Update:
Liberty will also play Maryland Eastern Shore at Liberty Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 22, according to UMES’ website. The Flames are 5-0 all-time against the Hawks, with all games being played since 2017 and in Lynchburg. Liberty played UMES in three straight seasons from 2021-2023, picking up a win 99-62 on Nov. 25, 2023 in the most recent meeting. UMES posted a 9-23 record last season, finishing 5-9 in the MEAC under second year head coach Cleo Hill.
Previous:
According to a report from Field of 68’s Rocco Miller, Liberty basketball will face Southern Illinois on Tuesday, November 17th at Curry Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina on the campus of Queens University.
Southern Illinois is coming off a 16-16 season a year ago where they finished 10-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference. In head coach Scott Nagy’s first two seasons at the helm of the Salukis, he has compiled a 30-35 record overall. The longtime head coach led South Dakota State for 21 seasons from 1995-2016, leading them into the Division I ranks where they reached three NCAA Tournaments in his final five seasons there and also made the NIT in 2015. Nagy then went on to reach two NCAA Tournaments and one NIT appearance in eight seasons at Wright State before taking over at Southern Illinois. This will be the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Liberty (26-8 overall) claimed the CUSA outright regular season title last year for a second straight season, finishing with a 17-3 CUSA record, four games better than second place Sam Houston (13-7). The Flames have claimed 11 total titles over the last eight seasons – one CUSA Championship title, two CUSA regular-season crowns, three ASUN Championship crowns, four ASUN regular season titles and an ASUN division title. Liberty’s 11 crowns are tied for the second most in the country in the last eight years. Liberty has posted a 203-66 combined record over that span. The Flames’ 203 victories are tied for sixth most nationally during that time.
Liberty will open the upcoming season on Monday, November 2 at midnight ET against High Point in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The Flames will also spend Thanksgiving weekend in Wilmington, North Carolina competing in the 3rd annual Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic held at UNC Wilmington’s Trask Coliseum. A full three-game round-robin between Liberty, UNC Wilmington, Princeton, and St. Thomas will be played between Nov. 25th and 28th. The field includes three teams that competed in the NIT this past March. Liberty is also scheduled to conclude a home-and-home series with Dayton by hosting the Flyers in Lynchburg this coming season on December 19.
Liberty’s current 2026-27 schedule:
Nov. 02: vs High Point (Rock Hill, SC)
Nov. 17: vs Southern Illinois (Charlotte, NC)
Nov. 25: vs Princeton$
Nov. 27: vs Saint Thomas$
Nov. 28: at UNC Wilmington$
Dec. 19: vs Dayton
Dec. 22: vs UMES
Jan. 02: vs Delaware*
Jan. 07: at FIU*
Jan. 09: at Missouri State*
Jan. 14: vs Middle Tennessee*
Jan. 16: vs Western Kentucky*
Jan. 21: at Jacksonville State*
Jan. 23: at Kennesaw State*
Jan. 28: vs Sam Houston*
Jan. 30: vs New Mexico State*
Feb. 04: vs Missouri State*
Feb. 06: vs FIU*
Feb. 11: at Western Kentucky*
Feb. 13: at Middle Tennessee*
Feb. 18: vs Kennesaw State*
Feb. 20: vs Jacksonville State*
Feb. 25: at New Mexico State*
Feb. 27: at Sam Houston*
Mar. 06: at Delaware*
Mar. 09-13: CUSA Tournament
$ Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic, Wilmington, NC
* Conference USA game
