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Saturday, March 15
Huntsville, Ala.
8:30 PM ET/7:30 PM CT
Liberty University
28-6,13-5CUSA
79
vs
67
Jacksonville State
22-12,12-6CUSA
1
2
F
Jacksonville St.
33
34
67
Liberty
37
42
79
Liberty Claims 1st CUSA Title, Tops Jacksonville State 79-67 in Championship Game
3/16/2025 12:12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – No. 1 seed Liberty won its first Conference USA title, topping No. 2 seed Jacksonville State 79-67 in the 2025 CUSA Championship Final on Saturday night at Propst Arena.
The Flames improve to 28-6 on the season and punch their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Liberty will find out where it will be heading in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow night on Selection Sunday. The NCAA Selection Show will be carried live tomorrow at 6 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
Kaden Metheny was named CUSA Championship MVP for his efforts. Metheny was joined on the All-Tournament team by Taelon Peter.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville State drops to 22-12 on the year. The Gamecocks will await their postseason fate.
This is Liberty's fourth conference championship title in the last seven years and seventh conference crown overall. The Flames now have 10 total titles (four conference tournament, six regular season and/or division crowns) over the last seven years.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 21 points, 5-10 3FG; Taelon Peter 20 points, 7-7 FG, 3-3 3FG; Colin Porter 13 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds; 5-7 FG; Zach Cleveland 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5-9 FG; Jayvon Maughmer 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
Jacksonville State Individuals: Jaron Pierre Jr. 19 points, 6-17 FG; Marcellus Brigham Jr. 12 points; Quel'Ron House 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 60 percent (30-of-50) for the game and from the three-point line (12-of-20). This was the Flames' third time this year shooting 60 percent or better. Liberty shot 68.2 percent (15-of-22) from the field in the second half. Jax State finished the night shooting 43.6 percent (24-of-55) from the floor and 33.3 percent (6-of-18). The Flames assisted 18 of their 30 makes, led by Colin Porter's game-high nine assists. Liberty led in points in the paint (36-28), bench points (23-11) and fast break points (10-6). The Gamecocks held an edge in rebounding (30-26), offensive rebounds (10-1), second chance points (8-1). The Flames were 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) from the foul line. The Gamecocks were only 52 percent (13-of-25) from the free throw line on the night.
Turning Point
Liberty led 37-33 at halftime after leading by as many as 13, 32-19, in the first half but pulled away from Jacksonville State in the second half to secure the title. The Flames turned a 47-41 advantage at the 16:52 mark of the second stanza into a 65-45 lead with 7:24 to go with an 18-4 run. The Liberty lead grew to double figures, 51-41, following a dunk from Zach Cleveland. Liberty kept building on the lead, as Kaden Metheny scored a layup, followed by a Taelon Peter three for a 58-43 advantage with 12:15 left. A pair of Owen Aquino baskets, followed by another triple from Metheny, pushed the lead to the largest of the night , 65-45, with 7:24 remaining.
The Flames faced intense pressure from the Jax State defense in the closing stretch of the game, but a Cleveland dunk (3:46 mark), Colin Porter three (2:43 mark) and Peter dunk (58 seconds left) but the exclamation points on the conference title.
Key Stats & Notes
Join the Flames in finding out where they are going for March Madness on Sunday, March 16 at 6 p.m. at Liberty Arena for a selection show viewing party! Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for this free event. NCAA ticket information will be available at LibertyFlames.com/MarchMadness.
The Flames improve to 28-6 on the season and punch their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Liberty will find out where it will be heading in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow night on Selection Sunday. The NCAA Selection Show will be carried live tomorrow at 6 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
Kaden Metheny was named CUSA Championship MVP for his efforts. Metheny was joined on the All-Tournament team by Taelon Peter.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville State drops to 22-12 on the year. The Gamecocks will await their postseason fate.
This is Liberty's fourth conference championship title in the last seven years and seventh conference crown overall. The Flames now have 10 total titles (four conference tournament, six regular season and/or division crowns) over the last seven years.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 21 points, 5-10 3FG; Taelon Peter 20 points, 7-7 FG, 3-3 3FG; Colin Porter 13 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds; 5-7 FG; Zach Cleveland 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5-9 FG; Jayvon Maughmer 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
Jacksonville State Individuals: Jaron Pierre Jr. 19 points, 6-17 FG; Marcellus Brigham Jr. 12 points; Quel'Ron House 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 60 percent (30-of-50) for the game and from the three-point line (12-of-20). This was the Flames' third time this year shooting 60 percent or better. Liberty shot 68.2 percent (15-of-22) from the field in the second half. Jax State finished the night shooting 43.6 percent (24-of-55) from the floor and 33.3 percent (6-of-18). The Flames assisted 18 of their 30 makes, led by Colin Porter's game-high nine assists. Liberty led in points in the paint (36-28), bench points (23-11) and fast break points (10-6). The Gamecocks held an edge in rebounding (30-26), offensive rebounds (10-1), second chance points (8-1). The Flames were 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) from the foul line. The Gamecocks were only 52 percent (13-of-25) from the free throw line on the night.
Turning Point
Liberty led 37-33 at halftime after leading by as many as 13, 32-19, in the first half but pulled away from Jacksonville State in the second half to secure the title. The Flames turned a 47-41 advantage at the 16:52 mark of the second stanza into a 65-45 lead with 7:24 to go with an 18-4 run. The Liberty lead grew to double figures, 51-41, following a dunk from Zach Cleveland. Liberty kept building on the lead, as Kaden Metheny scored a layup, followed by a Taelon Peter three for a 58-43 advantage with 12:15 left. A pair of Owen Aquino baskets, followed by another triple from Metheny, pushed the lead to the largest of the night , 65-45, with 7:24 remaining.
The Flames faced intense pressure from the Jax State defense in the closing stretch of the game, but a Cleveland dunk (3:46 mark), Colin Porter three (2:43 mark) and Peter dunk (58 seconds left) but the exclamation points on the conference title.
Key Stats & Notes
- The Flames earn their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2021 and capture their seventh conference championship title in school history.
- Flames guard Kaden Metheny, the 2025 CUSA Championship MVP, averaged 20.3 ppg and made 16 three-pointers in the three tournament games. He was 16-of-31 from three (51.6 percent).
- Taelon Peter, an All-Tournament team member alongside Metheny, averaged 15.0 ppg on 76.2 percent shooting in the three tournament games. Peter was a perfect 7-of-7 from the field in the championship game and notched his ninth 20-plus point game of the year.
- Liberty guard Colin Porter matched a CUSA Championship title game record with nine assists, also tying his career high. Liberty is 16-1 in games in which Porter has five or more assists. Porter averaged 11.7 ppg and 6.3 apg in the three tournament games. Porter averaged 11.7 ppg and 6.3 apg in the three tournament games. His nine assists put him over 400 for his career with 406.
- The Flames improve to 12-0 all-time in conference tournaments as the No. 1 seed.
- Zach Cleveland had a strong showing at the CUSA Championship as well with 13.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.7 apg and 1.3 bpg. Cleveland shot 60 percent in the three contests.
- Liberty becomes the third school to win the men's and women's CUSA Tournaments in the same season, joining Middle Tennessee in 2016 and Cincinnati in 2002. The Lady Flames topped MTSU 53-48 in the CUSA Women's Basketball Championship title game.
- The Flames and Lady Flames have now won the conference tournament titles in the same year three different times (2004, 2013 and 2025).
- Liberty made its sixth appearance in a conference tournament title game in the last eight years. The Flames improve to 4-2 in those matchups.
- The Flames finish the year with a 2-1 record against Jax State and 16-5 overall CUSA record, including postseason play (13-5 regular season, 3-0 CUSA Championship).
- Liberty is one of 13 teams in the nation with 28 or more wins.
Join the Flames in finding out where they are going for March Madness on Sunday, March 16 at 6 p.m. at Liberty Arena for a selection show viewing party! Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for this free event. NCAA ticket information will be available at LibertyFlames.com/MarchMadness.
ON TOP OF CUSA ?? pic.twitter.com/0OLNB0iKAX
— Liberty Men's Basketball (@LibertyMBB) March 16, 2025
Team Stats
JSU
Lib
FG%
.436
.600
3FG%
.333
.600
FT%
.520
.778
RB
30
26
TO
5
9
STL
6
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
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Jayvon Maughmer, Taelon Peter & Zach Cleveland Talk About Their NCAA Tourney Matchup Against Oregon
Friday, March 21