[LU Armchair coach]

Alright, armchair coach hat on, remote in one hand, coffee gone cold. Here’s the read:

LU -1.5 is disrespectfully short, and I’ll happily lay it. Middle Tennessee trots out Lightning — a mythological, white-winged horse with a divine backstory — but Greek mythology never had to guard a Flames backcourt for 40 minutes. Wings or not, you come flying into the gym and you’re gonna smell a little burnt hair by halftime. This one’s simple: LU dictates tempo, drags Lightning out of the clouds, and makes him play grown-man basketball on the ground not some fictional myth dialogue. Flames attack early, punch first, and keep the pressure on. Middle Tennessee hangs around just enough to make the spread interesting, but never enough to make it uncomfortable. That 1.5 gets covered with room to breathe. Late game? Free throws, smart possessions, and a couple of daggers that turn Pegasus into pot roast. Final horn hits, Lightning heads back to Mount Olympus with singed wings and a bruised ego.

Final: Flames 79, Middle Tennessee 73.
Spread covered. Flames fire wins 12 Straight and 10-0 Conference play.
Liberty gets more votes in coaches poll the one that matters.

[Sly Fox]

This is the game on our remaining schedule that concerns me the most. Traveling in this weather to face the squad that appears to be next best team in the league can prove challenging.

[Dalegarz1]

It was a clinic last night! Team basketball at its best.

[Sly Fox]

When we shoot like that in the first half, we can run with anyone, anywhere. Some nights are tougher.

This run is starting to feel silly. I keep waiting for us to have a stinker that never comes.

[LU Armchair coach]

When the shots fall, anyone can look dangerous. The difference is this team doesn’t disappear when they don’t. They defend and actually play together—novel concept.

And this “run feels silly” stuff? It only feels that way if you keep waiting on a stinker that isn’t coming. At some point it’s not luck—it’s culture.

[Ill flame]

When we shoot like that in the first half, we can run with anyone, anywhere. Some nights are tougher.

This run is starting to feel silly. I keep waiting for us to have a stinker that never comes.

I feel the same way. We have a tendency to start strong and build a good lead early just to give most of it away around halfway through the game. But it doesn’t matter, this team refuses to lose and it’s fun to watch.