Flames Basketball wins Paradise Jam in Virgin Islands, back in action Friday at Liberty Arena

After ousting Kansas State University in Sunday’s semifinal round, Liberty University’s men’s basketball team fended off McNeese University, 62-58, on Monday night to win the 2024 Paradise Jam championship at St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Flames improve to 7-1 for the second season in a row after finishing 3-0 in the four-day event, held at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center. Liberty is ranked at No. 9 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. McNeese (4-3) entered the game on a three-game winning streak and ranked No. 13 in the Mid-Major Top 25.

After the first half ended tied at 29, the Flames went on a 9-0 run early in the second half and led by as many a 11 before the Cowboys rallied back within 59-58 with 51 seconds to play. Liberty sank all six of its free-throw attempts in the final minute to seal the victory.

“This team’s special,” Flames junior point guard Colin Porter said after receiving Tournament MVP honors following his 16-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist performance in the final. “We showed fight in all three games, and we’ve done it all season long. We’re prepared to respond and that’s what we did tonight.”

Liberty made 11 of its 31 attempts from 3-point range while holding McNeese to 1-for-12 shooting from behind the arc.

The Flames opened the tournament with an 89-69 victory over Louisiana, led by redshirt senior guard and All-Tournament team member Kaden Metheny’s 20 points as well as junior forward Zach Cleveland’s 12 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds. Porter scored a team-high 17 points in Liberty’s 67-65 triumph over Kansas State, its ninth win over a Power Five school in the past eight-plus seasons and the 250th with the Flames for Head Coach Ritchie McKay, who is now 251-128 in 12 seasons at Liberty.

The Flames will return to Liberty Arena on Friday to face Central Penn College. Tipoff time is 4 p.m., and the game can be seen on ESPN+.