[Kricket]

Playing probably the best team we’ve played all year tonight and a chance to boost our resume if the Shockers end up having a decent season in the American. Love beating teams from the American as that’s likely our next conference.

FPI has us #65 and the Shockers at #74 so pretty much even.

Flames favored by 3.5.

[Geraldos Mustache]

If LIberty plays like they did in the 2nd half vs. Furman, Flames should cruise to a victory.

What I love about this year's team is the balance and depth. Nice distribution of minutes and scoring. The additions of Metheny (Bowling Green) and Yates (Creighton) were very nice pickups. Once those guys start to get into the flow of this team the Flames are going to be very dangerous.

This team under McKay continues to get better each year by playing such solid fundamental basketball. This is not a flashy team, a fast team. There are no super stars. Just fundamentally solid all around.

[flamehunter]

The commentators were commentating about how unified the team is and that that has been a common theme for Coach RMK's teams.

[Ill flame]

Vermont beat SLU in the other semifinal. I was hoping for a matchup against SLU in the finals since they are more of a brand and have a much bigger fanbase but vermont is no slouch as a program either having won 20+ games for the last 15 years. I guess playing SLU in the 3rd place game if we lose tonight wouldn't be a bad consolation prize. Almost everyone in this tournament is a good team.

[Sly Fox]

Any time we could have matched up with Ole Purple Face it would have been exciting. But Mills is a coach I like. What he did at ORU was amazing.

[aredd33]

Just like last night the second half was an absolute beatdown.

Over all WSU was much longer and more athletic than we were…but we were the significantly better team.

[Cider Jim]

LU wins 83-66. Rode with a career high 31 points!

[Cider Jim]

Over all WSU was much longer and more athletic than we were…but we were the significantly better team.

Very well said.

[Kricket]

Yup, same template as the game against Furman.

A few thoughts for the game:

Kyle Rode has emerged as the obvious leading scorer for this season.

And Brody Peebles threw one down?!?!

Heck of W again!

[Cider Jim]

And Brody Peebles threw one down?!?!

6'3" white boy with the DUNK. Looked like SCAR out there!

[LUDad]

Just like last night the second half was an absolute beatdown.

Over all WSU was much longer and more athletic than we were…but we were the significantly better team.

Long and athletic. The type team that we've always had problems with. Bodes well for rest of season.

[tyndal23]

After the McGhee experiment - looks like we are back to RM ball. I don’t care what anyone says, McGhee altered RM philosophy ( and maybe justifiably so ) but I can’t help but think LU is a better “team” last year without him, and certainly so far this year. Hard for any program to rely on 1 player too much through a long season. But just an old wrestler / FB player with a casual eye for hoops - not married to my opinion.

[Ill flame]

Depth has been a big difference in the last two games. Our bench outscored theirs 20-7 in this one and 32-8 in the previous game. You love to see it. I also like that venzant is actually forcing teams to guard him by occasionally shooting when he's open. It's such a minor thing but it probably cost us a couple games last year because it was 4 on 5 a lot of times on offense.

[Cider Jim]

The Bowling Green transfer is a much better ball handler than Darius was. And he's quick and can both shoot the three and go in the paint for a layup.

[tyndal23]

Depth has been a big difference in the last two games. Our bench outscored theirs 20-7 in this one and 32-8 in the previous game. You love to see it. I also like that venzant is actually forcing teams to guard him by occasionally shooting when he's open. It's such a minor thing but it probably cost us a couple games last year because it was 4 on 5 a lot of times on offense.

Worth his weight in gold on D. He is the Dennis Rodman of this team ( pre - hair dye ).

[Cider Jim]

Cleveland didn't score but had 9 rebounds.

[ECC29]

Metheny has been a great addition to this team. The only reason Wichita St did not get beat by 30-40 points was because they had the size advantage. LU is a very solid national level team. This is going to be an exciting year.

[Tothehoopyall1]

It’s a long season but we are off to a great start. I love the unselfish play that I’m seeing. I agree that it seems we are better without Darius. Nothing against his individual talent but this team already looks like it could be our best team yet. I don’t think anyone in their right mind will want to play us come tournament time. Our defense has been stifling. I’m loving it.

[thepostman]

The team is deeper than the team was wirh Darius so that is part of it. So it isn't a fair comparison. I think this team has what it takes to be special but it's still early. So we shall see.

[Ill flame]

Depth has been a big difference in the last two games. Our bench outscored theirs 20-7 in this one and 32-8 in the previous game. You love to see it. I also like that venzant is actually forcing teams to guard him by occasionally shooting when he's open. It's such a minor thing but it probably cost us a couple games last year because it was 4 on 5 a lot of times on offense.

Worth his weight in gold on D. He is the Dennis Rodman of this team ( pre - hair dye ).

He is absolutely an asset to this team. He's not putting up huge numbers on offense but he's doing enough this season to force teams to defend him which is opening things up for the rest of the offense. I think it's an overlooked part to why this offense is playing so well. Kenpom has us ranked 28th in offense and 69th in defense. We've never had an offense has never been anywhere near this good before with the previous high being 54th.

[Purple Haize]

With this team the Whole is much much greater than the sum of its parts.
Metheney is a nice addition.
Rhode has improved even though the close in lay ups seem to be his Achilles heel

If this team plays The System they will be good. There will be nights the shots don’t fall but over the course of the season they will win far far more games this season than they lose