MBB Game Day: FIU

Game Day Coverage

Liberty vs. FIU (Liberty Arena)
Tipoff: Saturday at 2:02 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio
Live Stats

Liberty Storylines

Liberty (21-5, 9-4 CUSA) wil host FIU (8-18, 2-11 CUSA) on Saturday afternoon in what is both teams' only game of the week.
The Flames are 7-1 over their last eight games and have won four straight. Liberty bested NM State (64-54 final) and UTEP (76-69 final) last weekend for its first-ever 2-0 road CUSA sweep. FIU has lost three straight and dropped a pair of games last week to NM State and UTEP.
Liberty is 10-2 overall at home, including a 4-2 mark in league play. The Flames have not lost at home in over a month (Jan. 16 to UTEP). FIU is 0-6 in CUSA road contests and 1-10 in road games this season.
The Flames are 3-3 all-time against the Panthers and 2-1 versus FIU since joining CUSA.
This will be seventh all-time meeting between the two squads and fourth in CUSA action. The overall series, which dates back to 1981, is even at 3-3.
Liberty bested FIU 82-59 back on Jan. 25 in Miami, Fla. The Flames led for 38:24 of the 40 minutes. The victory gave Ritchie McKay his 260th win as head coach of Liberty, a new program record. McKay and the Flames have since added five wins. Taelon Peter finished with 21 points in the game and scored 18 of those in the first half in helping Liberty to a 43-27 lead at the break. The Flames shot 59.6 percent (31-of-52) from the field, their third highest percentage of the season. Guards Kaden Metheny (13 points) and Colin Porter (12 points, five assists, three steals) also reached double figures. Brett Decker Jr. had his best performance in CUSA play with six points. The freshman was a +13 in only 8:47 of action.
The Flames lead CUSA in fewest turnovers per game (10.0), ranking 26th nationally in the category. The Panthers are No. 2 in CUSA and No. 21 in the country in turnovers forced per game (15.0).
Liberty ranks in the top 10 nationally and leads CUSA in three-point percentage defense (No. 2, 27.7), effective field goal percentage (No. 3, 58.0) fewest fouls per game (No. 5, 12.8), scoring defense (No. 8, 61.7), assist/turnover ratio (No. 8, 1.68) and scoring margin (No. 9, 14.8).
Liberty is 69th in the nation in the current NCAA Men's Basketball NET Rankings and No. 67 in the KenPom rankings. FIU is No. 270 in the NET and No. 267 in KenPom.
Liberty (9-4 CUSA) sits a half game back of Jacksonville State (10-4 CUSA) in the league standings after the Gamecocks fell 61-52 at home to NM State on Thursday evening. A win over FIU and a Jax State loss to UTEP on Saturday would put the Flames in solo first place in the league.
The Flames are one of 30 teams in the nation with 21 or more wins on the season.
Saturday is Alumni Day at Liberty Arena, where the program will welcome back some of its former players.
Taelon Peter is the Flames' leading scorer (16.2 ppg) in conference play so far through 13 league games. He is averaging 17.6 ppg on 59.6 percent shooting over his last 11 games.
Colin Porter ranks 13th in the country and first in Conference USA in assist/turnover ratio (3.14). The junior guard is now ninth in program history for career assists (370).
Liberty hit 14 three-pointers at UTEP, its most in a CUSA game this season. The Flames' season high is 18, set against St. Andrews on Dec. 17.
The Flames are 19-1 this season when outshooting their opponents and 11-0 when shooting 50 percent or better.
Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay (265 wins at Liberty) is the winningest coach in program history.
The Flames have only trailed at the half two times this year, with both occasions coming in the last two games.
This will be Liberty's 18th all-time game on Feb. 22. The Flames are 7-10 all-time on this date but are 4-2 over their last six contests on Feb. 22. This will be the second straight year the Flames will face the FIU Panthers on this exact date of Feb. 22. Last year, Liberty fell 76-71 to FIU at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami, Fla. That game was held on a Thursday night, while this year the Flames will face the Panthers on a Saturday afternoon.
Liberty is ranked No. 7 in the College Insider Men's Mid-Major Top 25®.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Brett Decker Jr.

Kaden Metheny

Taelon Peter

Colin Porter

MBB Game Day: FIU

Players Mentioned

Brett Decker Jr.

Kaden Metheny

Taelon Peter

Colin Porter

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