After opening the season at 2-0 with wins over Kentucky Christian and, most recently, Charleston, Liberty (2-0) now prepares for the final game of the third annual Field of 68 Media Network Tip-Off Event taking on Florida Atlantic (2-0) Sunday night.

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

How to Watch

6:00 p.m. ET | Sunday, November 9
Lynchburg, VA | Liberty Arena
TV: YouTube

Liberty vs FAU Odds (KenPom)

Spread: Liberty -6
Projected score: Liberty 80, FAU 74

Liberty Projected Starters

#0 Colin Porter

Senior Guard | 5’10”, 170
2025-26 stats: 16.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, 3.0 rpg

#3 Kaden Metheny

R-Senior Guard | 5’11”, 170
2025-26 stats: 12.0 ppg, 3.0 apg, 5.0 rpg

#4 Brett Decker

Sophomore Guard | 6’3″, 190
2025-26 stats: 25.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg

#9 JJ Harper

R-Senior Guard | 6’5″, 200
2025-26 stats: 9.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg

#25 Zach Cleveland

Senior Forward | 6’7″, 220
2025-26 stats: 12.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.5 apg

Liberty vs FAU History

Liberty is 1-3 all-time against FAU. The Flames have lost both games against the Owls over the past two seasons in the Field of 68 Event, including a 77-74 setback in overtime last year in Charleston.

Liberty vs FAU Storylines

OWLS LOOKING TO GET BACK TO THE DANCE

It was just a couple years ago Florida Atlantic was the darling of college basketball, advancing to the Final Four as a 9-seed under current Michigan head coach Dusty May. Under May, he led the Owls for six years, his last two reaching the NCAA Tournament, first the 2023 Final Four team (out of Conference USA) and then again in 2024 as an 8-seed. Now competing in the American, John Jakus has taken over for May following a longtime stint as an assistant at Baylor. In his first year, Jakus and the Owls went 18-16 and 10-8 in the AAC, finishing No. 116 in the KenPom. FAU lost to Dayton, 86-79, in the first round of the NIT last season. The Owls are picked to finish 6th in the 13-team AAC.

“John Jakus, he’s one of the best young coaches in the country,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “You want to talk about spacing the floor and three balls, they can really shoot it. They run a great offense that will be a tough challenge. We are 0-2 against them in the Field of 68, so we need to try and get one.”

In their season opener this past Monday, the Owls defeated Boston College, 83-78, in overtime at home in Boca. On Saturday night at Liberty Arena, FAU moved to 2-0 with a 94-77 win over Charleston.

NEW LOOK FAU ROSTER

This will be a reoccurring theme throughout the year but is more pronounced early in the season as we learn each team, but the Owls have a very new look roster.

  • 6’3″ guard Kanaan Carlyle is a transfer in his first year at FAU who began his career at Stanford before heading to Indiana. Carlyle was a five-star recruit who finished his high school playing time with Overtime Elite. Carlyle scored 19 points in the season opener and added 14 against Charleston.
  • Xander Pintelon is in his first year with the Owls from Belgium. The 6’11” big man had 14 points and 7 rebounds in the season opener while also knocking down 3 of 7 from behind the arc. He scored 11 with three triples against the Cougars.
  • Devin Williams is a 6’10” transfer from UCLA in his first year at FAU. He had 10 points and 5 rebounds in the opener and 12 and 7 against Charleston.
  • 6’4″ guard Devin Vanterpool had 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in the Owls’ first game and 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists at Liberty Arena against Charleston.
  • 6’5″ guard Isaiah Elohim is in his first year at FAU after transferring from USC. He had 11 points against Charleston.
  • Yohann Sissokko is also in his first year at FAU from France.
  • 7’1″ forward Vincent Neugebauer is also in his first year coming from Germany. He scored 11 against Charleston.
  • Josiah Parker is a 6’7″ freshman from Huber Heights, Ohio who was named the AAC’s Preseason Freshman of the Year entering the season.
  • Niccolo Moretti is one of the few returning contributors from last season.

FLAMES LOOKING FOR WIN AGAINST FAU

As mentioned, Liberty is 0-2 against the Owls in this event over the past two seasons. After dropping an 83-58 decision in Boca Raton in 2023, the Flames nearly got the win last year in Charleston. Kaden Metheny had a chance to win the game with a three-pointer as time expired, but it missed. The game went to overtime where Liberty lost, 77-74. Metheny was one of four players in double figures, leading the way with 19 points. Zach Cleveland added 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists while Owen Aquino had 14 points and 8 rebounds and Taelon Peter added 13 points off the bench. Most of Florida Atlantic’s roster is new this season and did not play in the game last year. Moretti is the exception, as he scored 12 points and had 5 rebounds.

Entering Sunday night’s game, here are the three teams records in the event:

  • Florida Atlantic: 4-1
  • Liberty: 2-3
  • Charleston: 2-4