Liberty: 2024-25 Conference USA Men's Basketball Champions

 

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WSET/Liberty Flames) — For a season with plenty of ups and downs, Saturday's Conference USA championship game never seemed in doubt.

No. 1 seed Liberty won its first Conference USA title, topping No. 2 seed Jacksonville State 79-67 in the 2025 CUSA Championship Final on Saturday night at Propst Arena.

The Flames improve to 28-6 on the season and punch their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Liberty will find out where it will be heading in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow night on Selection Sunday. The NCAA Selection Show will be carried live tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville State drops to 22-12 on the year. The Gamecocks will await their postseason fate.

This is Liberty's fourth conference championship title in the last seven years and seventh conference crown overall. The Flames now have 10 total titles (four conference tournament, six regular season and/or division crowns) over the last seven years.

Liberty: 2021 LendingTree Bowl Champions

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -- For the first time, the LendingTree Bowl made its way to Hancock Whitney Stadium as Liberty University Flames and Eastern Michigan University Eagles squared off Saturday ending in a solid win for Liberty.  

A lightning delay that pushed kickoff back by about 15 minutes but things got going fast.

A lot of eyes were on Liberty quarterback Malik Willis and it’s safe to say Willis gave everyone their money's worth.

Eastern Michigan and Liberty both looked to cap off their seasons with a post-season win.

After an opening drive field goal by Eastern Michigan, Liberty answered back in a big way.

Willis went way up and a wide open D.J. Stubbs hauled it in for a 54-yard touchdown. Flames led 7-3.

On the next possession for Eastern Michigan, Ben Bryant's pass was tipped at the line and picked off by Skylar Thomas. Thomas for the 27-yard pick 6 and the Flames led by two scores.

The Eagles answered back on their next drive. Samson Evans got in for the two-yard touchdown. The Eagles pull within one score, but the momentum wouldn’t last long.

Back-to-back pass interference calls put Liberty deep into Eagle territory and that’s when T.J. Green took the handoff, cut outside and went 34 yards for the touchdown.

Liberty had the ball again and it’s back to the passing game. This time, Willis found Johnny Huntley up the seam. Huntley Brooks through two tackles and he was in for the touchdown. Liberty was up by 16 midway through the second quarter.

And with time winding down, Malik Willis got it done on the ground. Willis walked in from two yards out and the Flames took a 23-point lead into halftime.

Liberty poured it on in the second half and they walked away with a 56-20 win.

That’s the third straight bowl win for Liberty since moving up to the FBS level and Malik Willis was your MVP with five total touchdowns.

Liberty: 2021 Atlantic Sun Men's Basketball Champions

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- — Chris Parker scored 16 points and Liberty beat Stetson 77-64 on Friday in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament semifinals and later earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament when North Alabama reached the title game.

North Alabama, a 96-81 winner over Florida Gulf Coast, is ineligible for the NCAA Tournament because it is in a four-year Division I transition period.

Blake Preston added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Darius McGhee added 13 points and nine assists to help Liberty (22-5) reach a conference championship game for the fourth straight season.

Christiaan Jones had 20 points for the Hatters (11-14). Chase Johnston added 16 points.

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Liberty: 2020 Cure Bowl Champions

Liberty's only loss of the season came on a blocked field goal against NC State back on Nov. 21. In the Cure Bowl against No. 12 Coastal Carolina, the Flames got that kick back by blocking a field goal of their own in overtime to outlast the previously-unbeaten Chanticleers 37-34. The special teams play ended what was easily the most entertaining game of college football's postseason to date. 

It was also arguably the strangest. After hopping out to a 14-0 first quarter lead, Liberty spent most of the game trying to keep Coastal at arm's length. With the clock in the fourth quarter winding down, it looked like it might be able to do just that. Quarterback Malik Willis had a career-best four rushing touchdowns to go along with 137 yards on 21 carries and the Chanticleers had no answer for him. But Coastal Carolina was able to force a late fourth quarter field goal and then tie the game at 34-34 on its ensuing possession. Still, the Flames had three minutes to win the game in regulation, and the offense moved the ball down to Coastal's 3-yard line within six plays. 

That's when things got strange. With Coastal Carolina out of timeouts, Liberty was content to let as much clock run as possible before scoring in order to hold the ball last. In that case, it would have been fine to play for the field goal -- which, at that spot is an extra point -- by kneeling on the ball. Instead, Willis handed the ball off to running back Joshua Mack twice. The first was a two-yard loss and the second was, inexplicably, a fumble recovered by the Chanticleers. 

Liberty had two options: play for the field goal by kneeling, or try to score the touchdown and trust its defense. It did neither of those things and an uncertain Mack had the ball stripped. 

Overtime ended up being just as dramatic. After kicking a field goal on its first possession, Liberty forced Coastal Carolina into a quick three-and-out to set up a field goal attempt, which was blocked to seal the win for the Flames. 

Liberty finishes the year 10-1, capping off its first 10-win season as a FBS member and arguably its best season ever. Coastal Carolina drops to 11-1, and though this is a disappointing end for the Chants, it's still part of an unforgettable season as well. 

Liberty: 2019-20 Atlantic Sun Men's Basketball Champions

'LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Liberty is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, but there is a big difference between them making it last year and doing it again.

Expectations.

"Any time you have a target on your back or you're the team that's expected to win, it's hard," coach Ritchie McKay said after the Flames took command with a long first-half run and beat Lipscomb 73-57 in the ASUN championship Sunday.

"It's hard to operate, navigate those expectations," said McKay, whose team was picked to win the league. "Our group showed its emotional maturity. This afternoon was just a reflection of the growth that occurred in our guys."

Caleb Homesley and Elijah Cuffee each scored 16 points and Darius McGhee had 13, helping the Flames earn their fifth NCAA Tournament bid.

For Cuffee, it was a season high, and his first game in double figures since he scored 11 points in a blowout win against Kennesaw State on Jan. 30.

"I was so excited for him," Homesley said. "He needed that game. He really did, especially for it to be that high caliber of a game."

After close wins in the tournament quarterfinals and semifinals, Homesley said the key for the Flames was focusing on having a good time.

"The last two games, they were close, they were hard-fought and I felt like we had a little bit of fun, but we didn't match our full potential," he said. "I told them tonight, let's just go out there, let's just have fun and we'll win the gme."

The Flames (30-4) set a school record for victories in a season. They also avenged a 77-71 loss at Lipscomb to finish the regular season.

"I thought they were fantastic today. We hit a buzzsaw for sure. ... They were locked in and ready to go," first-year Bisons coach Lennie Acuff said.

Ahsan Asadullah scored 22 and grabbed nine rebounds despite foul trouble for the Bisons (16-16), and Andrew Fleming scored 15. It was Lipscomb's third consecutive championship appearance and second straight loss to Liberty.

The Flames led 16-14 when Homesley's layup with 11 minutes left in the first half sparked a 29-12 run the rest of the half. Homesley scored 12 in the burst, including the first seven, and Cuffee had eight of his 10 in the half.

"They were making everything they took for awhile," Acuff said.

Trailing 45-26 at the half, Lipscomb scored the first seven points of the second half as the Flames missed their first seven shots, but McGhee settled them with back-to-back 3-pointers and they stayed comfortably ahead therafter.

"That was kind of it," Acuff said of McGhee's 3-pointers, which made it 51-35.

"In my mind I was just focused on getting a great shot, whether it was me or somebody else," McGhee said. "Luckily I just came up with both of those shots."

The result ensured it was the Flames' final game in the Vines Center after 30 years. The school is building a 4,000- to 4,500-seat arena next door that will open next season, and the crowd of 7,728 that roared all game long charged out onto the court as the final horn sounded.

BIG PICTURE

Lipscomb: The Bisons did themselves in in the first half with nine turnovers that the Flames turned into 18 points. That left them with a 16-point disadvantage off miscues since the Flames turned it over just twice, leading to two points. Liberty finished with a 20-7 edge on points of turnovers.

Liberty: The Flames won their first game in the NCAA Tournament last season and will be dangerous again this year. Their defense, patterned after Virginia's Pack Line, finished second nationally to the Cavaliers, allowing just 53.7 points. They shot 53.8% (28-52) and 40.7% on 3-pointers, making 11 of 27 on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Lipscomb will wait to see if a postseason bid is forthcoming.

Liberty is heading to the NCAA Tournament.

Liberty: 2019 Cure Bowl Champions

In just its second year as a member of the FBS, Liberty has already notched its first bowl win after taking down Georgia Southern 23-16 in the Cure Bowl. The win moves head coach Hugh Freeze to 4-1 in bowl games, capping an eight-win campaign for his first season as the Flames' coach.

The season started with Freeze leading the team from a hospital bed in the coaches' box because of complications from a herniated disc in his back, but it ended with the former Ole Miss coach celebrating a breakthrough season for the program that brought him back to the sidelines.

Liberty quarterback Buckshot Calvert totaled 270 yards on 16-of-35 passing for two touchdowns, the first breaking the game open in the first quarter on this toss to a wide open Johnny Huntley for a long catch-and-wrong score.

As the weather began to have somewhat of an impact -- and would continue to throughout the game -- Georgia Southern was able to keep pace early with it's reliable option attack ground game.

A key moment came from Calvert early in the third quarter as the game was still very much in doubt at 16-7. Liberty got the ball to start the second half and drove right down the field, 75 yards in six plays, with Calvert's touchdown toss to Antonio Gandy-Golden ending the scoring drive.

The one downside to Calvert's game was the two interceptions that helped keep the Eagles close, but it was otherwise a productive and successful day for the Flames offense. Georgia Southern racked up 194 rushing yards but failed frequently to win on third down and in other scoring opportunities.

Liberty capitalizing on this bowl appearance with a win was key for its future scheduling opportunities. The Flames entered the game as underdogs -- albeit by less than a touchdown with a closing line around five points -- but competed as favorites, scoring first and never trailing in the win.

That kind of performance is evidence of Liberty's strength after a season where it went 1-3 against bowl teams, defeating Buffalo at home on Sept. 14. Freeze fielded a competitive squad this season, and it's one that can bring excitement to a nonconference game for Power Five schools. Life as an FBS Independent does include a bit of marketing to help the scheduling efforts, and pulling out this win boosts the perception of what you're getting when you schedule Liberty.

Liberty: 2018-19 Atlantic Sun Men's Basketball Champions

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Scottie James' layup with 55.8 seconds left put Liberty ahead to stay and the Flames capped their first season in a new conference by topping Lipscomb 74-68 Sunday for the ASUN Tournament championship and their first NCAA Tournament trip since 2013.

A year after losing the Big South Conference tournament final on a 3 at the buzzer, Liberty won at packed Allen Arena in a game that featured 18 lead changes in the second half. The Flames won for the second time this season on Lipscomb's home court.

Liberty (28-6) switched to the ASUN Conference for this season and split the regular season title with Lipscomb. The Flames earned their fourth NCAA Tournament bid overall and first since playing in the Big South.

The Flames, from Lynchburg, Virginia, were up 29-28 at halftime and never led by more than four.

Garrison Mathews, the ASUN player of the year, made a pair of free throws with 1:31 left to give Lipscomb its last lead at 66-65. James then scored, and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz hit a 3 with 14.8 seconds remaining for a 70-65 lead. James added two free throws with 8.4 seconds to go for the final margin.

James led Liberty with 17 points. Pacheco-Ortiz added 16, Lovell Cabbil Jr. had 14 and Caleb Homesley 11.

Lipscomb (25-7) was trying to seal its second NCAA Tournament berth. The Bisons beat Florida Gulf Coast on the road last year in the ASUN Tournament championship game.

The Bisons led 28-20 with 4:52 left in the first half. Liberty scored the final nine capped by a layup by Cabbil giving the Flames a 29-28 halftime lead.

Matthews finished with 21 points, Rob Marberry had 18 and Kenny Cooper 14 for Lipscomb.

BIG PICTURE

Liberty: The Flames play some of the best defense in the country, coming in ranked fifth nationally giving up just 60.5 points per game. They showed off just how disruptive they can be against Lipscomb.

Lipscomb: Now the Bisons have to sit, wait and hope that a NET ranking of 42 along with victories at SMU, then-No. 18 TCU, Navy and Vermont help them earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament.

UP NEXT

NCAA Tournament bracket announcement on March 17.

Liberty: 2012-13 Big South Champions

Liberty, With 15-20 Record, Earns NCAA Berth By PETE IACOBELLI CONWAY, S.C.

abcnews.go.com

Liberty, with 15-20 record, earns NCAA berth with 87-76 win over Charleston Southern

The Associated Press

Liberty coach Dale Laney doesn't care how many losses it took to get his players to the NCAA tournament.

The Flames became just the second 20-loss team to reach college basketball's marquee event, beating Charleston Southern 87-76 Sunday to win the Big South Conference title. Liberty opened the season with eight straight losses and had never won more than three in a row until this week. Yet, it joined Coppin State in 2008 as the only schools with 20 or more defeats in the field of 68.

The Flames' .429 winning percentage (15-20) is the lowest for an NCAA tournament team since Oakland (Michigan) had a 12-18 record (.400) in 2005.

"That's awesome," Laney said of his team. "We've got the hats, right?"

Yes, you do, Coach.

The Flames finished their best stretch of basketball this year, winning their fifth in a row — and their fourth game since Tuesday — to take their first Big South tournament crown since 2004. John Caleb Sanders led the way with 27 points and tournament MVP Davon Marshall had 20 off six 3-pointers.

Marshall and Sanders got things going in a hurry over top-seeded Charleston Southern (19-12) with 3-pointers in the first 90 seconds — and the Flames barely lost their outside touch. Marshall was 6 of 7 from beyond the arc and Liberty finished 9 of 18 on long-range baskets.

The performance ended a hard-to-imagine run through the field where Liberty defeated home-standing Coastal Carolina and both Big South divisional winners in High Point and Charleston Southern. Sanders said the team began to believe when they topped the Chanticleers 78-61. "When you can beat Coastal by 20 on their home floor, we knew we could beat anybody in this tournament," he said.

That played out over the week at the HTC Center with the improbable run.
"We've played four of our best games in these four games of the tournament," Sanders said. "Talk about peaking at the exact right time."
Count on Liberty being near the bottom of the 68 NCAA seeds and a likely candidate for the tournament's first-four contests. Sanders says he and the Flames don't care which opponent they face.
"I feel like if we do us, we can give them a game," he said.
Saah Nimley had 18 points to lead the Buccaneers, who as the Big South's regular-season champs will play in the NIT.
The Flames and their cheerleaders rushed the court when the game ended, the players piling on top of each other in celebration. And why not, since Liberty was among the longest of longshots to be cutting down the nets in this one?
Liberty will try and pull off a Big South tournament double later Sunday when its top-seeded women's team takes on Longwood for that NCAA berth. The Flames women have won 14 of the past 16 Big South tournament titles.
The Flames fell behind for a final time, 40-37, on Arlon Harper's 3-pointer with 18:10 lead. That's when Sanders' jumper started a 17-7 run the next six minutes to take control. The charge was capped by Marshall's long 3-pointer that put Liberty ahead 54-47. The lead eventually grew to 14 points as the Bucs could not match Liberty's success from the field.
Charleston Southern was just 9 of 28 from behind the arc and Nimley, who made the all-Big South Conference team, was just 1 of 7 from three. The Bucs finished with five players in double figures.

Buccaneers coach Barclay Radebaugh said he told people after his team's 79-75 victory at Liberty on Jan. 26 that he wanted no part of what the Flames were building a second time.

"I think they're lying in wait," he said. "That's a scary team. They've got size, they've got depth. They're guards are good. They're strong."

Charleston Southern came in the tournament's top seed and would have hosted this final under the Big South's old home-court format. The league began a three-year deal to play at the recently opened, $35 million HTC Center on the campus of Big South member Coastal Carolina — about 10 miles or so west of South Carolina's Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach resort area.

The Buccaneers hadn't been to a Big South final since 2005 and last won in 1997, also the last time they advanced to the NCAA tournament. They got to the championship by defeating Winthrop in the tournament opener and rallied from 5 points down at the half to oust VMI, 71-65.

Charleston Southern had gone from nine victories in 2009 to back-to-back 19-win seasons the past two years. Both their leading scorers in Nimley and Harper are sophomores so Radebaugh believes the Bucs aren't done contending for Big South crowns. First things first, though.

"I'm really looking forward to the NIT," Radebaugh said. "It's not going to be a show up game for us."

Liberty was next to last in the Big South's six-team North Division. That's when the Flames found their game, topping host Coastal Carolina in the opening round before knocking off one of the tournament favorites in High Point, 61-60, in the quarterfinals. The Flames led throughout against High Point, taking a 19-point lead and holding on.

Liberty kept the run going on Saturday with a win over Gardner-Webb.

The Flames didn't let up against Charleston Southern. Sanders, the team's leading scorer this year at 13 points a game, nearly reached that mark with 12 points in the period while Marshall added 11.

Tavares Speaks hit a bucket as the halftime buzzer sounded that put the Flames ahead 35-34 heading into the break. Speaks ended the game with 18 points.

Laney, Liberty's fourth-year coach, previously led Colorado State into the NCAAs back in 2003. He said it was difficult to compare experiences and chooses to concentrate on his happy players, snipping away at basketball nets to take back to campus.

"It's life changing. I'm just looking at their faces and trying to soak in every moment," he said. "That's what you're doing this for."

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