Champions of the Myrtle Beach Invitational, Liberty (5-0) will take on Maryland Eastern Shore (2-3) on Saturday afternoon. It will be the first game back at Liberty Arena for the Flames since the season opener.
Here’s what you need to know about the game:
How to Watch
1:00 p.m. ET | Saturday, November 25
Lynchburg, VA | Liberty Arena
TV: ESPN+
Liberty vs UMES Odds (KenPom)
Spread: Liberty -26
Projected score: Liberty 84, UMES 58
Liberty Projected Starters
#0 Colin Porter
Sophomore Guard | 5’9″, 170
9.4 ppg, 4.2 apg, 37.5% 3-point
#3 Kaden Metheny
R-Junior Guard | 5’10”, 170
10.8 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.4 rpg
#23 Joseph Venzant
Junior Guard | 6’3″, 200
4.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg
#22 Kyle Rode
R-Senior Forward | 6’7″, 220
18.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.0 apg
#25 Zach Cleveland
Sophomore Forward | 6’7″, 215
10.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Liberty vs UMES History
Liberty is 6-0 all-time against Maryland Eastern Shore. The teams have played each other four times in the last six seasons and each of the past two years. The Flames defeated the Hawks, 79-59, on Dec. 2 a year ago. Darius McGhee scored 22 points in the win for the Flames while making six triples.
Liberty vs UMES Storylines
FLAMES LOOKING TO CONTINUE HOT START
Liberty is looking to continue its hot start to the season on Saturday against UMES. The Flames are 5-0 for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. That team began the year at 14-0 and finished 30-4 while winning a second consecutive ASUN title before the COVID pandemic canceled that year’s NCAA Tournament.
The Flames have also received 7 votes in this past week’s AP Top 25 poll and have won all five games by double figures to start the season.
DON’T OVERLOOK YOUR OPPONENT
In Liberty’s first four games against Division I opponent, it was easy for the Flames to be focused on the task at hand. Liberty was facing a top 150 team in the country and a well respected mid-major program where the Flames were favored by less than 6 points in each contest.
All of that won’t be the case on Saturday against UMES. The Flames are heavy favorites against a team ranked near the bottom of all of Division I. The Flames will need to block out the noise from all the praise they have received after a strong start to the season and take care of business against a lower powered team.
RETURN HOME
The Flames return to Liberty Arena for the first time since the season opener on Nov. 6 against Mid-Atlantic Christian. This will also be the first home game against a Division I opponent. Liberty will not play at home again until Dec. 5 and this is one of only four home games against Division I teams in the non-conference portion of the schedule.
Be sure to take advantage of the time when the Flames are playing on their home floor if you live near Lynchburg and check them out.
