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2024–25 Liberty Flames basketball team

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2024–25 Liberty Flames basketball
ConferenceConference USA
Record4–1 (0–0 C-USA)
Head coach
Associate head coachDerek Johnston
Assistant coachJoe Pierre III
Home arenaLiberty Arena
Seasons
2025–26 →
2024–25 Conference USA men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Louisiana Tech 0 0   4 0   1.000
Kennesaw State 0 0   4 1   .800
Liberty 0 0   4 1   .800
Jacksonville State 0 0   3 1   .750
Middle Tennessee 0 0   3 1   .750
New Mexico State 0 0   3 1   .750
UTEP 0 0   3 1   .750
Western Kentucky 0 0   3 2   .600
Sam Houston 0 0   2 2   .500
FIU 0 0   1 3   .250
2025 CUSA tournament winner
As of November 20, 2024

The 2024–25 Liberty Flames basketball team represents Liberty University in the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Flames are led by Ritchie McKay in the tenth season of his current stint as head coach (12th overall). They play their home games at Liberty Arena in Lynchburg, Virginia as second-year members of Conference USA.

Previous season

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The Flames finished the 2023–24 season 18–14, 7–9 in C-USA play to finish a four-way tie for fourth place. As an No. 4 seed in the C-USA tournament they lost in the quarterfinals to UTEP.

Offseason

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Departures

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure
Brody Peebles 1 G 6'2" 170 Junior Hartselle, AL Transferred to Belmont
Jaylen Davis 12 G 6'6" 180 Freshman Richmond, KY Transferred
Kyle Rode 22 F 6'7" 220 Redshirt Senior Lexington, KY Graduated
Joseph Venzant 23 G 6'3" 200 Junior Midland, TX Transferred to Abilene Christian[1]
Shiloh Robinson 33 F 6'7" 235 Redshirt Senior Kearney, NE Graduated
Ben Southerland 34 F 6'7" 210 Redshirt Freshman Cincinnati, OH Transferred to Wright State[2]

Incoming transfers

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous college
Taelon Peter 2 G 6'4" Senior Russellville, AR Arkansas Tech
Isaiah Ihnen 7 F 6'10" 220 Redshirt Junior Böblingen, Germany Minnesota[3]
Owen Aquino 8 F 6'8" 200 Junior Madrid, Spain Eastern Florida State College
Josh Smith 12 F 6'9" 215 Senior Monrovia, IN Stetson[3]
Jayvon Maughmer 32 F 6'6" 210 GS Senior Chillicothe, OH Cedarville

2024 recruiting class

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US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Brett Decker
PG
Elizabethtown, KY Central Hardin High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Oct 23, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: RivalsN/A   247Sports:3/5 stars
Will Gibson
PF
Louisville, KY DeSales High School 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) N/A Oct 23, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2024 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

2025 recruiting class

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US college sports recruiting information for 2025 recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Zander Carter
PG
Ashland, KY Paul G. Blazer High School 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) N/A Jun 19, 2023 
Recruiting star ratings: RivalsN/A   247Sports:3/5 stars
Andrew Grimes
PF
Clayton, NC Clayton High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) N/A Sep 4, 2023 
Recruiting star ratings: RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A
TJ Drain
PF
Windermere, FL Windermere High School 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) N/A Aug 31, 2024 
Recruiting star ratings: RivalsN/A   247Sports:3/5 stars
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

2026 recruiting class

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US college sports recruiting information for 2026 recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Eli Herbert
PG
Grain Valley, MO Grain Valley High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 150 lb (68 kg) Sep 4, 2024 
Recruiting star ratings: RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

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2024–25 Liberty Flames men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Colin Porter 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Jr Paul G. Blazer HS Ashland, Kentucky
G 2 Taelon Peter 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Sr Arkansas Tech Russellville, Arkansas
G 3 Kaden Metheny 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) RS Sr Bowling Green Morgantown, West Virginia
G 4 Brett Decker Jr. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Central Hardin HS Cecilia, Kentucky
F 5 Bryson Spell 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) RS Jr Cape Henry Collegiate School Virginia Beach, Virginia
F 7 Isaiah Ihnen 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS Jr Minnesota Böblingen, Germany
F 8 Owen Aquino 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Jr Eastern Florida State College Madrid, Spain
G 10 JC Shirer Jr. (W) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) RS So Grace Preparatory Academy Arlington, Texas
F 11 Zander Yates 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) RS Jr Creighton Germantown, Tennessee
F 12 Josh Smith 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Sr Stetson Monrovia, Indiana
F 15 Will Gibson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Fr DeSales HS Louisville, Kentucky
G 21 Gabriel McKay (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) GS Trevecca Nazarene Lynchburg, Virginia
G 24 Curtis Blair III 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) RS Fr The Steward School Richmond, Virginia
F 25 Zach Cleveland 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jr Normal Community HS Bloomington, Illinois
F 32 Jayvon Maughmer 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) GS Cedarville Chillicothe, Ohio
F 45 Kai Yu 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 235 lb (107 kg) RS Fr Link Year Prep Zhuhai, China
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 4, 2024*
5:00 p.m., Gray TV
vs. Valparaiso
Total Athlete Tip-Off
W 83–63  1–0
 16  Tied   11  Aquino   8  Cleveland  Wooden Family Fieldhouse (1,200)
Xenia, OH
November 9, 2024*
8:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Seattle
C-USA/WAC Alliance
W 66–64  2–0
 15  Metheny   9  Aquino   5  Porter  Redhawk Center (999)
Seattle, WA
November 12, 2024*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Carolina W 81–45  3–0
 18  Decker Jr.   6  Tied   6  Porter  Liberty Arena (3,546)
Lynchburg, VA
November 16, 2024*
6:00 p.m., FloSports
vs. Florida Atlantic
Field of 68 Tip-Off
L 74–77 OT 3–1
 19  Metheny   8  Tied   7  Cleveland  TD Arena (331)
Charleston, SC
November 17, 2024*
4:00 p.m., FloSports
at Charleston
Field of 68 Tip-Off
W 68–47  4–1
                  TD Arena (4,858)
Charleston, SC
November 22, 2024*
5:30 p.m., ESPN+
vs. Louisiana
Paradise Jam Quarterfinals
      Sports and Fitness Center 
Saint Thomas, USVI
November 23/24, 2024*
TBA, ESPN+
vs. George Washington/Kansas State
Paradise Jam
      Sports and Fitness Center 
Saint Thomas, USVI
November 25, 2024*
TBA, ESPN+
vs. Longwood/UAB/Illinois State/NcNeese
Paradise Jam
      Sports and Fitness Center 
Saint Thomas, USVI
November 29, 2024*
4:00 p.m., ESPN+
Central Penn       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
December 7, 2024*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Mississippi Valley State       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
December 14, 2024*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+
North Carolina A&T       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
December 17, 2024*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+
St. Andrews       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
December 21, 2024*
2:00 p.m., ESPN+
UT Arlington
C-USA/WAC Alliance
      Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
Conference USA regular season
January 2, 2025
7:00 p.m., CBSSN
Western Kentucky       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
January 4, 2025
6:00 p.m., CBSSN
Middle Tennessee       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
January 9, 2025
9:00 p.m., CBSSN
at Sam Houston       Bernard Johnson Coliseum 
Huntsville, TX
January 11, 2025
8:00 p.m., ESPNU
at Louisiana Tech       Thomas Assembly Center 
Ruston, LA
January 16, 2025
9:00 p.m., CBSSN
UTEP       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
January 18, 2025
7:00 p.m., CBSSN
New Mexico State       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
January 25, 2025
6:00 p.m., ESPN+
at FIU       Ocean Bank Convocation Center 
Miami, FL
January 30, 2025
8:00 p.m., CBSSN
at Kennesaw State       Convocation Center 
Kennesaw, GA
February 1, 2025
5:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Jacksonville State       Pete Mathews Coliseum 
Jacksonville, AL
February 6, 2025
8:00 p.m., CBSSN
Louisiana Tech       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
February 8, 2025
4:00 p.m., ESPNU
Sam Houston       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
February 13, 2025
9:00 p.m., ESPN+
at New Mexico State       Pan American Center 
Las Cruces, NM
February 15, 2025
9:00 p.m., ESPN+
at UTEP       Don Haskins Center 
El Paso, TX
February 22, 2025
2:00 p.m., ESPN+
FIU       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
February 27, 2025
7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Jacksonville State       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
March 1, 2025
1:00 p.m., CBSSN
Kennesaw State       Liberty Arena 
Lynchburg, VA
March 6, 2025
7:30 p.m., CBSSN
at Middle Tennessee       Murphy Center 
Murfreesboro, TN
March 8, 2025
3:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Western Kentucky       E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
Conference USA Tournament
March 11–15, 2025
TBA
vs.        Von Braun Center 
Huntsville, AL
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern.

Sources[4]

References

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  1. ^ LeRoy, Oscar (April 24, 2024). "Report: Former MCS star Venzant heading to play at ACU". Midland Reporter-Telegram. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  2. ^ Jablonski, David (May 23, 2024). "Wright State lands transfer from Liberty". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved October 23, 2024. (subscription required)
  3. ^ a b Gordon, Bryson (April 18, 2024). "Region Roundup: Flames add a pair of forwards in transfer portal, and more". The News & Advance. Retrieved October 23, 2024. (subscription required)
  4. ^ "Schedule". Liberty Flames. Retrieved October 23, 2024.