The Liberty Flames (22-3, 14-0) enter the stretch run of the regular season with four of the final six dates at home, beginning Thursday evening against FIU (12-13, 5-9).

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

How to Watch

6 p.m. ET | Thursday, February 19
Lynchburg, Virginia | Liberty Arena
TV: CBS Sports Network

Liberty vs FIU Odds (KenPom)

Spread: Liberty -11
Projected score: Liberty 83, FIU 72

Liberty Projected Starters

#0 Colin Porter

Senior Guard | 5’10”, 170
2025-26 stats: 11.7 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.0 rpg

#3 Kaden Metheny

R-Senior Guard | 5’11”, 170
2025-26 stats: 13.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.1 apg

#4 Brett Decker

Sophomore Guard | 6’3″, 190
2025-26 stats: 17.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 48.9% 3-point field goals

#9 JJ Harper

R-Senior Guard | 6’5″, 200
2025-26 stats: 11.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 60.6% FG

#25 Zach Cleveland

Senior Forward | 6’7″, 220
2025-26 stats: 11.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.1 apg, 61.0% FG

Liberty vs FIU History

Liberty leads the all-time series, 5-3. The Flames defeated the Panthers, 97-94, in overtime back on Dec. 28 in the conference opener for both teams.

Liberty vs FIU Storylines

PREVIOUS MEETING

It was a back and forth contest throughout in a game that featured 17 lead changes and 10 ties and needed five extra minutes to settle the score. Liberty led 41-33 at halftime thanks to a 12-2 spurt to provide some separation late in the opening half. The home-standing Panthers exploded for a 12-3 run of their own out of the halftime break to even the score at 44. FIU took their biggest lead of the game, 63-55, with 9:04 remaining.

Liberty clawed back into the game, evening it at 73 with 4:24 left following a JJ Harper bucket in the paint. The Flames trailed 81-80 with less than a minute remaining in regulation before Eric Dibami split a pair of foul shots with 21 seconds on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Zach Cleveland found Josh Smith in the post, and Smith got the bucket on a goaltending violation. On the final possession of regulation, Dibami’s layup rimmed out to send the game to overtime.

In the extra session, the Flames made 9 of 10 from the foul line, led by Brett Decker’s 4 for 4 mark. Kaden Metheny hit a clutch three-pointer with 1:06 on the clock to put Liberty ahead for good at 92-91. Porter, Metheny, and Decker were 5 of 6 from the charity stripe down the stretch to secure the win.

FIU dominated the game on the inside with 20 offensive rebounds and 45 total rebounds. The 20 offensive boards are the most the Flames have allowed in a game this season, the previous high was just 12 on three separate occasions. FIU led in points in the paint (56-40) and second chance points (25-11).

Brett Decker scored a game-high 27 points while Kaden Metheny added 25 points in the road victory for the Flames, handing the Panthers only their second home setback of the season, falling to 7-2 on their home floor. Decker made 5 of 11 from three while Metheny connected on 6 of 13 from range to go along with 6 assists and 3 steals.

SINCE THEN

The Panthers played their first three CUSA games at home, picking up wins over NMSU and UTEP after losing to Liberty, to open league play at 2-1. It looked like FIU had figured things out and were going to be a contender in conference play this season. However, FIU would go on to lose five straight, four of them away from home, as they sunk towards the bottom of the conference standings at 2-6. In recent weeks, FIU has gone 3-3 and are coming off a win at home over Louisiana Tech, 77-64, this past Saturday. They enter the final three weeks of the regular season looking to secure a spot among the top 10 and clinch a spot in the 2026 CUSA Tournament.

Projected FIU starters:

  • 6’0″, SR, Zawdie Jackson (11.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.1 apg)
  • 6’3″, SO, Ashton Williamson (8.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.6 apg)
  • 6’6″, SR, Corey Stephenson (17.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
  • 6’9″, SR, Hamed Olayinka (9.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
  • 6’10”, FR, Eric Dibami (9.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg)

CONTRAST OF STYLES

As has been the case under Coach Ballard, FIU likes to play an up-tempo brand of basketball. After serving as an assistant under Shaka Smart at VCU, Ballard has adopted his brand of havoc style basketball, frequently playing a full court trapping defense while trying to speed up its opponents. In the past few seasons, FIU has continually ranked among the national leaders in steals and it is no different this season. The Panthers are currently averaging over 9 steals per game which leads CUSA. Of course, on the flip side, Liberty is one of the better teams in the country in handling the ball and valuing possession, limiting turnovers. The Panthers are 15th in the country in forcing turnovers (15.28 per game) while Liberty is 2nd nationally in fewest turnovers per game (8.5). Just looking at the tempo numbers, FIU ranks in the top 15 nationally, according to KenPom, in average possession length of just 15.0 seconds. Liberty is near the bottom of DI basketball in average possession length, ranking 334th nationally.

“Precursor: FIU is never going to be out of the game,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “If we’re up 20 or we’re down however many, they will never be out of it. (Coach Ballard’s) dudes play hard. They play with a recklessness. It will be one where we’ve got to execute. Our guys usually take care of it, but (FIU) takes chances. They want to create some havoc and they do a terrific job at it. You are never safe against them. I think they have showed that in each of their conference games.”

McKAY PRESS CONFERENCE PREVIEWING GAME