Three Liberty Flames to look out for in Oregon's first round matchup
Three Liberty Flames to look out for in Oregon's first round matchup
The Oregon Ducks are a day away from their first game of the 2025 NCAA tournament when they'll match up with the Liberty Flames in the round of 64. The Ducks and Flames are seeded on the 5-12 line, with Oregon as a five-seed and Liberty as a 12.
The 12-over-five upset is one of the more common occurrences in the NCAA Tournament, at the Flames have the makeup of 12-seed Cinderella. Shooting 39.0% from beyond the three-point line, Liberty has the sixth-best three-point clip in the country, giving them the ability to beat any mid-seeded team on the right shooting night. Liberty also averages just 62.9 points allowed per game, which is 10th in the nation, and the Flames are 25-0 when they hold their opponents to 70 points or fewer.
What the Flames' stellar three-point and defensive numbers don't take into account is opponent. The Flames played zero power conference teams this season and had zero quad 1 matchups. They played just five quad 2 matchups and went 3-2 in those games. Oregon will be the most talented and most physical opponent Liberty has seen all season, which could spell trouble for the Flames.
Below are three players to watch out for from the Liberty Flames. With a team average of 39%, so many guys on the court are dangerous, but these three have the highest potential to hurt the Ducks or break the game open.
Kaden Metheny
Overview: Senior, Guard, 5'11", 180 pounds
Stats: 32.0 minutes, 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 42.7 FG%, 39.0 FG%, 78.2 FT%
Liberty's senior leader is guard Kaden Metheny who, despite his small stature at 5 feet 11 inches, can do most anything on a basketball court. Perhaps most impressive is his 39.0 three-point percentage, which he's held while averaging almost 7.7 attempts per game. Metheny will touch the ball on almost all of Liberty's possessions, making it imperative that the Ducks deny his ability to create his own shots. His height and position make it likely that he and Oregon's Jackson Shelstad will be matched up for most of this game, which could be an offensive asset for both guards as both are used to being guarded by bigger players.
Taelon Peter
Overview: Senior, Guard, 6'4", 185 pounds
Stats: 22.7 minutes, 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 58.6 FG%, 46.0 3P%, 77.3 FT%
Although there are five guys who average more minutes per game for the Flames, senior guard Taelon Peter is Liberty's leading scorer. At 6 feet 4 inches, Peter is an efficiency nightmare, shooting nearly 60% from the field and over 45% from three, averaging 8.2 FG attempts and 4.8 three-point attempts per game. He'll be on the court for just a little over half the game, but Peter has the highest potential to swing this game in favor of the Flames.
Zach Cleveland
Overview: Junior, Forward, 6'7", 210 pounds
Stats: 32.0 minutes, 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds. 5.1 assists, 49.1 FG%, 18.8 3P%, 53.5 FT%
Bringing the Flames some more size is junior forward Zach Cleveland, who plays an interesting for Liberty. He's a capable scorer, shooting nearly 50% and averaging 11 points per game, but at 5.1 assists per game, Cleveland is also the Flames top facilitator. It's rare to see a bigger guy lead a team in assists, especially at this level of college hoops, but Cleveland's ability to spread the rock opens up Liberty's offense. No one in Liberty's rotation has the height to match Oregon's Nate Bittle, and at 6 feet 7 inches, Cleveland may struggle when he's matched up against the Ducks star center.
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