MBB Game Day: Vermont
11/22/2025 12:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Day Coverage
- Liberty vs. Vermont (State Farm Field House | Kissimmee, Fla.)
- 2025 ESPN Events Invitational Quarterfinals
- Tipoff: Monday at 1:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPNU
- Radio: LFSN Radio
- Live Stats
- Mid-major powers Liberty (4-0) and Vermont (4-1) will meet in the quarterfinals of the ESPN Events Invitational. This is the second all-time meeting between the squads. The Flames defeated the Catamounts 71-61 in the championship game of the 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational.
- Liberty is leading the nation in effective field goal percentage (.699) and is also No. 1 in the country in threes per game (14.5), No. 1 in three-point percentage (46.4), No. 2 in assist/turnover ratio (2.65), No. 3 in field goal percentage (57.6) and sixth in scoring margin (32.0).
- The Flames are also No. 5 nationally in fewest turnovers per game (7.8), No. 13 in fewest fouls per game (14.0) and No. 18 in assists per game (20.5).
- Zach Cleveland was named Conference USA Player of the Week for the second time in his career on Nov. 10. The senior is nearly averaging a triple-double (10.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 8.0 apg) through four games.
- Brett Decker Jr. is averaging a team-best 20.0 ppg and has knocked down 20 threes. He is No. 1 in the nation in threes per game (5.00) and No. 3 in three-point percentage (62.5).
- This is the first time in program history that the Flames have opened the year with four straight wins by 15 or more points. The last time Liberty won four or more contests by 15+ was from Dec. 17, 2022-Jan. 5, 2023.
- This is the first time Liberty has shot 54.2 percent or better from the field in four straight games since doing so in five straight from Jan. 18-30, 1992.
- Liberty has 181 wins over the past seven-plus seasons, seventh most in the nation during that span.
- Liberty downed Carolina U 98-46 in its most recent game on Monday. Zander Yates (15 points, 5-5 3FG) and JJ Harper (15 points) led the way offensively, both notching season highs in points.
- The Flames have claimed five in-season tournament titles in recent memory, including this year's Field of 68 Tip-Off event (2-0, wins over Charleston and FAU). Liberty won the 2024 Paradise Jam, going 3-0 at the event, including wins over Louisiana (quarterfinals), Kansas State (semifinals) and McNeese (final). The Flames won the 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational, posting a perfect 3-0 record at the event to capture the title at Coastal Carolina's HTC Center. Monday's game will be a rematch of the Myrtle Beach Invitational title. The Flames knocked off the Catamounts 71-61 in the final of that event and also bested Furman (quarterfinals) and Wichita State (semifinals) along the way. Kyle Rode was named Myrtle Beach Invitational MVP. Liberty won the Island of the Bahamas Showcase (Nov. 22-24, 2019) as well as the DC Holiday Hoops Fest (Dec. 20-21, 2019), springboarding the Flames to a 30-4 overall record, the most wins in school history.
- This will be Liberty's 15th all-time game on Nov. 24 but first since 2019. Liberty is 7-7 all-time on this date. The Flames last played on this date six years ago in the title game of the Island of the Bahamas Showcase. Liberty topped Kansas City 62-49 for the title to improve to 8-0 on the year. Kyle Rode was named the tournament MVP, and Scottie James was selected to the All-Tournament team as well.
- Liberty finished 66th in the nation in the NCAA Men's Basketball NET Rankings and No. 64 in the KenPom rankings last year. The Flames are currently No. 80 in the KenPom in the early going.
- The Flames announced the addition of three players in the early signing period - four-star Eli Sancomb (Wheeling, W.Va.), three-star Eli Herbert (Grain Valley, Mo.) and three-star Reece Davidson (Longdon, Ky.).
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballCoach McKay Talks About The 2026-27 Signing Class
Thursday, November 20
Coach McKay Talks About The Win Over Carolina
Tuesday, November 18
Josh Smith & JC Shirer Jr. Talk About The Win Over Carolina
Tuesday, November 18
Coach McKay Talks About The Win Over FAU
Monday, November 10