2022-23 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL
"HORNETS" (1-4; 0-0 MEAC ) vs. LIBERTY "Flames" (3-3; 0-0 ASUN)
Sat. Nov. 26, 2022 - 5:00 pm
(Lynchburg, Va.  - Liberty Arena - 4,000)

THE GAME 
Delaware State (1-4; 0-0 MEAC) makes the fourth stop on a five-game road swing, taking on Liberty University of the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. The Hornets have dropped the first three games of the swing, including a 95-60 loss at the hands of (then) No. 25 Connecticut. The Huskies used a dominant first half performance to key its win over the short-handed Hornets. The loss overshadowed a career effort by Delaware State guard Jevin Muniz (fr.; Bethlehem, Pa.)  who topped the Hornets with 21 points on six-for-13 shooting from the field (two three-pointers) and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Forward Kyle Johnson (gr.; San Diego) also turned in a fine performance for the Hornets, tallying 15 points and topping the team with nine rebounds. The score was 5-5 before UConn took control, scoring 37 of the next 45 points to take control of the game. The Huskies led 57-24 at the break. Delaware State, playing without top two scorers Brandon Stone (sr.; Scottsdale, Pa.) and Khyrie Staten (r-so.; Baltimore, Md.) was only outscored by two points (38-36) in the second half. Stone, a senior transfer from Robert Morris University, is Delaware State's leader in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 pg), while Staten is a close second on the team in scoring (15.5 ppg) and tops in three-point field goals with eight. Stone is among 11 new players on the roster, while the Hornets have just four holdovers from the 2021-22 team. Stone and Ray Somerville are among several newcomers with previous college experience. Somerville attended Cal State Bakersfield before signing to attend Delaware State and compete for the Hornets. Delaware State will wrap up its five-game road swing at St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 30 before returning home to face Longwood (Va.) on Dec. 3.  
 
THE SERIES (Tied 1-1) 
The Hornets and Flames are meeting for the second season in a row, and third time overall. Liberty evened the series with a 96-60 victory on Dec. 6, 2021 in Lynchburg, Va. The Flames hit 21 three-point shots in last year's contest. Nine players hit at least one three-pointer for the Flames, who shot a sizzling 55.3% from beyond the arc. Delaware State won the first meeting between the teams, 96-73, at the Youngstown (OH) Holiday Tournament during the 1990-91 season.