Nick Kirby and Jon Manson are joined by former Liberty player Joel Vander Pol to preview the 2025-26 season for the Liberty Flames. This episode is sponsored by Jason Porter Realty.
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Liberty Flames: Reloaded and Ready for Another CUSA Run in 2025-26As the calendar flips to November 2025, the Liberty University men’s basketball Flames are poised to defend their Conference USA crown and chase deeper into March Madness. Last season’s 28-7 dream run—capped by a regular-season sweep, tournament title, and first-round NCAA berth—set a high bar under coach Ritchie McKay. Despite losing key transfers like Taelon Peter and Jayvon Maughmer, Liberty returns a battle-tested core, bolsters it with savvy portal grabs, and infuses youth with a towering freshman class. The result? A squad blending experience, length, and upside that could make Lynchburg hum all winter.
McKay, entering his seventh year, enters with quiet confidence. “We’re not scrambling like so many mid-majors,” he told reporters in September, emphasizing the Flames’ retention of talent. His portal strategy targeted size and versatility, yielding transfers like R-Senior guard JJ Harper from D-II powerhouse West Liberty (15.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG last year) and R-Senior forward Josh Smith from Stetson, a 6-9 stretch-four who sat out 2024-25 with a knee injury but flashed 8.4 PPG prior. R-Freshman forward Ryan Jones Jr. adds ACC polish from Virginia Tech. These vets join a spine of returners: Graduate guard Kaden Metheny (13.3 PPG, CUSA Championship MVP, 102 threes), senior forward Zach Cleveland (11.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, third-team all-CUSA), and senior point guard Colin Porter (9.1 PPG, 4.3 APG, honorable mention all-CUSA). Sophomore guard Brett Decker (44.2% from deep as a frosh) and R-Senior forward Zander Yates provide bench spark, while injured duo Isaiah Ihnen (10.4 PPG pre-injury) and Smith return to fortify the frontcourt.
The freshmen haul screams potential: All 6-6 or taller, led by 6-8 forwards TJ Drain and Brady Kester, 6-9 Drew Grimes, 6-7 Torr Sorensen, and 6-6 guard Zander Carter. Position breakdowns? Guards brim with shooters (Metheny, Porter) and creators (Cleveland at forward). Forwards hinge on health—Smith and Ihnen’s knees could unlock elite spacing.
The schedule tempts fate early. Liberty tips off Nov. 3 with a 98-57 rout of Kentucky Christian, already in the books. Non-con buzz peaks Nov. 7 vs. Charleston and Nov. 9 vs. FAU in the Field of 68 Tip-Off at Liberty Arena, testing the Flames’ home mojo (18-1 last year). The ESPN Events Invitational (Nov. 24-26 in Kissimmee) pits them against Vermont, plus Rhode Island or Towson—winnable but gritty. Road thorns: Dec. 10 at NC State (ACC gauntlet) and Dec. 20 at Dayton (Atlantic 10 powerhouse). Lighter buys like Coppin State (Dec. 6) and Midway (Dec. 16) build rhythm before CUSA dawns Dec. 28 at FIU.
Conference play, a home-and-away grind, favors Liberty’s vets. Home stands vs. Kennesaw State (Jan. 2), Jax State (Jan. 4), New Mexico State (Jan. 15), and UTEP (Jan. 17) offer early sweeps. Road marathons at Louisiana Tech (Jan. 8), Sam Houston (Jan. 10), and Western Kentucky (Jan. 21) demand focus, as does a late February swing through Kennesaw (26th) and Jax State (28th). Toughest tests? NC State, Dayton, and a Feb. 11 jaunt to New Mexico State, where altitude bites.
Expectations soar: CBS Sports tabs Liberty the CUSA favorite, citing McKay’s five top-100 NET finishes since 2019. Andy Katz echoes, picking the Flames to repeat thanks to those three starters and McKay’s winning DNA. Questions linger: Can Cleveland (spotty FTs) evolve into an unguardable mismatch? Will frontcourt health hold? Offense (78.2 PPG last year) hums, but defensive rebounding (35.1%) needs shoring. In a portal era of churn, Liberty’s continuity shines. McKay’s vision—court wins fused with spiritual depth—could yield Liberty’s deepest NCAA run yet. The Flames aren’t just reloading; they’re retooling for redemption. Tip-off fever: Ignited.
