After winning two postseason games for the first time in school history in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT), Liberty will hit the road to face UMBC in the quarterfinals. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the RAC Arena. The game will be stream on the UMBC Athletic Facebook Page.
Liberty can tie for the second most wins in a season during Liberty’s Division I era with 22 victories. UMBC will be the ninth opponent the Flames have played this season with at least 20 wins. For the first time since 2008-09, during head coach Ritchie McKay’s first stint as Liberty’s head coach, the Flames have a 20-win season. Liberty has only had six 20-win seasons and four since being a member of Division I, which two of those seasons were under McKay.
For the first time in school history, the Liberty men’s basketball team has won two postseason games as the Flames defeated Samford 66-58 in the second round of the CIT. John Dawson filled the stat sheet with a team-high 15 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists for the Flames, who improve to 21-13. Freshman Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz scored 13 points while also leading the team in rebounds and assists with six each and committing just one turnover. Liberty’s balanced scoring attack saw five Flames reach double figures on the night, also including Lovell Cabbil (14 points), Ryan Kemrite (10 points) and Ezra Talbert (season-high 10 points).
UMBC is coming off its 20th win of the season, defeating Saint Francis at home. The Retrievers have been tough to beat at home this year, posting an 11-4 record at the RAC Arena. UMBC finished the regular season fifth in the America East Conference. This will be the 22nd all-time matchup between UMBC and Liberty as the Flames hold the 17-4 advantage.
Tickets for the quarterfinal game between the Flames and the Bulldogs can be purchased here.
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