The Liberty University Men’s Basketball team fell to Western Kentucky University Feb. 21 in a hard-fought 94-73 loss, which marked the Flames’ first home loss of the 2025-26 season and broke their 17-game winning streak.
WKU won the tipoff, but Liberty was the first to put points on the board with a free throw from senior forward Zach Cleveland. The Flames and the Hilltoppers battled for the first 10 minutes of the opening half, trading baskets in a highly contested match-up.
After assisting on a layup by redshirt senior forward Josh Smith, Cleveland exited the game with an injury.
“It’s always scary. Anyone who gets hurt on the court … you don’t want that to happen,” senior guard Colin Porter said. “But especially (Cleveland) being like a brother of mine, you know, you really want to know what’s going on, know what happened.”
Shortly after heading to the locker room, Cleveland returned to Liberty’s bench, igniting the crowd. Within two minutes of reentering the game, he delivered a dunk and gave the Flames a 26-25 lead over the Hilltoppers.
However, a 3-pointer by redshirt sophomore guard Teagan Moore quickly shifted the advantage back to the Hilltoppers. The Flames were unable to catch up during the remainder of the frame, closing the first half with WKU in the lead 48-37.
The Flames came back from halftime with renewed energy as Porter scored some 3-pointers. Porter and redshirt senior guard JJ Harper each knocked down shots from beyond the arc, bringing the score to 53-46. WKU extended its lead after a series of turnovers from both teams and a foul from Liberty.
“In the second half, we’re playing with desperation, trying to make a run, and whenever we can’t get stops, it’s hard to make a run because they’re just scoring points,” Porter said. “I think we just got to do a better job on the boards and keeping teams off the foul line.”
Despite the foul trouble and costly turnovers, the Flames continued the fight until the clock expired. The crowd erupted with energy when Porter converted a congested layup from the floor while being fouled, draining the free throw and reigniting the arena.
Ultimately, WKU maintained control and pulled away to a 94-73 victory. The main contributor for the Flames was Porter with 20 points, followed by Harper with 16 and Cleveland and Smith with 11.
“…They were locking in on to Brett (Decker Jr.) and Kaden (Metheny) who are two of the best shooters in the country,” Porter said. “It makes it tough to get the flow going, but the good thing is that we have a smart group of guys, and we won’t let one loss dictate who we are …”
Head Coach Ritchie McKay focused on looking for improvements on the court and not letting the setback deter the Flames momentum.
“Certainly not the way we would have wanted to play,” McKay said. “This happens in basketball. You’re not going to win them all.”
The loss moves Liberty to 15-1 in Conference USA play with four conference games remaining before the CUSA Championship tournament begins March 11 in Huntsville, Alabama. The Flames will compete for their second CUSA title.
“I’m very grateful that we have opportunities to get better, and our season isn’t over right now,” Porter said. “I think we have a good, level head knowing that we can get better.”
McKay echoed Porter’s sentiments regarding Liberty’s mentality.
“Our group has responded well all year,” McKay said. “(We) didn’t play well tonight, and Western had more with that than us. But I do think it’s an opportunity for us to see what we’re made of.”
The Flames will face Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. EST. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Wachowiak is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion.