Liberty Flames basketball statistical leaders

The Liberty Flames basketball statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Liberty Flames basketball program, which represents Liberty University in men's basketball as a member of the NCAA Division I ASUN Conference, in various categories, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. ^[1]

Liberty, originally known as Lynchburg Baptist College, began competing in intercollegiate basketball in 1972 as a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). In 1975, the same year in which the school changed its name to Liberty Baptist College, it joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). LBC joined the NCAA in 1980 as a Division II member while retaining its NAIA membership; it dropped its NAIA membership in 1983 and adopted its current name in 1985. Liberty moved to Division I in the 1988–89 season. ^[1] This history is significant because the official recording of statistics began at different times in different organizations, as well as different NCAA divisions. The NAIA record books do not indicate when the organization began officially recording statistics on a national basis, but its current records (as of 2020–21) for single-game and single-season assists were both set in 1972–73, and the career record for blocks dates to 1975. ^[2] The NCAA has recorded scoring statistics throughout the "modern era" of basketball, which it defines as starting with the 1937–38 season, the first after the center jump after each made field goal was abolished. Individual rebounding was first recorded in 1950–51, as were individual assists. While rebounding has been recorded in every subsequent season, the NCAA stopped recording individual assists after the 1951–52 season. Assists were not reinstated as an official statistic in Division I until the 1983–84 season. Blocks and steals were first recorded in D-I in 1988–89, during Liberty's first season at that level. That season was also the first in which assists were recorded in Division II; blocks and steals were not recorded at that level until 1992–93. ^{[3] [4]}

Liberty's record books include players in all named statistics, regardless of whether they were officially recorded by any of the governing bodies in which the school was a member. ^[5]

Leaders are current as of the Flames' game against Jacksonville State on February 18, 2023. Currently active players are in bold.

Scoring

Career Rank Player Points Seasons 1 Darius McGhee 2,503 [6] 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2 Karl Hess 2,373 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 3 Larry Blair 2,211 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 4 Bailey Alston 2,115 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 5 Mark Chafin 1,951 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 6 Steve Isaacs 1,777 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 7 Anthony Smith 1,754 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 8 Peter Aluma 1,715 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 9 Ed Vickers 1,658 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 10 Willard DeShazor 1,545 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77

Season Rank Player Points Season 1 Karl Hess 972 1979–80 2 Darius McGhee 812 [6] 2021–22 3 Karl Hess 757 1978–79 4 Bailey Alston 756 1987–88 5 Bailey Alston 714 1989–90 6 Ed Vickers 708 1979–80

Single Game Rank Player Points Season Opponent 1 Darius McGhee 48 [7] 2021–22 Florida Gulf Coast 2 Darius McGhee 47 [8] 2021–22 Kennesaw State 3 Bailey Alston 46 1987–88 Ferrum 4 Ed Vickers 45 1978–79 St. Paul's 5 Karl Hess 43 1978–79 Valley Forge Darius McGhee 43 [9] 2022–23 Kennesaw State 7 Bailey Alston 42 1987–88 Mt. St. Mary's Bailey Alston 42 1987–88 Indiana- Southeast 9 Matt Hildebrand 41 1993–94 Charleston Southern Darius McGhee 41 [10] 2021–22 Stanford

Rebounds

Career Rank Player Rebounds Seasons 1 Steve Isaacs 1,130 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 2 Ed Vickers 1,012 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 3 George Sweet 1,006 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 4 Scottie James 891 [11] 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 5 Willard DeShazor 870 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77

Season Rank Player Rebounds Season 1 Ed Vickers 416 1979–80 2 Ed Vickers 401 1978–79 3 Steve Isaacs 360 1979–80 4 John Brown 344 2010–11 5 Scottie James 330 [11] 2017–18 Cliff Webber 330 1984–85

Single Game Rank Player Rebounds Season Opponent 1 Ed Vickers 23 1978–79 Presbyterian Ed Vickers 23 1978–79 Bowie State Willard DeShazor 23 1973–74 Shenandoah 4 Willard DeShazor 22 1973–74 Eastern Mennonite 5 Eric Cunningham 20 1987–88 Mt. St. Mary's Steve Isaacs 20 1981–82 Bluefield State

Assists

Career Rank Player Assists Seasons 1 Jesse Sanders 727 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2 Karl Hess 648 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 3 Matt Hildebrand 583 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 4 Kenny Gunn 535 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 5 Ed Gomes 476 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76

Season Rank Player Assists Season 1 Ed Gomes 256 1975–76 2 Jesse Sanders 255 2011–12 3 TeeJay Bannister 224 2007–08 4 Karl Hess 214 1978–79 5 Karl Hess 213 1979–80

Single Game Rank Player Assists Season Opponent 1 Kenny Gunn 20 1983–84 Roberts Wesleyan 2 Ed Gomes 19 1975–76 Grace 3 Jesse Sanders 16 2011–12 Montreat Jim Pearce 16 1987–88 Assumption 5 TeeJay Bannister 15 2007–08 Coastal Carolina Matt Hildebrand 15 1992–93 Winthrop

Steals

Career Rank Player Steals Seasons 1 Ed Gomes 300 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 2 Kenny Gunn 269 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 3 Mark Chafin 225 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 4 Chris Caldwell 224 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 5 Larry Blair 221 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07

Season Rank Player Steals Season 1 Ed Gomes 137 1975–76 2 Mike Goad 113 1974–75 3 Carl Williams 107 1999–00 Ed Vickers 107 1979–80 5 Kenny Gunn 101 1982–83

Single Game Rank Player Steals Season Opponent 1 Mike Goad 12 1973–74 Baptist Bible 2 Mike Goad 10 1973–74 Shenandoah 3 Kenny Gunn 8 1982–83 Campbell Mickey Baker 8 1980–81 New England Ed Vickers 8 1979–80 Clearwater Chr.

Blocks

Career Rank Player Blocks Seasons 1 Peter Aluma 366 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 2 Antwan Burrus 124 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2013–14 3 Julius Nwosu 112 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 4 Willard Deshazor 107 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 5 Andrew Smith 102 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15

Season Rank Player Blocks Season 1 Peter Aluma 113 1995–96 2 Peter Aluma 97 1996–97 Peter Aluma 97 1994–95 4 Peter Aluma 59 1993–94 5 Julius Nwosu 52 1990–91

Single Game Rank Player Blocks Season Opponent 1 Peter Aluma 8 1995–96 Hampton Peter Aluma 8 1995–96 Howard Mark Thomas 8 1977–78 Ohio Northern 4 Peter Aluma 7 1996–97 Winthrop Peter Aluma 7 1995–96 Radford Peter Aluma 7 1994–95 UT-Chattanooga

References

1. "Liberty Flames Men's basketball Record Book".
2. "2020–21 NAIA Men's Basketball Regular-Season Records" (PDF). National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
3. "Individual Records" (PDF). 2020–21 Division I Men's Basketball Records. NCAA. p. 2. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
4. "Individual Records" (PDF). 2020–21 Division II Men's Basketball Records. NCAA. p. 2. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
5. "History of the NCAA". NCAA.org. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
6. "Darius McGhee". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
7. "Liberty vs. Florida Gulf Coast Box Score". ESPN.com. January 15, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
8. "Kennesaw State vs. Liberty Box Score". ESPN.com. February 26, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
9. "Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Box Score". ESPN.com. February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
10. "Liberty vs. Stanford Box Score". ESPN.com. December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
11. "Scottie James". ESPN.com.