Photo by: Ryan Anderson
Cleveland Earns Season’s 1st CUSA Player of the Week Award
11/10/2025 3:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – After nearly averaging a triple-double in three games last week, Liberty senior forward Zach Cleveland has earned the first Conference USA Player of the Week award of the 2025-26 season.
This is Cleveland's second career CUSA Player of the Week award and first since Feb. 5, 2024.
In three starts, Cleveland averaged 11.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 56 percent from the floor and tallying double-doubles in all three contests. The senior forward was one point away from a triple-double in Sunday's dominant 88-68 win over Florida Atlantic in the finale of the Field of 68 Tip-Off event, tallying nine points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists as well as a career-high four steals. Cleveland was a game-best +31 in the win over the Owls in his 33:29 of action. The senior is the first Flame with 10 or more assists in a game since Darius McGhee notched 10 assists versus Lipscomb on Feb. 8, 2022.
Cleveland currently leads the nation with three double-doubles. In Friday's 90-75 triumph over Charleston in the first game of the Field of 68 Tip-Off, he produced 12 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and a steal. The Bloomington, Ill. native was a +26 in his 33:07 of action on the court. In last Monday's opener against Kentucky Christian, a 98-57 victory, Cleveland totaled 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and added 10 rebounds and five assists.
Cleveland and the Flames (3-0) will play their next game at home against Carolina University a week from today, next Monday at Liberty Arena. Tip time is 7 p.m.
This is Cleveland's second career CUSA Player of the Week award and first since Feb. 5, 2024.
In three starts, Cleveland averaged 11.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 56 percent from the floor and tallying double-doubles in all three contests. The senior forward was one point away from a triple-double in Sunday's dominant 88-68 win over Florida Atlantic in the finale of the Field of 68 Tip-Off event, tallying nine points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists as well as a career-high four steals. Cleveland was a game-best +31 in the win over the Owls in his 33:29 of action. The senior is the first Flame with 10 or more assists in a game since Darius McGhee notched 10 assists versus Lipscomb on Feb. 8, 2022.
Cleveland currently leads the nation with three double-doubles. In Friday's 90-75 triumph over Charleston in the first game of the Field of 68 Tip-Off, he produced 12 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and a steal. The Bloomington, Ill. native was a +26 in his 33:07 of action on the court. In last Monday's opener against Kentucky Christian, a 98-57 victory, Cleveland totaled 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and added 10 rebounds and five assists.
Cleveland and the Flames (3-0) will play their next game at home against Carolina University a week from today, next Monday at Liberty Arena. Tip time is 7 p.m.
After averaging nearly a triple-double in 3 games and making #SCTop10 last week, @Zachcleve33 earns @ConferenceUSA POTW honors!??? pic.twitter.com/2gXl1viSL4
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) November 10, 2025
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