2016–17 Liberty Flames basketball team

The 2016–17 Liberty Flames men's basketball team represented Liberty University in the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played its home games in Lynchburg, Virginia for the 27th consecutive season at Vines Center, with a capacity of 8,085. The team was led by Ritchie McKay, who was in his fourth season, but second season since his return to the program. They were members of the Big South Conference. They finished the season 21–14, 14–4 in Big South play to finish in a third place. They were upset in Quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament by Radford. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated Norfolk State in the First Round to be champions of the Coach John McLendon Classic. In the Second Round they defeated Samford before losing in the Quarterfinals to UMBC.

2016–17 Liberty Flames basketball
Coach John McLendon Classic champions
CIT, Quarterfinals
ConferenceBig South Conference
2016–17 record21–14 (14–4 Big South)
Head coachRitchie McKay (2nd (4th Overall) season)
Assistant coaches
  • Brad Soucie (2nd (4th) season)
  • Kyle Getter (2nd season)
  • Matt Olinger (1st season)
Home arenaVines Center
2016–17 Big South men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
Winthrop †15–3 .833  26–7  .788
UNC Asheville15–3 .833  23–10  .697
Liberty14–4 .778  21–14  .600
Gardner–Webb11–7 .611  19–14  .576
High Point9–9 .500  15–16  .484
Radford8–10 .444  14–18  .438
Campbell7–11 .389  19–18  .514
Charleston Southern7–11 .389  12–19  .387
Longwood3–15 .167  6–24  .200
Presbyterian1–17 .056  5–25  .167
† 2017 Big South Tournament winner

Previous season

The Flames finished the 2015–16 season 13–19, 10–8 in Big South play to finish in a tie for fifth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament to UNC Asheville.

Departures
NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownNotes
Anthony Fields0Guard6'0"160SeniorDetroit, MichiganGraduated
Hansel Atencia4Guard5'10"175FreshmanBucaramanga, ColombiaTransferred to The Master's College
Theo Johnson14Guard/Forward6'7"205JuniorSacramento, CaliforniaTransferred to Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros Suspended before the 2015-16 season.
Evan Maxwell15Center6'10"245SophomoreClarks Summit, PennsylvaniaTransferred to Kansas

2016–17 Newcomers
US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Xzavier Barmore
PG		 Seneca, South Carolina Seneca Senior High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Jul 20, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz
SG		 Ponce, Puerto Rico Deep Run High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Mar 10, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Brock Gardner
SF		 Chandler, Arizona Tri-City Christian Academy 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN:
Josiah Talbert
PF		 Olathe, Kansas Olathe East High School 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jun 14, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Brody Hicks
SG		 Roanoke, Virginia Cave Spring High School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 188 lb (85 kg) Nov 24, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Scottie James
F		 Tarpon Springs, Florida Tarpon Springs HS / Bradley 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Zach Farquhar
G		 Cincinnati, Ohio Sycamore High School 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 160 lb (73 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Ray Chen
G		 Miaoli, Taiwan Gaston HS / Belmont Abbey 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2016 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

    Roster
    2016–17 Liberty Flames men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    F 0 Myo Baxter-Bell 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)255 lb (116 kg) RS FrChaminade Julieen High School Dayton, Ohio
    G 1 Caleb Homesley 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)175 lb (79 kg) SoPorter Ridge High School Indian Trail, North Carolina
    G/F 2 A. C. Reid 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg) JrSmithson Valley High School Spring Branch, Texas
    G 3 Lovell Cabbil 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)155 lb (70 kg) SoMansfield Summit High School Arlington, Texas
    G 4 Xzavier Barmore 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)165 lb (75 kg) FrSeneca Senior High School Seneca, South Carolina
    G/F 5 Ryan Kemrite 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg) RS JrSatch Homeschool Conroe, Texas
    G 11 Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)170 lb (77 kg) FrDeep Run High School Ponce, Puerto Rico
    F 12 Brock Gardner 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)210 lb (95 kg) FrTri-City Christian Academy Chandler, Arizona
    G 13 Ray Chen 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg) GSBelmont Abbey Miaoli, Taiwan
    G 14 Brody Hicks (W) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)188 lb (85 kg) FrCave Spring High School Roanoke, Virginia
    G 15 Zach Farquhar 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)160 lb (73 kg) RS SoSycamore High School Cincinnati, Ohio
    G 22 John Dawson 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)205 lb (93 kg) RS SrMarquette Clovis, New Mexico
    F 24 Ezra Talbert 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)190 lb (86 kg) RS SoOlathe East High School Olathe, Kansas
    F 31 Scottie James  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)225 lb (102 kg) SoBradley Tarpon Springs, Florida
    F 34 Josiah Talbert 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)210 lb (95 kg) FrOlathe East High School Olathe, Kansas
    G 44 Ryan Hiepler (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)180 lb (82 kg) SoOaks Christian High Westlake Village, California
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on
    • Roster is subject to change as/if players transfer or leave the program for other reasons.

    Schedule and results
    Date
    time, TV    		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Non-conference regular season
    Nov 11, 2016*
    8:35 PM    		 Cairn W 81–53  1–0
    		  15 – Dawson  8 – Homesley  5 – Cabbil  Vines Center (5,449)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Nov 15, 2016*
    8:00 PM    		 VCU L 59–64  1–1
    		  14 – Dawson  4 – Tied  2 – Tied  Vines Center (3,289)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Nov 19, 2016*
    7:00 PM    		 at No. 6 Indiana
    Indiana Classic    		 L 48–87  1–2
    		  8 – Chen  3 – Tied  3 – Homesley  Assembly Hall (Bloomington) (12,537)
    Bloomington, IN
    Nov 21, 2016*
    6:00 PM    		 UMass Lowell
    Indiana Classic    		 W 84–77  2–2
    		  21 – Kemrite  7 – Homesley  5 – Homesley  Vines Center (1,050)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Nov 23, 2016*
    2:00 PM    		 Mississippi Valley State
    Indiana Classic    		 W 70–55  3–1
    		  22 – Homesley  6 – Homesley  4 – Tied  Vines Center (1,176)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Nov 26, 2016*
    4:00 PM    		 at William & Mary L 70–79  3–3
    		  15 – Dawson  4 – Tied  7 – Dawson  William & Mary Hall (3,039)
    Williamsburg, VA
    Nov 29, 2016*
    7:00 PM, LFSN    		 Central Penn
    Indiana Classic    		 W 62–48  4–3
    		  15 – Homesley  11 – Homesley  3 – Dawson  Vines Center (1,395)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Dec 3, 2016*
    7:00 PM    		 at UNC Greensboro L 65–72  4–4
    		  18 – Homesley  10 – Homesley  6 – Homesley  Greensboro Coliseum (1,552)
    Greensboro, NC
    Dec 6, 2016*
    7:00 PM    		 Furman L 58–61  4–5
    		  18 – Kemrite  5 – Kemrite  2 – Dawson  Vines Center (1,541)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Dec 10, 2016*
    2:00 PM    		 Princeton L 64–67  4–6
    		  16 – Kemrite  8 – Homesley  4 – Homesley  Vines Center (2,510)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Dec 16, 2016*
    7:00 PM    		 Clarks Summit W 81–33  5–6
    		  18 – Gardner  11 – Baxter-Bell  5 – Baxter-Bell  Vines Center (1,236)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Dec 19, 2016*
    8:00 PM, ESPN3    		 at Lamar L 65–82  5–7
    		  15 – Kemrite  6 – Dawson  4 – Dawson  Montagne Center (1,677)
    Beaumont, TX
    Dec 21, 2016*
    8:00 PM    		 at Houston L 54–77  5–8
    		  15 – Kemrite  7 – Cabbil  4 – Pacheco-Ortiz  Hofheinz Pavilion (3,540)
    Houston, TX
    Big South regular season
    December 29, 2016
    7:00 PM    		 at Presbyterian W 77–61  6–8
    (1–0)    		  16 – Kemrite  4 – Tied  4 – Tied  Templeton Physical Education Center (475)
    Clinton, SC
    Dec 31, 2016
    2:00 PM    		 at Charleston Southern W 81–70  7–8
    (2–0)    		  19 – Kemrite  5 – Tied  5 – Pacheco-Ortiz  CSU Field House (367)
    North Charleston, SC
    Jan 3, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 UNC Asheville L 57–70  7–9
    (2–1)    		  17 – Kemrite  6 – Dawson  2 – 3 tied  Vines Center (1,219)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Jan 7, 2017
    2:00 PM    		 Campbell W 61–54  8–9
    (3–1)    		  21 – Cabbil  6 – Kemrite  3 – Reid  Vines Center (775)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Jan 11, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 at High Point W 62–58  9–9
    (4–1)    		  11 – Tied  7 – Dawson  4 – Pacheco-Ortiz  Millis Athletic Convocation Center (904)
    High Point, NC
    Jan 14, 2017
    4:30 PM    		 at Radford W 71–64 OT 10–9
    (5–1)    		  16 – Cabbil  8 – Baxter-Bell  2 – 4 tied  Dedmon Center (1,425)
    Radford, VA
    Jan 19, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 Gardner–Webb W 65–62  11–9
    (6–1)    		  20 – Tied  6 – Gardner  5 – Pacheco-Ortiz  Vines Center (1,974)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Jan 21, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 Winthrop L 48–61  11–10
    (6–2)    		  15 – Kemrite  12 – Dawson  3 – Cabbil  Vines Center (4,158)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Jan 26, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 at Longwood W 93–62  12–10
    (7–2)    		  22 – Kemrite  6 – Gardner  3 – 3 tied  Willett Hall (1,614)
    Farmville, VA
    Jan 28, 2017
    2:00 PM    		 at Campbell W 72–40  13–10
    (8–2)    		  16 – Cabbil  6 – Cabbil  6 – Dawson  John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center (2,413)
    Buies Creek, NC
    Jan 31, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 Presbyterian W 71–51  14–10
    (9–2)    		  19 – Baxter-Bell  3 – 3 tied  6 – Pacheco-Ortiz  Vines Center (1,718)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Feb 4, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 Radford W 57–54  15–10
    (10–2)    		  15 – Pacheco-Ortiz  6 – Pacheco-Ortiz  3 – Tied  Vines Center (3,022)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Feb 9, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 at Gardner–Webb W 92–87 2OT 16–10
    (11–2)    		  28 – Pacheco-Ortiz  6 – Kemrite  5 – Pacheco-Ortiz  Paul Porter Arena (1,204)
    Boiling Springs, NC
    Feb 11, 2017
    2:00 PM    		 Charleston Southern W 76–69  17–10
    (12–2)    		  19 – Baxter-Bell  10 – Dawson  8 – Baxter-Bell  Vines Center (2,381)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Feb 14, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 High Point W 55–52  18–10
    (13–2)    		  21 – Kemrite  6 – Cabbil  5 – Reid  Vines Center (1,469)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Feb 18, 2017
    12:00 PM    		 at Winthrop L 67–84  18–11
    (13–3)    		  15 – Pacheco-Ortiz  6 – Pacheco-Ortiz  4 – Reid  Winthrop Coliseum (2,258)
    Rock Hill, SC
    Feb 23, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 Longwood W 61–45  19–11
    (14–3)    		  13 – Pacheco-Ortiz  6 – Cabbil  2 – 5 tied  Vines Center (2,789)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Feb 25, 2017
    7:00 PM    		 at UNC Asheville L 45–63  19–12
    (14–4)    		  18 – Baxter-Bell  6 – Baxter-Bell  3 – Cabbil  Kimmel Arena (2,928)
    Asheville, NC
    Big South Tournament
    Feb 28, 2017
    3:00 PM, ESPN3    		 (3) vs. (6) Radford
    Quarterfinals    		 L 52–56  19–13
    		  18 – Baxter-Bell  5 – Tied  3 – Cabbil  Winthrop Coliseum (729)
    Rock Hill, SC
    CIT
    Mar 13, 2017*
    7:00 PM, Facebook Live    		 Norfolk State
    First Round
    Coach John McLendon Classic    		 W 73–64  20–13
    		  30 – Kemrite  4 – Dawson  8 – Dawson  Vines Center (574)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Mar 20, 2017*
    7:00 PM, Facebook Live    		 Samford
    Second Round    		 W 66–58  21–13
    		  15 – Dawson  6 – Pacheco-Ortiz  6 – Pacheco-Ortiz  Vines Center (1,388)
    Lynchburg, VA
    Mar 26, 2017*
    2:00 PM, Facebook Live    		 at UMBC
    Quarterfinals    		 L 68–80  21–14
    		  23 – Pacheco-Ortiz  5 – Pacheco-Ortiz  3 – Pacheco-Ortiz  Retriever Activities Center (869)
    Catonsville, MD
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Eastern Time..

    References
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