THE GOOD NEWS
G Anthony Smith will battle VMI's Chavis Holmes for preseason Big South player of the year honors. Smith is one of the Big South's most athletic wing players and is an underrated defender. Coach Ritchie McKay signed a recruiting class that was rated in the top 50 nationally by some publications, a class that includes Seth Curry, the younger brother of Davidson's Stephen Curry.

THE BAD NEWS
The Flames must develop some sort of post presence with all-conference F Alex McLean gone. No returning players will fill that void, so Liberty will rely on freshman Carter McMasters to play right away in the post.

KEY RETURNEES
G Anthony Smith, G Kyle Ohman, F Tyler Baker, G Jeremy Anderson, G B.J. Jenkins

ROSTER REPORT

--G TeeJay Bannister, a transfer from Virginia, hit double digits in assists seven times this season, including a 14-assist showing the Flames' Big South tournament victory over VMI.

--F Tyler Baker missed all but 12 minutes this season with a stress fracture in his right foot. He has already redshirted once, so the school will apply for a medical redshirt for this lost season. When healthy, the 6-foot-10 Baker is a matchup nightmare because of his ability to stretch defenses with his 3-point shooting.

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