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Sunday, January 4
Lynchburg, Va.
2:00 PM ET
Liberty University
11-3,3-0CUSA
78
vs
69
Jacksonville State
7-7,2-1CUSA
1
2
F
Jacksonville St.
27
42
69
Liberty
27
51
78
Liberty Knocks Off Jax State 78-69 to Improve to 3-0 in CUSA
1/4/2026 5:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty knocked off visiting Jacksonville State 78-69 on Sunday afternoon at Liberty Arena to improve to 3-0 in Conference USA play.
The Flames move to 11-3 overall and stay unbeaten at home, bolstering their record at Liberty Arena to 8-0 this season. Jacksonville State (7-7) suffers its first CUSA loss and falls to 2-1 in the league. Liberty is one of three remaining teams in the league with an unblemished conference record, along with Middle Tennessee (3-0) and Missouri State (3-0). The Flames have won five straight games overall, while the Gamecocks see a three-game winning streak halted.
Kaden Metheny knocked down five first half three-pointers on the way to a team-high 22 points, his second 20-plus point game in the last three games. Brett Decker Jr. chipped in 16 points, and Colin Porter added 13. Senior Zach Cleveland (10 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) flirted with a triple-double, posting his CUSA-leading fifth double-double of the year.
Liberty has featured five players in double figures in all three Conference USA games.
For the Gamecocks, Emondrek Erkins-Ford (24 points) and AC Bryant (22 points) combined for 46 points. The Liberty defense held Jax State's Mostapha El Moutaouakkil (18.8 ppg coming in), the second-leading scorer in the league, to eight points on 3-of-15 shooting.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 22 points, 7-13 FG, 5-9 3FG, 3 rebounds; Brett Decker Jr. 16 points, 4-8 FG, 7-8 FT; Colin Porter 13 points, 3 assists; Josh Smith 12 points, 6-6 FT, 8 rebounds; Zach Cleveland 10 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists
Jacksonville State Individuals: Emondrek Erkins-Ford 24 points, 8-11 FG, 7-8 FT, 2 steals; AC Bryant 22 points, 7-13 FG, 5-11 3FG, 3-3 FT, 3 rebounds; Mostapha El Moutaouakkil 8 points, 3-15 FG, 8 rebounds
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 44.4 percent for the afternoon, connecting on 24-of-54 field goal attempts. The Flames were 8-of-22 from deep (36.4 percent) and had another strong showing from the foul line, shooting 78.6 percent (22-of-28). Jax State shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field, 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from long distance and 89.5 percent (17-of-19) from the free throw line. The Gamecocks held a narrow 34-33 rebounding edge, with Jax State collecting 12 offensive boards to the Flames' 10. Liberty assisted on 14 of its 24 field goals and committed only seven turnovers. Jax State had 10 assists and nine turnovers. Both teams scored 32 points in the paint. Jacksonville State held edges in second chance points (14-9), fast break points (11-6) and bench points (29-14). Liberty scored 11 points off turnovers, compared to only eight for Jax State. The Flames improve to 11-0 when they have outshot their counterparts. Liberty led for 28:08 of the 40 minutes, while the Jax State Gamecocks led for 9:12.
Turning Point
Jacksonville State used a 14-2 first half run to take its biggest lead of the game, 25-18, with 4:34 remaining in the opening half. Kaden Metheny of the Flames went on a personal 9-0 run with a trio of three-pointers to regain the lead at 27-25 with 1:36 on the clock. Jax State scored the final two points of the first half to send the game into the locker room tied 27-27.
Liberty opened the second half with a 13-2 run to take a double-digit lead, 40-29, at the 15:21 mark. The Flames scored 51 second half points while excelling at the free throw line with 21 makes on 24 attempts (87.5 percent). Decker Jr. (7-of-8) and Josh Smith (6-of-6) combined to go 13-of-14 from the charity stripe over the final 20 minutes.
Jax State got within four points (44-40 and 48-44) on two occasions and five points, 70-65, with 2:16 remaining. In each instance, the Flames responded to stretch the lead back out. Leading 48-44, Liberty pushed the advantage to 59-49 with an 11-5 surge. Late in the game, the Flames led 70-65, and crucial Josh Smith tip-in at the 1:39 mark pushed the lead back to seven. Liberty went 6-of-6 from the free throw over the final 1:05 to seal the win.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will be back in action on Thursday night for a Conference USA road contest at Louisiana Tech (8-6, 1-2 CUSA). Game time is 7 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Central) from the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, La.
The Flames and Bulldogs split two meetings a season ago, with each squad winning on its home floor. Liberty fell 79-74 at LA Tech in the first meeting (Jan. 11, 2025) but rebounded for a 77-53 home triumph (Feb. 6, 2025). The Bulldogs are 8-0 at home this year.
The Flames move to 11-3 overall and stay unbeaten at home, bolstering their record at Liberty Arena to 8-0 this season. Jacksonville State (7-7) suffers its first CUSA loss and falls to 2-1 in the league. Liberty is one of three remaining teams in the league with an unblemished conference record, along with Middle Tennessee (3-0) and Missouri State (3-0). The Flames have won five straight games overall, while the Gamecocks see a three-game winning streak halted.
Kaden Metheny knocked down five first half three-pointers on the way to a team-high 22 points, his second 20-plus point game in the last three games. Brett Decker Jr. chipped in 16 points, and Colin Porter added 13. Senior Zach Cleveland (10 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) flirted with a triple-double, posting his CUSA-leading fifth double-double of the year.
Liberty has featured five players in double figures in all three Conference USA games.
For the Gamecocks, Emondrek Erkins-Ford (24 points) and AC Bryant (22 points) combined for 46 points. The Liberty defense held Jax State's Mostapha El Moutaouakkil (18.8 ppg coming in), the second-leading scorer in the league, to eight points on 3-of-15 shooting.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 22 points, 7-13 FG, 5-9 3FG, 3 rebounds; Brett Decker Jr. 16 points, 4-8 FG, 7-8 FT; Colin Porter 13 points, 3 assists; Josh Smith 12 points, 6-6 FT, 8 rebounds; Zach Cleveland 10 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists
Jacksonville State Individuals: Emondrek Erkins-Ford 24 points, 8-11 FG, 7-8 FT, 2 steals; AC Bryant 22 points, 7-13 FG, 5-11 3FG, 3-3 FT, 3 rebounds; Mostapha El Moutaouakkil 8 points, 3-15 FG, 8 rebounds
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 44.4 percent for the afternoon, connecting on 24-of-54 field goal attempts. The Flames were 8-of-22 from deep (36.4 percent) and had another strong showing from the foul line, shooting 78.6 percent (22-of-28). Jax State shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field, 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from long distance and 89.5 percent (17-of-19) from the free throw line. The Gamecocks held a narrow 34-33 rebounding edge, with Jax State collecting 12 offensive boards to the Flames' 10. Liberty assisted on 14 of its 24 field goals and committed only seven turnovers. Jax State had 10 assists and nine turnovers. Both teams scored 32 points in the paint. Jacksonville State held edges in second chance points (14-9), fast break points (11-6) and bench points (29-14). Liberty scored 11 points off turnovers, compared to only eight for Jax State. The Flames improve to 11-0 when they have outshot their counterparts. Liberty led for 28:08 of the 40 minutes, while the Jax State Gamecocks led for 9:12.
Turning Point
Jacksonville State used a 14-2 first half run to take its biggest lead of the game, 25-18, with 4:34 remaining in the opening half. Kaden Metheny of the Flames went on a personal 9-0 run with a trio of three-pointers to regain the lead at 27-25 with 1:36 on the clock. Jax State scored the final two points of the first half to send the game into the locker room tied 27-27.
Liberty opened the second half with a 13-2 run to take a double-digit lead, 40-29, at the 15:21 mark. The Flames scored 51 second half points while excelling at the free throw line with 21 makes on 24 attempts (87.5 percent). Decker Jr. (7-of-8) and Josh Smith (6-of-6) combined to go 13-of-14 from the charity stripe over the final 20 minutes.
Jax State got within four points (44-40 and 48-44) on two occasions and five points, 70-65, with 2:16 remaining. In each instance, the Flames responded to stretch the lead back out. Leading 48-44, Liberty pushed the advantage to 59-49 with an 11-5 surge. Late in the game, the Flames led 70-65, and crucial Josh Smith tip-in at the 1:39 mark pushed the lead back to seven. Liberty went 6-of-6 from the free throw over the final 1:05 to seal the win.
Key Stats & Notes
- Liberty is 3-0 in Conference USA competition for the first time.
- The Flames hold a 5-4 edge in the all-time series with the Gamecocks after this afternoon's triumph. Liberty has won each of the last three meetings. Prior to today, the Flames and Gamecocks last met in the 2025 CUSA Championship title contest, a 79-67 Liberty win (March 15, 2025).
- Kaden Metheny's 22-point effort was his third 20-plus point game of the season, 14th of his Flames career and 19th overall in his collegiate career. The redshirt senior guard is averaging 19.0 ppg with 13 made threes in three league games.
- Zach Cleveland's double-double was the sixth of his career, with five of those coming this season. Cleveland also tallied seven assists, his 10th game this season with seven or more assists.
- Brett Decker Jr. (16 points) extended his streak of double-digit scoring games to 14 in a row. The sophomore guard also led all Flames in the +/- department with a +15 line in 32:05 of action.
- Colin Porter scored 13 points today. The senior guard now has 996 career points, needing only four more to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career.
- Liberty's defensive effort on Jax State leading scorer Mostapha El Moutaouakkil (18.8 ppg) was reminiscent of last year against Gamecocks top offensive option, Jaron Pierre Jr. The Flames limited Pierre Jr., the fourth-leading scorer in the country (21.6 ppg), to 13.7 points per game on 25 percent shooting (13-of-52) in three games.
- Josh Smith is averaging 10.3 ppg and 7.7 rpg in league play after today's 12-point, eight-rebound effort.
Liberty will be back in action on Thursday night for a Conference USA road contest at Louisiana Tech (8-6, 1-2 CUSA). Game time is 7 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Central) from the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, La.
The Flames and Bulldogs split two meetings a season ago, with each squad winning on its home floor. Liberty fell 79-74 at LA Tech in the first meeting (Jan. 11, 2025) but rebounded for a 77-53 home triumph (Feb. 6, 2025). The Bulldogs are 8-0 at home this year.
Team Stats
JSU
Lib
FG%
.404
.444
3FG%
.316
.364
FT%
.895
.786
RB
34
33
TO
9
7
STL
4
3
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
3
Pts
16
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
F
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