Liberty MBB Picked 3rd in CUSA Preseason Poll
10/8/2026 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty Flames have been tabbed to finish third in the 2026-27 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll.
Liberty enters the year as the two-time defending CUSA regular season champion. The Flames received two first-place votes and 79 points in the preseason poll, voted on by the CUSA head coaches. Western Kentucky was tabbed to finish first in the league with five first-place votes and 94 points. Kennesaw State, the 2026 CUSA champion, garnered three first-place votes and 90 points to secure the No. 2 spot in the poll.
This is the 10th time in the last 11 years that the Flames have been slotted for a top-three finish in their respective league's preseason poll.
Rounding out the top five were Sam Houston (No. 4, 64 points) and Middle Tennessee (No. 5, 57 points). New Mexico State (No. 6, 56 points), Jacksonville State (No. 7, 36 points), Missouri State (No. 8, 28 points), FIU (No. 9, 25 points) and Delaware (No. 10, 21 points) completed the projected order of finish.
CUSA includes 10 members for the 2026-27 season following the departures of Louisiana Tech and UTEP.
WKU featured CUSA Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason All-Conference team member Teagan Moore. WKU, Kennesaw State and Sam Houston each had two players on the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team.
Head coach Ritchie McKay and sophomore Zander Carter will be featured in the 2026 CUSA Basketball Tipoff and Media Day Event next Thursday at noon Eastern on ESPN+. Liberty's 2026-27 season will commence on Nov. 2 at midnight against High Point at the Field of 68 Showcase in Rock Hill, S.C. in what will be the first college basketball game of the season in the United States. The Flames' home opener will be on Nov. 7 versus Boyce. Liberty's first CUSA game is on Jan. 2 at home against Delaware.
The 2027 Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship Liberty will return to Huntsville, Ala. for the fourth year in a row, March 9-13. The event, held in conjunction with the Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship, will take place at Propst Arena.
2026-27 Men's Basketball Ticket Sales/Flames Club Information
With the 2026-27 Liberty men's basketball season set to tip off in less than a month and season tickets officially sold out, there is still time for Flames Nation to purchase Mini-Plans.
Single-game tickets for non-conference games go on sale one week from today (Oct. 15) for Flames Club members. For season ticket holders and group tickets, additional tickets go on sale on Oct. 19. Single-game tickets for the non-conference contests go on sale to the general public on Oct. 22, excluding the Dayton game which will go on sale to the general public on Dec. 1. Please visit LUBasketball.com for more information.
Exclusive access to purchase single-game tickets will be available to Flames Club members a week early, so join today for advanced access. Membership starts at just $75. Join online at LibertyFlamesClub.org or by calling/texting 434-582-CLUB (2528).
2026-27 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1) Western Kentucky (5 first-place votes) - 94
2) Kennesaw State (3) – 90
3) Liberty (2) – 79
4) Sam Houston – 64
5) Middle Tennessee – 57
6) New Mexico State – 56
7) Jacksonville State – 36
8) Missouri State – 28
9) FIU – 25
10) Delaware – 21
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Teagan Moore, G, Western Kentucky
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Tijan Saine Jr., G, FIU
Trey Simpson, F, Kennesaw State
Amir Taylor, F, Kennesaw State
Jahvin Carter, G, Middle Tennessee
Trey Williams Jr., G, Missouri State
DJ Dudley, G, New Mexico State
Justin Begg, G, Sam Houston
Jacobe Coleman, G, Sam Houston
Armelo Boone, G, Western Kentucky
Teagan Moore, G, Western Kentucky
Liberty enters the year as the two-time defending CUSA regular season champion. The Flames received two first-place votes and 79 points in the preseason poll, voted on by the CUSA head coaches. Western Kentucky was tabbed to finish first in the league with five first-place votes and 94 points. Kennesaw State, the 2026 CUSA champion, garnered three first-place votes and 90 points to secure the No. 2 spot in the poll.
This is the 10th time in the last 11 years that the Flames have been slotted for a top-three finish in their respective league's preseason poll.
Rounding out the top five were Sam Houston (No. 4, 64 points) and Middle Tennessee (No. 5, 57 points). New Mexico State (No. 6, 56 points), Jacksonville State (No. 7, 36 points), Missouri State (No. 8, 28 points), FIU (No. 9, 25 points) and Delaware (No. 10, 21 points) completed the projected order of finish.
CUSA includes 10 members for the 2026-27 season following the departures of Louisiana Tech and UTEP.
WKU featured CUSA Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason All-Conference team member Teagan Moore. WKU, Kennesaw State and Sam Houston each had two players on the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team.
Head coach Ritchie McKay and sophomore Zander Carter will be featured in the 2026 CUSA Basketball Tipoff and Media Day Event next Thursday at noon Eastern on ESPN+. Liberty's 2026-27 season will commence on Nov. 2 at midnight against High Point at the Field of 68 Showcase in Rock Hill, S.C. in what will be the first college basketball game of the season in the United States. The Flames' home opener will be on Nov. 7 versus Boyce. Liberty's first CUSA game is on Jan. 2 at home against Delaware.
The 2027 Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship Liberty will return to Huntsville, Ala. for the fourth year in a row, March 9-13. The event, held in conjunction with the Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship, will take place at Propst Arena.
2026-27 Men's Basketball Ticket Sales/Flames Club Information
With the 2026-27 Liberty men's basketball season set to tip off in less than a month and season tickets officially sold out, there is still time for Flames Nation to purchase Mini-Plans.
- Starting 5 Pack – $95 and saves you 34% off single-game pricing. This plan includes tickets to the Liberty-Dayton game on Dec. 19, along with your choice of four tickets to additional non-conference or select CUSA matchups.
- 3 Pack – $65 and saves you 26% compared to single-game pricing. This plan includes three tickets to select non-conference and CUSA matchups.
Single-game tickets for non-conference games go on sale one week from today (Oct. 15) for Flames Club members. For season ticket holders and group tickets, additional tickets go on sale on Oct. 19. Single-game tickets for the non-conference contests go on sale to the general public on Oct. 22, excluding the Dayton game which will go on sale to the general public on Dec. 1. Please visit LUBasketball.com for more information.
Exclusive access to purchase single-game tickets will be available to Flames Club members a week early, so join today for advanced access. Membership starts at just $75. Join online at LibertyFlamesClub.org or by calling/texting 434-582-CLUB (2528).
2026-27 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1) Western Kentucky (5 first-place votes) - 94
2) Kennesaw State (3) – 90
3) Liberty (2) – 79
4) Sam Houston – 64
5) Middle Tennessee – 57
6) New Mexico State – 56
7) Jacksonville State – 36
8) Missouri State – 28
9) FIU – 25
10) Delaware – 21
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Teagan Moore, G, Western Kentucky
CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Tijan Saine Jr., G, FIU
Trey Simpson, F, Kennesaw State
Amir Taylor, F, Kennesaw State
Jahvin Carter, G, Middle Tennessee
Trey Williams Jr., G, Missouri State
DJ Dudley, G, New Mexico State
Justin Begg, G, Sam Houston
Jacobe Coleman, G, Sam Houston
Armelo Boone, G, Western Kentucky
Teagan Moore, G, Western Kentucky
Players Mentioned
G
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