MBB Game Day: UTEP

Game Day Coverage

Liberty at UTEP (Don Haskins Center | El Paso, Texas)
Tipoff: Saturday at 2 p.m. EST/12 p.m. MST
TV: ESPN2
Radio: LFSN Radio
Live Stats

Liberty Storylines

CUSA-leading Liberty (21-3, 13-0 CUSA) will play at UTEP (10-15, 6-8 CUSA), Saturday afternoon on ESPN2. Liberty's 13-0 league start is the best start to a conference season in program history.
Liberty's 15-game winning streak is the third longest in the nation at present and longest in program history, surpassing the previous streak of 14 games to start the 2019-20 season.
The Flames are one of three teams in the nation currently unbeaten in conference play. Liberty has won 18 straight league games (including postseason) dating back to last year, the longest streak in DI.
Liberty has 198 victories since the start of the 2018-19 season, fifth most in the country in that span.
The Flames knocked off NM State 77-75 on Wednesday night on a buzzer beater from Zach Cleveland (CUSA-leading eighth double-double, 15 points and 14 rebounds). The Miners earned a 69-64 road win at Jax State in their most recent game.
Liberty is 8-1 on the road, including a perfect 7-0 CUSA road mark. The Flames' have won eight straight away games, tied for the third longest streak in the nation. UTEP is 8-5 at home.
Liberty is No. 2 in the nation in field goal percentage (52.2), No. 2 in effective field goal percentage (.618), No. 3 in three-point percentage (40.5), No. 3 in assist/turnover ratio (2.05), No. 3 in fewest turnovers per game (8.6) and No. 5 in fewest fouls per game (13.8) (leads CUSA in all of the above).
This will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two teams. Liberty holds a 4-3 edge in the all-time series, having won three straight. The Flames claimed the first meeting at Liberty Arena back on Jan. 17 by an 80-69 score. The Flames shot nearly 60 percent (59.3 percent, 32-of-54) in the victory while receiving a combined 68 points from Zach Cleveland (20 points), Brett Decker Jr. (20 points), Colin Porter (15 points) and Kaden Metheny (13 points). The Flames are 2-0 all-time at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso. Last year, Liberty erased a nine-point second half deficit to top UTEP 76-69 in its home building. It also marked the first time the Flames swept a two-game CUSA road trip (also defeated NM State). The Flames knocked down 14 three-pointers, and Taelon Peter paced the offense with five triples and a double-double of a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. Owen Aquino notched a double-double of 13 points and 10 boards. Kaden Metheny finished with 13 points and hit several big shots late in the win.
The Flames are 13-0 in CUSA play for the first time.
Liberty has won eight straight road games, tied for third in the country. The Flames' eight road victories are tied for fourth most nationally.
Liberty is 5-1 this year (4-0 CUSA) in games decided by three points or less.
The Flames are currently No. 78 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 93 in KenPom. The Miners are No. 262 in the NET and No. 264 in KenPom.
Liberty has won 18 straight contests (including postseason play) against Conference USA opponents, the longest conference winning streak in the country, and is 24-1 in its last 25 games against conference foes dating back to last year.
Brett Decker Jr. ranks No. 2 nationally in three-point percentage (49.7), No. 10 in three-pointers per game (3.46) and No. 11 in total triples (83).
Cleveland ranks No. 7 in the country in assists per game (7.2) and No. 7 in defensive rebounds per game (7.35). He is also leads the conference in double-doubles (8).
Cleveland notched his first career triple-double against Missouri State (19 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) and earned his second CUSA Player of the Week honor, Monday.
Liberty is the first team to start 13-0 or better in CUSA play since the 2012-13 Memphis team (16-0).
Liberty is 54-of-63 from the foul line (85.7 percent) in the final two minutes of regulation and overtime in its 13 CUSA games.
The Flames have led for 397:56 of a possible 525 minutes in conference play (75.8 percent).
Liberty is 20-0 when outshooting its opponent and has shot 50 percent or better 15 times.
Decker Jr. has scored in double figures in 22 games this season. He has been Liberty's leading scorer (or tied) 11 times and has nine 20-plus point games.
All five starters are averaging in double figures in conference play (Decker Jr. 16.4 ppg/Metheny 14.2 ppg/ Cleveland 12.5 ppg/Porter 12.5 ppg/Harper 11.6 ppg).
Liberty has won 15 games in a row, the third longest streak in the nation at present and the longest streak in school history. Here are some facts & figures from the streak:
-7-0 home, 8-0 road, 13-0 CUSA, 2-0 non-conference
-78.5 points per game, 68.6 points per game allowed
-51.8% from the field, 40.3% from three (147 3s), 74.4% from FT line
-Leading scorer: Brett Decker Jr. 16.0 ppg
-Leading rebounder: Zach Cleveland 7.6 rpg
-Leader in assists: Zach Cleveland 6.6 apg (93 total/14 games)
-Biggest margin of victory vs. a DI team: 16 (three times)-at Louisiana Tech (Jan. 8), vs. Delaware (Jan. 24) and at Middle Tennessee (Jan. 29)
-Closest wins: 73-71 over New Mexico State (Jan. 15) and 77-75 over New Mexico State (Feb. 11)
-Marquee non-conference win: 64-61 at Dayton (Dec. 20)
-Only 8.1 turnovers per game in the 15 wins, including nine games with seven or less
-All starters averaging in double figures in those 15 games (Decker Jr. 16.0 ppg/Metheny 14.3 ppg/Cleveland 12.5 ppg/Porter 12.3 ppg/Harper 10.8 ppg)
-17.2 assists per game, 6.7 steals per game
-Streak started on Dec. 16, last loss was Dec. 10 (will be a span of 66 days when Liberty plays UTEP since it last lost)
-Longest win streak in program history, surpassing the 2019-20 Flames which started the 2019-20 season with a 14-0 record (Nov. 8-Dec. 21, 2019)
Liberty is ranked No. 3 in the College Insider Men's Mid-Major Top 25® for a fourth straight week, behind only No. 1 Gonzaga (24-2) and No. 2 Miami (Ohio) (24-0). The Flames are the only CUSA team in the Top 25.
The Flames are 41st nationally and third in CUSA in scoring defense (67.9).

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Owen Aquino

Zach Cleveland

Brett Decker Jr.

Kaden Metheny

Taelon Peter

Colin Porter

MBB Game Day: UTEP

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Players Mentioned

Owen Aquino

Zach Cleveland

Brett Decker Jr.

Kaden Metheny

Taelon Peter

Colin Porter

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