PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team takes off on a quick road trip to Lynchburg to square off against Liberty University on Friday, December 2. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Liberty Arena.
The Hawks hit the road after knocking off Lehigh University for the second time in as many seasons on Wednesday night. The win kept UMES undefeated on their home floor this season.
The History
Liberty and UMES have faced five times in the past, most recently on November 27, 2021. The Hawks were burned by the Flames in that meeting, dropping the duel 73-61.
After a hard-fought battle through the opening 30 minutes that saw the Hawks and Flames alternating scores, the Hawk offense went quiet for the final 10. This included a seven-minute span where Liberty held UMES without a made field goal.
Dom London led the Hawks in the game, finishing with 16 points. Tuka Nugent and Zion Styles each finished with 10 points to round out the double-digit scorers.
Da'Shawn Phillip shined as the team's utility player, finishing with seven points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The assist total stands as Phillip's career-high.
Scouting the Flames
Liberty's offense is headlined by Darius McGhee. McGhee became the fifth active player in Division I to cross the 2,000 career point threshold in Liberty's game against Delaware State last Saturday.
McGhee averages 21.1 points per contest, a mark ranking 13th in the nation this season. He has also made 395 career threes, ranking second among all active Division I players.
Just behind McGhee falls Brody Peebles, who ranks second in scoring at 11.6 points per game. Joseph Venzant is the lead glass-cleaner for the Flames, pulling down just under six rebounds a game.
"Liberty has a winning tradition in recent years and one of the best scorers in the nation in Darius McGhee," head coach Jason Crafton said. "Our defense needs to stay sharp and with such a quick turnaround, our reserves will be key in this game."
The contest will be available to be streamed on ESPN+. To watch, visit https://es.pn/3FjcOMJ.
