MEN’S BASKETBALL 2020-21 GAME NOTES Steven Gonzalez, Associate Director for Communications · Cell: (602) 803-0521 · E-mail: [email protected] LIBERTY KENNESAW STATE FLAMES V OWLS 2020-21 SCHEDULE & RESULTS 20-5 OVERALL S 5-18 OVERALL OVERALL RECORD: 20-5 11-2 ASUN 2-13 ASUN ASUN: 11-2 | Non-Conference: 9-3 THURSDAY, MARCH 4 | 2 P.M. ET | UNF ARENA | JACKSONVILLE, FLA. Home: 13-0 | Away: 5-3 | Neutral: 2-2 COACHING MATCHUP THE STARTING 5 - LIBERTY'S TOP STORYLINES NOVEMBER • Liberty has won nine straight games, which is tied for 25 vs. Purdue^ L, 64-77 LIBERTY KENNESAW STATE the fifth longest winning streak in the country. 26 vs. Mississippi State^ W, 84-73 Ritchie Amir Head Coach • Liberty ranks No. 82 in the NET Rankings, the highest 28 vs. South Carolina $ W, 78-62 McKay Abdur-Rahim team in the ASUN Conference by 90 spots. 29 vs. TCU$ L, 52-56 • Liberty is ahead of 19 Power Five schools in the NET 174-92 Record at School 6-46 DECEMBER (8) (Years) (2) Rankings. 3 ST. FRANCIS (PA.) W, 78-62 339-250 6-46 • Liberty is trying to become the second team ever in Overall Record ASUN Conference history to win three straight ASUN 5 BLUEFIELD COLLEGE W, 86-64 (19) (Years) (2) Tournament titles (Belmont won from 06-08). 9 at Missouri L, 60-69 SERIES HISTORY VS. KENNESAW STATE • Liberty has extended its school-record, by capturing 12 COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL W, 73-26 20 wins for a fifth consecutive season. 6-0 15 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE W, 82-52 • Liberty's three ASUN regular season titles have been Overall ..............................................................6-0 clinched on the road. 16 CARVER COLLEGE W, 91-38 Streak ............................................................... W6 22 ALCORN STATE W, 108-65 At Liberty ..........................................................4-0 • Elijah Cuffee has played in 130 career games, which At Kennesaw State ........................................... 2-0 ranks No. 3 in Division I. JANUARY Neutral ..............................................................0-0 • Cuffee has won 101 career games, which ranks No. 2 1 at Lipscomb* L, 70-77 .................6-0 Ritchie McKay vs. Kennesaw State among active Division I players and No. 2 in program 2 at Lipscomb* W, 66-50 Liberty's Last Win ...................Jan. 9, 2021 (76-47) history. Last Five Meetings 8 KENNESAW STATE* W, 69-63 • Darius McGhee has made 84 three-pointers, which is Jan. 9, 2021 ...........................Liberty won 76-47 (H) 9 KENNESAW STATE* W, 76-47 Jan. 8, 2021..........................Liberty won 69-63 (H) tied for the fourth most in a single season in program Feb. 27, 2020.........................Liberty won 76-52 (A) history. 15 at Stetson* L, 59-65 Jan. 30, 2020.......................Liberty won 83-45 (H) • McGhee has recorded four straight 20-point games, 16 at Stetson* W, 68-58 Feb. 26, 2019........................ Liberty won 76-59 (H) the last Liberty player to do since Seth Curry (2009). 29 at Jacksonville* W, 59-54 • McGhee has more 3FG attempts this season (203) 30 at Jacksonville* W, 64-58 than seven schools in Division I this season. HOW TO FOLLOW THE FLAMES FEBRUARY • Blake Preston ranks No. 17 in the country (Per ESPN 5 LANCASTER BIBLE W, 90-49 Video ...........................................................ESPN+ stats) shooting 64.6 percent from the floor. 12 NORTH FLORIDA* W, 73-61 Audio ............................................. LFSN Radio (107.5 FM) • Liberty's 20 wins this season is the most among Division I programs in the state of Virginia. 13 NORTH FLORIDA* W, 80-60 Twitter .......................................... @LibertyMBB_ 20 NORTH ALABAMA* W, 74-54 POTENTIAL STARTERS 21 NORTH ALABAMA* W, 74-54 27 at Bellarmine* W, 94-78 MARCH 4 vs. Kennesaw State% 2 P.M. 5 ASUN Semifinals% 2 P.M. 7 ASUN Championship% 2 P.M. Home Games in BOLD CAPS All times are listed in Eastern Time * - ASUN Conference Game 1 2 10 22 32 ^ - Space Coast Challenge Chris Parker Darius McGhee Elijah Cuffee Kyle Rode Blake Preston $ - Hall of Fame Classic % - ASUN Championship 6-1 | Senior | G 5-9 | Junior | G 6-4 | Senior | G 6-6 | Sophomore | F 6-9 | R-Sophomore | F 10.1 PPG 15.5 PPG 10.0 PPG 7.0 PPG 8.7 PPG 3.6 APG 4.2 RPG 3.4 RPG 4.2 RPG 6.2 RPG ‹ 1 › QUICK FACTS / ROSTERS / MEDIA INFO GENERAL INFORMATION 2020-21 LIBERTY NUMERICAL ROSTER Name of School .......................Liberty University No. Name Year Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School (Previous School) City/Zip ...............................Lynchburg, Va. 24515 0 Drake Dobbs Fr. G 6-1 175 Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS Founded ........................................................1971 1 Chris Parker Sr. G 6-1 170 Plano, Texas/Henderson State Enrollment ............................................... 15,000 2 Darius McGhee Jr. G 5-9 150 Roxboro, N.C./Blue Ridge School Nickname .................................................Flames School Colors ..........................Red, White & Blue 3 Isiah Warfield Fr. G 6-5 180 Monaca, Pa./Central Valley HS Home Arena ....................................Vines Center 4 Tytist Dean R-So. G 6-0 175 St. Paul, Minn./North St. Paul HS Capacity .......................................................9,511 5 Marten Maide R-Fr. G 6-5 200 Charlotte, N.C./Carmel Christian School Affiliation .....................................NCAA Division I 10 Elijah Cuffee Sr. G 6-4 200 Poca, W. Va./Liberty Christian Academy Conference ................................................ ASUN 11 Jonathan Jackson Fr. G 6-4 180 Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley HS Founder ..................................... Dr. Jerry Falwell 15 Colton Reed R-Jr. G 6-3 175 Wake Forest, N.C./Roanoke College President.......................................... Jerry Prevo 20 Keegan McDowell R-Jr. G 6-6 190 Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller HS Director of Athletics ......................... Ian McCaw 21 Luke McKay Sr. G 6-2 180 Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian Academy Athletics Dept. Phone .................(434) 582-2100 22 Kyle Rode So. F 6-7 220 Lexington, Ky./Lexington Christian Academy MEN'S BASKETBALL INFORMATION 24 Micaiah Abii Fr. F 6-7 220 Frisco, Texas/Liberty HS 25 Josh Price R-So. G 6-3 180 Charlotte, N.C./Carmel Christian School Head Coach ...................................Ritchie McKay Alma Mater ............................ Seattle Pacific, ‘87 32 Blake Preston R-So. F 6-9 225 Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian School Record at School ......................174-92 (8th Year) 33 Shiloh Robinson So. F 6-7 200 Kearney, Ne./Kearney High School Career Record .................... 339-250 (19th Year) Assistant Coaches................................................ ................. Brad Soucie (Christian Heritage, ‘90) Coaching and Support Staff .......... Derek Johnston (Alabama-Huntsville, ‘10) Head Coach: Ritchie McKay, Eighth Year (Seattle Pacific, '87) .....................Joe Pierre III (Oklahoma State, ‘15) Associate Head Coach: Brad Soucie, Eighth Year (Christian Heritage, '90) Director of Player Development .......................... .......................... Kevin Anderson (Richmond, '11) Assistant Coach: Derek Johnston, Third Year (Alabama-Huntsville, '10) Video and Analytics Coordinator ......................... Assistant Coach: Joe Pierre III, Third Year (Oklahoma State, '15) ....................................Sam Thomas (Liberty, '18) Kevin Anderson, Third Year (Richmond, '11) Director of Basketball Operations ....................... Director of Player Development: ........................... Chelsea Mangino (Virginia, ‘14) Director of Operations: Chelsea Mangino, Fifth Year (Virginia, '14) Certified Athletic Trainer Video and Analytics Coordinator: Sam Thomas, Second Year (Liberty, '18) ...............................Aaron Schreiner (Taylor, ‘02) Graduate Assistant: Zach Farquhar, Second Year (Liberty, '19) HISTORY Strength and Conditioning Coach: Henry Barrera, Fifth Year (Multnomah, '02) First Season of Basketball ........................1972-73 Certified Athletic Trainer: Aaron Schriener, 15th Year (Taylor, '02) All-Time Record ........................................741-735 NCAA Tournament Appearances .......................5 Last NCAA Appearance............................... 2020 Opponent ........................................Virginia Tech PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Result ...............................L/58-67 (Round of 32) Final 2019-20 Record ...................................30-4 #5 Marten Maide ...............................................................................Made Conference Record/Finish ....................13-3/T1st #24 Micaiah Abii ................................................... Muh-KAI-UHH Ah-BEE Starters Returning/Lost ................................ 3/2 #33 Shiloh Robinson ......................................................................Shy-low Letterwinners Returning/Lost.......................9/5 Newcomers ........................................................5 ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS Assoc. Director (MBB) ..............Steven Gonzalez Office Phone ................................(434) 582-2294 Email Address [email protected] Website ................................ LibertyFlames.com Facebook ...................... Liberty Flames Athletics .........................................................LUBasketball Instagram .................................@LibertyFlames .......................................................@LibertyMBB Twitter .......................................@LibertyFlames ..................................................... @LibertyMBB_ ‹ 2 › FLAMESLIBERTY TEAMPLAYERTEAM