2023–24 Liberty Flames basketball team

The 2023–24 Liberty Flames basketball team represented Liberty University in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Flameswere are led by Ritchie McKay in the ninth season of his current stint as head coach (11th overall). They played their home games at Liberty Arena in Lynchburg, Virginia as first-year members of Conference USA.

2023–24 Liberty Flames basketball
Myrtle Beach Invitational champions
Conference	Conference USA
Record	18–14 (7–9 C-USA)
Head coach	Ritchie McKay (9th, 11th overall season)
Associate head coach	Rob Jones
Assistant coaches	Derek Johnston Joe Pierre III
Home arena	Liberty Arena
Seasons ← 2022–23 2024–25 →

2023–24 Conference USA men's basketball standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Sam Houston	13	–	3		.813			21	–	12		.636
Louisiana Tech	12	–	4		.750			22	–	10		.688
Western Kentucky †	8	–	8		.500			22	–	12		.647
Liberty	7	–	9		.438			18	–	14		.563
UTEP	7	–	9		.438			18	–	16		.529
New Mexico State	7	–	9		.438			13	–	19		.406
Middle Tennessee	7	–	9		.438			14	–	19		.424
Jacksonville State	6	–	10		.375			14	–	18		.438
FIU	5	–	11		.313			11	–	22		.333
† 2024 CUSA tournament winner

Previous season

The Flames finished the 2022–23 season 24–7, 15–2 in 2022–23 ASUN Play to tie for first place in conference standings. They defeated Bellarmine and Eastern Kentucky before losing to Kennesaw State in the champion title match in the ASUN tournament. They received an at-large bid to the NIT tournament where they defeated Villanova in the first round before losing to Wisconsin in the second round.

Offseason

Departures

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Reason for departure
Darius McGhee	2	G	5'9"	180	RS Senior	Roxboro, NC	Graduated/undrafted in 2023 NBA draft; signed with the Indiana Pacers
Isiah Warfield	3	G	6'5"	180	Junior	Monaca, PA	Transferred to Howard
Stephen Burggraf	4	G	6'0"	160	Senior	Lynchburg, VA	Walk-on; graduated
Jonathan Jackson	11	G	6'4"	180	Junior	Dallas, TX	Transferred to UT Tyler
Blake Preston	32	F	6'9"	230	RS Senior	Charlotte, NC	Graduated transferred to Northwestern

Incoming transfers

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Previous college
Kaden Metheny	3	G	5'11"	180	RS Junior	Morgantown, WV	Bowling Green
Zander Yates	10	F	6'7"	225	RS Sophomore	Germantown, TN	Creighton

2023 recruiting class

College recruiting information

Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Curtis Blair III SG	Richmond, VA	The Steward School	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Mar 9, 2022
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:
Jaylen Davis SF	Richmond, KY	Madison Central High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	165 lb (75 kg)
	Recruit ratings: No ratings found
Hong Kai Yu C	Branson, MO	Link Academy	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)	230 lb (100 kg)
	Recruit ratings: No ratings found
Overall recruit ranking:
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.

2024 recruiting class

College recruiting information (2024)
Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Brett Decker PG	Elizabethtown, KY	Central Hardin High School	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	160 lb (73 kg)	Oct 23, 2022
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:
Will Gibson PF	Louisville, KY	DeSales High School	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	N/A	Oct 23, 2022
	Recruit ratings: No ratings found
Overall recruit ranking:
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2024 Team Ranking". Rivals.

2025 recruiting class

College recruiting information (2025)
Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Zander Carter PG	Ashland, KY	Paul G. Blazer High School	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	N/A	Jun 19, 2023
	Recruit ratings: 247Sports:
Andrew Grimes PF	Clayton, NC	Clayton High School	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	N/A	Sep 4, 2023
	Recruit ratings: No ratings found
Overall recruit ranking:
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2025 Team Ranking". Rivals.

Roster

2023–24 Liberty Flames men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown G 0 Colin Porter 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 170 lb (77 kg) So Paul G. Blazer HS Ashland, Kentucky G 1 Brody Peebles 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Jr Hartselle HS Hartselle, Alabama G 3 Kaden Metheny 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) RS Jr Bowling Green Morgantown, West Virginia F 5 Bryson Spell 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) RS So Cape Henry Collegiate School Virginia Beach, Virginia G 10 JC Shirer Jr. (W) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) RS Fr Grace Preparatory Academy Arlington, Texas F 11 Zander Yates 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) RS So Creighton Germantown, Tennessee G 12 Jaylen Davis 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Fr Madison Central HS Richmond, Kentucky G 21 Gabriel McKay (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) RS Sr Trevecca Nazarene Lynchburg, Virginia F 22 Kyle Rode 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS Sr Lexington Christian Academy Lexington, Kentucky G 23 Joseph Venzant 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Jr Midland Christian School Midland, Texas G 24 Curtis Blair III 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Fr The Steward School Richmond, Virginia F 25 Zach Cleveland 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Normal Community HS Bloomington, Illinois F 33 Shiloh Robinson 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) RS Sr Kearney HS Kearney, Nebraska F 34 Ben Southerland 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) RS Fr Sycamore HS Cincinnati, Ohio F 45 Kai Yu 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Fr Link Year Prep Zhuhai, China	Head coach Ritchie McKay (Seattle Pacific) Assistant coach(es) Rob Jones (Toccoa Falls) Derek Johnston (Alabama–Huntsville) Joe Pierre III (Oklahoma State) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster

Schedule and results

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Site (attendance) city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 6, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Mid-Atlantic Christian	W 103–43	1–0	20 – Peebles	9 – Tied	5 – Porter	Liberty Arena (3,664) Lynchburg, VA
November 10, 2023* 4:30 p.m., ESPN+		vs. Charlotte He Gets Us Hall of Fame Series	W 71–59	2–0	23 – Rode	8 – Venzant	3 – Cleveland	Spectrum Center (6,783) Charlotte, NC
November 16, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		vs. Furman Myrtle Beach Invitational quarterfinals	W 88–74	3–0	19 – Rode	6 – Cleveland	8 – Porter	HTC Center (1,499) Conway, SC
November 17, 2023* 9:00 p.m., ESPNU		vs. Wichita State Myrtle Beach Invitational semifinals	W 83–66	4–0	31 – Rode	9 – Cleveland	4 – Tied	HTC Center (1,281) Conway, SC
November 19, 2023* 5:30 p.m., ESPN2		vs. Vermont Myrtle Beach Invitational final	W 71–61	5–0	21 – Cleveland	9 – Cleveland	7 – Metheny	HTC Center (1,228) Conway, SC
November 25, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		Maryland Eastern Shore	W 99–62	6–0	20 – Metheny	11 – Venzant	8 – Rode	Liberty Arena (2,524) Lynchburg, VA
November 30, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPNU		at No. 13 Florida Atlantic Field of 68 Tip-Off	L 58–83	6–1	16 – Porter	6 – Cleveland	3 – Rode	Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena (3,161) Boca Raton, FL
December 1, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPNU		vs. Charleston Field of 68 Tip-Off	L 67–76	6–2	18 – Rode	11 – Venzant	4 – Metheny	Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena  Boca Raton, FL
December 5, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Mississippi Valley State	W 74–39	7–2	11 – Peebles	8 – Venzant	4 – Tied	Liberty Arena (2,942) Lynchburg, VA
December 9, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPNU		Grand Canyon C–USA/WAC Alliance	L 64–69	7–3	13 – Cleveland	11 – Venzant	3 – Tied	Liberty Arena (4,052) Lynchburg, VA
December 13, 2023* 8:00 p.m., ESPN+		Tennessee State	W 74–52	8–3	18 – Rode	12 – Venzant	9 – Cleveland	Liberty Arena (2,311) Lynchburg, VA
December 16, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		St. Andrews	W 99–26	9–3	23 – Tied	7 – Tied	6 – Southerland	Liberty Arena (2,230) Lynchburg, VA
December 20, 2023* 8:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Utah Valley C–USA/WAC Alliance	W 79–63	10–3	19 – Cleveland	8 – Venzant	8 – Cleveland	UCCU Center (1,407) Orem, UT
December 30, 2023* 2:00 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+		vs. Alabama C.M. Newton Classic	L 56–101	10–4	14 – Metheny	6 – Cleveland	5 – Cleveland	Legacy Arena (6,912) Birmingham, AL
January 1, 2024* 11:00 a.m., ESPN+		Boyce	W 88–46	11–4	25 – Peebles	10 – Southerland	7 – Cleveland	Liberty Arena (2,655) Lynchburg, VA
Conference USA regular season
January 6, 2024 6:00 p.m., CBSSN		at Western Kentucky	L 68–70	11–5 (0–1)	23 – Cleveland	8 – Rode	5 – Metheny	E. A. Diddle Arena (5,057) Bowling Green, KY
January 10, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Jacksonville State	L 51–61	11–6 (0–2)	15 – Metheny	8 – Venzant	5 – Porter	Liberty Arena (2,384) Lynchburg, VA
January 14, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPNU		at Louisiana Tech	L 76–80 OT	11–7 (0–3)	20 – Rode	8 – Venzant	7 – Porter	Thomas Assembly Center (2,348) Ruston, LA
January 18, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		FIU	W 78–69	12–7 (1–3)	19 – Rode	9 – Cleveland	6 – Tied	Liberty Arena (3,247) Lynchburg, VA
January 20, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Sam Houston	W 82–66	13–7 (2–3)	19 – Rode	9 – Porter	8 – Porter	Liberty Arena (4,005) Lynchburg, VA
January 27, 2024 5:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Jacksonville State	L 62–73	13–8 (2–4)	17 – Rode	7 – Venzant	5 – Porter	Pete Mathews Coliseum (2,835) Jacksonville, AL
February 1, 2024 9:00 p.m., ESPN+		at New Mexico State	L 73–79 OT	13–9 (2–5)	23 – Cleveland	8 – Cleveland	7 – Cleveland	Pan American Center  Las Cruces, NM
February 3, 2024 9:00 p.m., ESPN+		at UTEP	W 67–65	14–9 (3–5)	21 – Metheny	6 – Venzant	7 – Cleveland	Don Haskins Center (5,028) El Paso, TX
February 8, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Middle Tennessee	W 88–53	15–9 (4–5)	21 – Peebles	12 – Rode	6 – Rode	Liberty Arena (3,241) Lynchburg, VA
February 10, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPNU		Louisiana Tech	W 65–62	16–9 (5–5)	21 – Metheny	6 – Cleveland	5 – Cleveland	Liberty Arena (3,696) Lynchburg, VA
February 17, 2024 7:30 p.m., ESPN+		at Sam Houston	L 73–83	16–10 (5–6)	19 – Metheny	7 – Cleveland	4 – Metheny	Bernard Johnson Coliseum (1,547) Huntsville, TX
February 22, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		at FIU	L 71–76	16–11 (5–7)	21 – Metheny	6 – Rode	3 – Rode	Ocean Bank Convocation Center (1,008) Miami, FL
February 29, 2024 9:00 p.m., CBSSN		New Mexico State	W 83–58	17–11 (6–7)	22 – Cleveland	9 – Venzant	7 – Cleveland	Liberty Arena (3,262) Lynchburg, VA
March 2, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		UTEP	L 51–67	17–12 (6–8)	15 – Metheny	10 – Cleveland	3 – Porter	Liberty Arena (3,643) Lynchburg, VA
March 5, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Middle Tennessee	L 61–69	17–13 (6–9)	17 – Cleveland	13 – Rode	3 – Tied	Murphy Center (2,806) Murfreesboro, TN
March 9, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		Western Kentucky	W 82–79	18–13 (7–9)	31 – Rode	8 – Cleveland	7 – Cleveland	Liberty Arena (3,023) Lynchburg, VA
Conference USA Tournament
March 14, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+	(4)	vs. (5) UTEP Quarterfinals	L 57–66	18–14	20 – Metheny	8 – Tied	6 – Cleveland	Von Braun Center (2,265) Huntsville, AL
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern.

Sources^[1]