For the first time this calendar year and first time since Dec. 10, the Liberty Flames came up on the short end of the scoreboard, falling to Western Kentucky, 88-72, in front of a Liberty Arena crowd of 3,922. The Flames fall to 23-4 overall and 15-1 in CUSA play as the Hilltoppers improve to 16-11 overall and 9-7 in conference.

“Man, that was a tough one,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “Western Kentucky played terrifically well. They deserve the victory and deserved the win. Nothing I say this afternoon will be to discredit, they beat us. Beat us on the court. I’ll take full responsibility in not countering some of the stuff they were doing to us on both ends of the floor.”

WKU successfully took Liberty’s leading scorers, Brett Decker and Kaden Metheny, out of the offensive game flow. Those two guards, who entered the game averaging 30.5 points per game and 21.9 field goal attempts. The Hilltoppers, held Decker and Metheny to a combined 11 points and just seven combined field goal attempts. It was the duos lowest point total and field goals attempted total this season, the previous low was 18 points scored at Sam Houston on January 10 and 15 field goal attempts (twice – vs Carolina U and vs Kennesaw State).

“It was difficult to take advantage of our strengths,” said McKay. “Brett and Kaden only had a few attempts. Part of the reason why is when they are getting covered the way they are, typically we find a way to shake them loose. The game was just so physical, they couldn’t seemingly shake loose. That’s how they’ve been played a ton before, but I think it’s a season high for us in fouls and it’s my first technical, I think, in nine years.”

It was a back and forth contest in the opening minutes with three ties and five lead changes before the first media timeout. The teams would then exchange a pair of 8-0 (Liberty) and 9-0 (Western Kentucky) runs with neither team able to grab a sizable advantage. The Flames made their first 13 two-point field goal attempts in the game, but were unable to get free from behind the arc. Liberty was held 0 for 5 in the opening half from three-point range, the first time the Flames were held without a made triple in a half since the second half of a game on January 18, 2025 against New Mexico State last season.

Liberty trailed by 1 at the 6:15 mark of the first half before Western Kentucky went on an 8-0 run to build a nine point advantage entering the closing minutes of the first half. The Hilltoppers entered the locker room at the break with a 48-37 lead, marking the second largest halftime deficit Liberty has faced all season, only trailing the NC State loss. It is only the third time this season the Flames trailed by double figures at intermission, as Liberty trailed Bradley by 10 in the ESPN Event Invitational earlier this season. Liberty is now 0-3 on the year when trailing by double digits at halftime.

It didn’t take long for Liberty to lodge a made three-pointer in the second half as Colin Porter connected from deep just 14 seconds after halftime. The Flames made three of four from behind the arc in the opening 140 seconds, cutting the deficit to 7. It would get no closer the rest of the way. WKU quickly responded with a 5-0 sport and kept adding to their lead, pushing it over 20 in the closing minutes.

The 94 points allowed are the most the Flames have given up in regulation this season and tie the 94 points allowed to FIU in an overtime win in Miami in late December. The Hilltoppers also become just the third team with two wins at Liberty Arena, joining Jacksonville State and UTEP. The Flames’ 21-point setback is the worst home defeat in the six-year history of Liberty Arena. It is the Flames’ worst home loss in Coach McKay’s second tenure at Liberty and the worst since Dec. 11, 2010 against George Mason, an 84-54 Liberty loss.

“They have really good players,” McKay said of WKU. “In the first half, they were just isolating. We weren’t guarding 1-on-1 as well as we have been, but, again, they have some really good, creative players. Teagan Moore is a problem. Boone is terrific. Hackman played great. You can look at their team, they are super talented and they are well-coached. Anytime a team has 14 more offensive possessions, it’s going to be a problem. Whether it was an offensive rebound or the pick-sixes, we had some things that don’t normally happen in our games, happened both in the FIU game and this one. We will have to clean that up going into the stretch run here.”

A number of streaks came to an end with this loss. Most notably, the Flames had won 17 straight and had opened CUSA play at 15-0 and won 20 straight against conference foes dating back to last season. Liberty also drops its first game at home, falling to 13-1 at Liberty Arena.

“I told our guys, I’m grateful that we have gone 70-some odd days without a loss,” said McKay. “I told them be careful because you may not ever experience that again in your playing careers.”

Flames Nation got a scare early in the first half when forward Zach Cleveland fell to the floor and immediately grabbed his left knee as he rolled around on the floor, writhing in pain. He was helped to his feet and then headed immediately to the locker room, walking very gingerly. Just a few minutes later though, Cleveland emerged from the locker room and jogged to the Liberty bench and checked into the game. He would go on to play 33 minutes in the game, finishing with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Colin Porter led the Flames with 20 points on 7 of 14 shooting. JJ Harper added 16 points on 6 of 7 from the floor. Josh Smith also got into double figures with 11 points and was a perfect 3 of 3 from the floor.

Liberty finished the game 25 of 45 (55.6%) from the field and 6 of 21 from three (28.6%). The six made threes are tied for the fewest in a game this season as Liberty also made six in the loss at NC State and in the win over Sam Houston.

Liberty will hit the road for its final two road games this season, playing at Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State. The Flames begin the road swing on Thursday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ against Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Georgia. The Owls are currently 15-11 on the season and 7-8 in league play entering their Saturday game at home against Louisiana Tech.

“Our group has responded all year,” McKay stated. “Didn’t play well tonight and Western had more to do with that, I think, than us, but I do think it’s an opportunity for us to see what we’re made of.”