Liberty is back in action Sunday at Jacksonville, putting the Flames’ 7 game win streak and 6-0 start to ASUN play on the line. Tip-off is scheduled for 2pm and the game will be televised on ESPN+.
At 6-0, the Flames are off to the program’s best ever start in conference play, besting the 5-0 start Liberty had in 2010-11 under former head coach Dale Layer. With a win, the Flames would have the program’s longest win streak since the 1992-93 team won 9 consecutive. Liberty continues to move up in the mid-major rankings, currently at 12th in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major top 25 and 15th in SBNation’s the other top 25.
The Dolphins are the first team Liberty will have faced twice in conference play this season, as the Flames defeated Jacksonville, 69-53, inside the Vines Center on January 12th. That game was much closer than the final margin indicated, with Liberty leading by just 6 midway through the 2nd half. A 14-5 run, sparked by Scottie James who had 10 points during the run, would propel the Flames to the victory. James would finish teh game with 18 points and 9 rebounds while Caleb Homesley added a double-double at 14 & 11. Sophomore guard JD Notae led the way for the Dolphins with 15 points while also adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
The loss to Liberty was the first of 3 straight as the Dolphins dropped to 1-4 in league play. They rebounded nicely with a road w in at North Florida Thursday night, 86-81. Jacksonville is now 9-12 on the season and 2-4 in ASUN play.
Jacksonville plays their home games in Swisher Gymnasium, the 5th smallest gym in Division I with a capacity of 1,360.
