Eli Randolph

Guard Khirstian Lander (4) drives the ball to the basket during WKU’s game against Louisiana Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024.

What once was the Liberty Flames’ first Conference USA matchup now ends as their last of the season, as WKU heads to Lynchburg on Saturday in an attempt to lock down the three seed in the C-USA tournament.

The road has not been simple for either team. Coming into Saturday’s game, the Hilltoppers look uneasy among the top. What used to be an 8-4 conference record thanks to a five-game winning streak, has now turned into a 8-7 record and a three peat of losses.

The journey has not been any kinder for the Flames. Losing four of their last five games, and sitting at a 6-9 conference record, Liberty hopes to use the Hilltoppers to propel the season’s tail end in preparation for the C-USA tournament.

The Hilltoppers, expectedly, will play the same game that they have since November. Play fast, score, and get rebounds if that doesn’t work. Among their conference foes, WKU ranks first in points with 80.3 per game and rebounds with 40.1 per game, all while still ranking as the fastest team in Division I basketball.

The Flames are hoping for the opposite to happen. Liberty currently sits in the bottom 10% for offensive tempo. However, what they have just can’t be taught. Even with their slow-paced offensive presence, the Flames still rank third in the conference in points per game with 74.1, but first in points scored per 100 possessions. 

WKU is likely to rely on the man who led them to victory the first time these two teams matched up. Don McHenry, the Hilltoppers’s leading scorer, and third-leading scorer in C-USA, should receive the call from coach Steve Lutz. His 15.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists has put the Hilltoppers in the position they find themselves in.

However, when these teams last saw each other, the Hilltoppers hadn’t noticed they struck gold in freshman guard Teagan Moore. A man who didn’t receive minutes in their first game will likely get quite a bit of playing time with his nearly 12 points per game in their last five contests. 

The Flames will also put up the bat signal for their season-long vigilante, Kyle Rode. Rode averages 13.8 points, five rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game on slightly less efficient shooting than McHenry.

A win for the Hilltoppers would secure a third-place spot in the C-USA tournament, however, a loss would result in a tie-breaker being held between the Hilltoppers and Middle Tennessee State, pending the result of the Blue Raiders game against Louisiana Tech.

Currently, the Flames are 4.5-point favorites to take down the Hilltoppers.

This game will be available to stream on ESPN+ and will tip off at noon.