By Shawn Nowlin
Historically, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Arizona Wildcats, Seton Hall Pirates and Ohio State Buckeyes are among the 40 best college basketball programs of all time. This year though, neither school has a resume as good as the Liberty University Flames as of today.
In April 2015, after six seasons working under Tony Bennett as associate head coach at the University of Virginia, Liberty hired Ritchie McKay as its men’s basketball head coach. Since then, the Flames have enjoyed seven 20-plus win seasons, including a program-record 30 victories during the 2019-20 season.
The first 11 games of the 2024-25 campaign resulted in ten victories, several by double digits.
After defeating Valparaiso 83-63 on Nov. 4 to start the season, LU beat Seattle (Nov. 9, 66-64), Piedmont International (Nov. 12, 81-45), College of Charleston (Nov. 17, 68-47), Louisiana-Lafayette (Nov. 22, 89-69), Kansas State (Nov. 24, 67-65), McNeese State (Nov. 25, 62-58), Central Penn College (Nov. 29, 93-36), Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 7, 89-52), North Carolina A&T (Dec. 14, 83-74) and St. Andrews (Dec. 17, 124-50).
Liberty’s best all-around player has been senior Kaden Metheny, a Morgantown, West Virginia, native who is averaging 13.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists. There may not be a more underrated guard in all of college hoops.
“We expect a lot from our group. Our players are unselfish and only care about winning which shows when they are on the court. Kaden is the type of player that when a shot leaves his hand, you just feel like it is going in. There aren’t many players you can say that about and truly mean it,” McKay told reporters last month.
The expectations for LU basketball have risen drastically since McKay took over the program. In approximately 100 days, Selection Sunday, the day when the selection committee reveals the brackets for the NCAA tournament, will be here. If the season plays out the way that many anticipate, LU will prove that they are more than capable of making the Final Four.
“When Liberty hired Coach McKay for the second time, they were getting one of the most respected leaders in the profession. Because he has never been afraid to think outside the box as a coach, he is able to have a counter for about anything an opposing coach throws at him,” Kent Smith, a longtime Conference USA fan, said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if a Power Five school seriously pursues him at the end of the year.”
Liberty’s first game of 2025 will be against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Jan. 2.
