Hatters host Flames in ASUN opener

DeLand, Fla. -- The Stetson University men's basketball team gets set to open ASUN Conference action on Tuesday, Jan. 4 as the Hatters begin 2022 by hosting the Liberty University Flames. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

Recap
The Hatters are currently in the middle of a three-game homestand and are winners of four of their last five games. Stetson enters ASUN Conference play having won three straight at the Edmunds Center and is 5-2 overall in DeLand. The Hatters finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 77-65 win over Point University on Dec. 30. Mahamadou Diawara recorded his first double-double of the season as he put up 15 points and grabbed a craeer-high 17 boards. Rob Perry led all Stetson scorers with 22 points and made a bid for a triple-double as he recorded seven rebounds and six assists.

Scouting the Flames
Liberty enters Tuesday night's contest with a 9-6 overall record as the Flames come off the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Liberty went 1-2 in the holiday tournament as the Flames topped UNI 76-74, but then dropped two in a row to Stanford and BYU. Liberty bounced back on Dec. 31 as the Flames downed Boyce College 91-60.

The Flames are led by prolific scorer Darius McGhee as the guard's 21.9 points per game is the third highest scoring average in the country. As a team, the Flames shoot 47.3 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond 3-point range. The Flames defense has held their opponents to a 39.3 percent field goal percentage and a total of 60.1 points per game on average.

All-Time Series
Tuesday night's match up will be the 10th all-time meeting between Liberty and Stetson. The Flames hold a 6-3 record over the Hatters as Liberty took the previous meeting 77-64 when the two schools met in the 2021 ASUN Conference tournament.

Scouting the Hatters
Stetson opens ASUN Conference play after going 6-7 in non-conference action and looks to continue win streak at home. The Hatters look for Diawara to continue his rebounding dominance and for Chase Johnston to continue his lights out 3-point shooting.

The Hatters offense is a balanced attack as Perry, Johnston and Christiaan Jones all average double figures. Perry leads Stetson scorers with 15.2 points per game while Johsnton and Jones average 12.8 and 11.9 points per game, respectively.

Looking Ahead
After their bout with the Flames, the Hatters hit the road for two in a row as Stetson heads up state to take on UNF on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 5 p.m. before going to Jacksonville on Tuesday, Jan. 11 for a 7 p.m. game against the Dolphins. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.

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Players Mentioned

#0 Christiaan Jones: G; 6' 5"; Junior

#15 Mahamadou Diawara: F/C; 6' 10"; Freshman

#2 Rob Perry: G; 6' 3"; Freshman

#22 Chase Johnston: G; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#0 Christiaan Jones
: 6' 5"; Junior
: G

#15 Mahamadou Diawara
: 6' 10"; Freshman
: F/C

#2 Rob Perry
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: G

#22 Chase Johnston
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: G

Stetson University Athletics

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Hatters host Flames in ASUN opener

Players Mentioned

#0 Christiaan Jones

#15 Mahamadou Diawara

#2 Rob Perry

#22 Chase Johnston

Players Mentioned

#0 Christiaan Jones

#15 Mahamadou Diawara

#2 Rob Perry

#22 Chase Johnston