Back on the Court: Flames Basketball plays first NCAA game of season in U.S.

Flames Basketball kicked off its season with a midnight bout against High Point on Monday, falling 72-57 to the Panthers in the Field of 68 Showcase in Rock Hill, S.C., the first college basketball game of the 2026-27 season in the U.S. The night marked the first for a team with an entirely new starting lineup. Flames Head Coach Ritchie McKay credited the Panthers with a well-fought win and said Monday’s game marked a great opportunity for the Flames to find their identity.

“This event was fabulous for our guys,” he said, noting Liberty’s squad features a total of nine incomers. “In a game like that against an opponent like that, you’re going to take the truth serum and see what you’re not. They certainly did a good job of exposing. That’s going to help us. We’re going to have a really good season because I think we’ll learn a lot from this game.”

Liberty trailed 37-34 at the half, but a 14-4 run by the Panthers midway through the second half proved too much for the Flames to overcome. Liberty shot 37.5% from the field while recording 11 assists and 31 total rebounds.

McKay said he anticipates some early “bumps in the road” for the young team, but he remains optimistic the team will continue to improve on the court. As the season progresses, the Flames may look to sophomore guard Zander Carter to spark their offensive attack. Carter recorded 21 points in 28 minutes of play against the Panthers, shooting 60% from the three-point line and tallying six total rebounds.

Carter was one of several Liberty players who suffered from cramps in the contest, forcing McKay to readjust lineups from those the team had practiced in the offseason. McKay said this challenge provided an additional opportunity for other members of the team to gain experience.

“I want them to go through the hard (times),” McKay said. “It’s good for all of us, especially men, to go through the hard and be able to get to the other side of it without losing your character or identity. We had a great rep of that tonight.”

The Flames will light up Liberty Arena once again when it hosts Boyce on Saturday; tipoff is set for 2 p.m. 

The Flames will face a total of 14 non-conference opponents before conference play begins at the start of the new year. The squad enters the year as a two-time defending CUSA regular season champion and was picked to finish third in the CUSA Preseason Poll. Liberty’s conference slate will kick off with a home bout against Delaware on Jan. 2 at Liberty Arena for the first of 18 regular-season CUSA games. 

Liberty will meet reigning CUSA champion Kennesaw State on the road Jan. 23 before facing the Owls again on Feb. 18 at home. The Flames will challenge conference-favorite Western Kentucky on Jan. 16 and Feb. 11.

Season tickets for the 2025-26 men’s basketball season are sold out for the fourth consecutive year. Single-game ticket sales for non-conference games are now on sale online. Ticket sales for home conference games will open on Dec. 8.

In Head Coach Alexis Sherard’s second year at the helm, the Lady Flames will look to build on last season’s third-place finish in conference standings. They return four starters from last season and will open their 2026-27 campaign Monday at 7 p.m. with a home matchup against Frostburg State.

Earlier this month, three Lady Flames were tabbed for Preseason All-America honors: junior forward Ify Nwaobi, junior center Emmy Stout, and junior forward Sophia Gregory. Nwaobi finished the 2025-26 campaign with team bests in rebounds per game (9.5) and blocked shots per game (1.6) with Stout finishing last season second in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (6.2 rpg) and blocked shots (0.7 bpg).

Gregory transferred this season to Liberty from Youngstown University, where she was named the 2026 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and was a second team all-conference performer after averaging 10.5 points per game, a conference-best 8.7 rebounds per game, 3.0 assists per game, 1.5 blocks per game, and 1.7 steals per game. 

Gregory is one of six newcomers to the team. Liberty gained four incoming freshman, whom Sherard said should complement the team’s veteran leaders for a dynamic court presence.

“I’m excited about the group,” Sherard said during the Liberty Women’s Basketball Show. “The ladies have been working hard with regards to the culture they have created. You can’t take for granted (if) you had a great culture last year you will automatically have a great culture this year.”

“Between the veteran players and the energy from the youth, I think it’s been a good combination,” he added. “I’m excited to see what we do on Monday.”  

Like the Flames, the women’s team was picked to finish third in the CUSA Preseason Poll. The squad will face Delaware on the road on Jan. 2 in their first conference clash. The Lady Flames will face off against reigning CUSA champions and preseason conference-favorite Missouri State Jan. 12 at Liberty Arena before a road rematch on Feb. 4.

Liberty Women’s Basketball season tickets start at just $40 for general admission tickets, with single game tickets also available online. Premium seating includes Club seating and Loge Boxes, available with a qualifying Flames Club membership.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams will travel to Huntsville, Ala., for their respective conference championships at Probst Arena March 9-13.