 12.3), Â scoring defense (No. 7, 59.3), scoring margin (No. 7, 20.7), threes per game (No. 9, 10.9) and winning percentage (No. 10, 86.7).
- Liberty is 69th 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. 67 in the KenPom rankings. Sam Houston is No. 173 in the NET and No. 148 in KenPom.
- This is the Flames' third straight nationally-televised game on CBS Sports Network. Liberty will play at Louisiana Tech on ESPNU on Saturday night. The Flames will host UTEP next Thursday night, a game on CBSSN that will make it five straight national audiences.
- Kaden Metheny ranks No. 9 in the nation in three-pointers per game (3.50) and 17th in total threes (49). He is first in Conference USA in threes per game and second in total triples.
- Colin Porter ranks 23rd in the country and second in CUSA in assist/turnover ratio (3.19).Â
- The Flames were 1-7 in CUSA road games last season.
- This will be Liberty's 19th all-time game on Jan. 9. The Flames are 12-6 all-time on this date and have won five straight games on this date.Â
Liberty last played on this date in 2021, a 76-47 home ASUN triumph over Kennesaw State. Eleven different Flames entered the scoring column in the win, led by Darius McGhee's 12 points. The Flames outscored the Owls 40-17 in the second half and held KSU to 31.9 percent shooting (15-of-47) for the game. - In the McKay era, Liberty is 157-15 (.913) when holding teams under 60 points and 212-36 (.855) when scoring 70 or more.
Players Mentioned
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