The Liberty Flames (17-3, 9-0) remain atop the standings in Conference USA as they head on the road for a tough challenge Thursday night at Middle Tennessee (11-8, 5-3).

Here’s what you need to know about the game:

How to Watch

7 p.m. ET | Thursday, January 29
Murfreesboro, Tennessee | Murphy Center
TV: CBS Sports Network

Liberty vs MTSU Odds (KenPom)

Spread: Liberty -1
Projected score: Liberty 70, Middle Tennessee 69

Liberty Projected Starters

#0 Colin Porter

Senior Guard | 5’10”, 170
2025-26 stats: 11.2 ppg, 3.7 apg, 2.9 rpg

#3 Kaden Metheny

R-Senior Guard | 5’11”, 170
2025-26 stats: 13.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.2 apg

#4 Brett Decker

Sophomore Guard | 6’3″, 190
2025-26 stats: 18.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 50.0% 3-point field goals

#9 JJ Harper

R-Senior Guard | 6’5″, 200
2025-26 stats: 10.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.5 apg

#25 Zach Cleveland

Senior Forward | 6’7″, 220
2025-26 stats: 10.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 6.9 apg

Liberty vs MTSU History

Liberty leads, 3-1. The two teams did not meet prior to the Flames joining Conference USA. Liberty and Middle Tennessee split the season series in 2023-24 with each team winning on its home floor. Last season, the Flames swept the season series including an 86-81 win on March 6 at the Murphy Center when Taelon Peter scored 33 points on 11 of 14 shooting.

Liberty vs MTSU Storylines

TOP 2 CUSA TEAMS?

Could this be a meeting of the top two teams in Conference USA? Others certainly could stake a claim to join Liberty in that group, namely Missouri State, Jacksonville State, and Sam Houston, but Middle Tennessee is certainly in the mix. In non-conference play, the Blue Raiders were 6-4 with all of their losses coming against top 75 teams including top 5 Michigan. MTSU then opened conference play at 3-0 and 4-1 but have dropped two of their last three. The Blue Raiders had one CUSA loss in overtime on the road at UTEP by three and another on the road at Louisiana Tech by just one. Middle is coming off a 75-58 loss at Jacksonville State this past Friday. 8th year head coach Nick McDevitt and the Blue Raiders were picked to finish 4th in Conference USA in the preseason this year after finishing tied for second with Jax State at 12-6 and just one game behind Liberty a season ago.

MTSU AN EXPERIENCED GROUP

As is the case in mid-major basketball, the Blue Raiders lost a lot from last year’s team. MTSU lost its top four scorers from last year’s second place CUSA team. However, Middle Tennessee does return several from its rotation a season ago with four of their nine-man rotation returning. This year’s team features five of its top seven as returners who were on the team last year.

Projected starters:

  • 6’3″, SO, Jahvin Carter
  • 6’5″, SR, Alec Oglesby
  • 6’8″, SR, Kamari Lands
  • 6’9″, SO, Torey Alston
  • 6’11”, JR, Chris Loofe

Lands currently leads the team in scoring at 13.2 points per game while also averaging 4 rebounds each night and shooting 36.2% from three. He is in his second year with the Blue Raiders after transferring from Arizona State. Alston is also in his second year with the program, and he is currently averaging 11.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Cartin is a Penn State transfer who is averaging 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game  in his first year at MTSU. Oglesby is a 6th year college basketball player who is in his second year at Middle Tennessee after spending some time at Stetson. He only played in four games last year due to injury, but Oglesby is currently averaging 8.6 points per game while shooting 44.9% from three. Loofe is in his third year at Middle, averaging 6.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Their top two players off the bench are Sean Smith and Tre Green. Smith is a Western Illinois transfer in his first season at MTSU who is averaging 8.8 points per game. Green, a fourth year Blue Raider, is averaging 7.4 points per game.

STRENGTH AGAINST STRENGTH

It’s no secret that Liberty has been really good at the three-point shot. It’s been a staple of Ritchie McKay coached Liberty teams and perhaps even more so this year with several elite three-point shooters. The Flames are currently ranked No. 4 in the country shooting 40.8% from three this season. That strength will be tested against a Blue Raiders team which has been solid against the three point line on defense this season. MTSU is holding its opponents to 30.1% from three on the season, tied with Jax State for the best in Conference USA and No. 39 in the country. Adding to their defensive prowess, Middle is also No. 32 in the country with 4.79 blocks per game and leads CUSA in conference games in scoring defense (68 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (41.2%).

Liberty is shooting 50.7% from the field in conference games, a mark that ranks first in CUSA. The Flames were just 8 of 22 from three (36.4%) against Jax State, the team currently tied with MTSU for first in the league in three-point field goal defense.