Liberty Men’s Basketball Beats UNA, Loses to JSU, Snapping Home Win Streak

After a nine-day break from competition due to issues involving COVID-19, Liberty’s men’s basketball team returned to the floor in a 72-53 rout of North Alabama Jan. 27.

In a game in which the Flames only trailed once, Liberty continued to demonstrate why it is one of the top squads in the ASUN. 

North Alabama opened the scoring with a layup by Jamari Blackmon in the first minute. Following this bucket, the scoreboard remained unaltered for three minutes until Liberty junior forward Kyle Rode hit two free throws to tie the game. 

Both teams fought hard throughout the beginning of the first half with both teams trading baskets. The teams sat at 11 points apiece with 11:44 left in the first half. This moment proved to be the last time that the game would be tied as the Flames engineered a 7-0 run sparked by a Shiloh Robinson 3-pointer to separate Liberty from the Lions. 

As the Flames continued to heat up, North Alabama’s offense struggled to sustain the same kind of momentum, and the Flames slowly increased the lead. When the halftime buzzer sounded, Liberty held an 11-point advantage with a score of 35-24.

Liberty concluded the first half shooting 52.2% from the field and 8-8 at the free throw line. 

Little changed in the second half as the lead remained relatively the same until the 10-minute mark in the half with Liberty holding a 14-point lead. North Alabama finally found its rhythm with its back against the wall. Guard Daniel Ortiz propelled the team forward with a layup and two 3-point shots to contribute to a 10-0 run by UNA. 

Unrattled, the Flames responded with a 12-0 run of their own in the span of just under five minutes, allowing the crowd at Liberty Arena to breathe a sigh of relief. The teams traded baskets as the game wound to an end with the Flames ahead by 19 points. 

The Flames finished the game with a 54.3% field goal percentage. The team also mustered 39 rebounds, 11 more than UNA. 

Following a week in which two games were postponed because of illness, Head Coach Ritchie McKay credited the team’s resolve in the victory. 

“Hats off to our guys because we have had a funky week in terms of not having a routine, not having enough guys to field a regular practice, so I feel great about the way they played and not to make excuses, but in light of the circumstances, that was as good as I could expect it,” McKay said.  

The team relied heavily on forwards as both Rode and redshirt junior Blake Preston drastically impacted the success of the team. Rode finished the game with 17 points, the most for him this season, as well as tied his career high in rebounds with eight. Preston finished a perfect 5-5 with a season-high 13 points. 

Despite playing only 22 minutes in the contest, Presto still found ways to contribute. McKay spoke highly of Preston after the game and credited his unselfishness as an asset for the team. 

“The beauty of it is he’s had the wherewithal to quiet any noise about what you should be getting or what you deserve,” McKay said. “And anyone that is that sacrificial, especially with his leadership gift, it adds value to the family, and I mean that about Blake. Whether he plays 21 minutes or 12, he always gives his best.”

Preston’s teammates also acknowledged the important role that he plays on the team. Rode commended the forward on his impact. 

“Coach gives me the pleasure of guarding Blake a ton in practice, so I know how good he is and the energy he plays with. I know that’s just him, the way he can impact a game,” Rode said. “It’s not just through scoring, it’s just his energy, his leadership. And he brings a physical presence that not many players in college can.”

Liberty failed to carry the momentum from the victory into the next game against Jacksonville State and fell to the Gamecocks 77-67 Jan. 29. This marked the first loss for the Flames in Liberty Arena and ended the Flames’ 45-game home win streak. The Gamecocks are undefeated in the ASUN, and the Flames now have one loss in the conference.

“To win 45 games in a row at home is amazing and sad that this streak has come to an end, but they were the better team tonight, and hopefully we will learn from it,” McKay said. “We have a tough stretch coming up, so our bounce back needs to happen fast.”

Liberty faces three straight conference road games before returning to Liberty Arena Feb. 8 against Lipscomb at 7 p.m.

Shields is the asst. sports editor. Follow him on Twitter