Flames Victorious In Pressure Cooker

Alex McLean's two free throws with 20.7 seconds left lifted the Liberty Flames over the High Point Panthers, 55-51, in Big South Conference men's basketball action, Saturday night, inside the Vines Center.

The win pushed Liberty's record to 11-9 and 3-2 in Big South Conference action. High Point falls to 10-9 and 2-3 in Big South Conference play.

The triumph helped Liberty sweep its three-game homestand and moved the Flames to 10-0 inside the Vines Center this year.

Liberty opened up the game on an 11-2 run, going into the second media timeout at 11:14. TeeJay Bannister started the scoring with a layup at 19:28. Bannister was fouled on the play by Earnest Bridges, and sank the ensuing free throw.

Alex McLean scored four of the Flames' next seven points, staking Liberty to a 9-0 lead at 16:38. Arizona Reid cut the run with a bucket in the paint for High Point at 14:35, marking the Panthers' first field goal of the game.

High Point cut Liberty's lead to four points, 13-9, via a 7-2 spurt capped by a Mike Jefferson bucket at 7:28. The Panthers then trimmed the Flames' lead to three, 15-12, after a Eugene Harris three-point basket at 6:27.

The Flames countered with a 7-0 burst, extending its lead to 22-12, courtesy of two Bannister layups and a Jenkins three-point bucket at 4:08.

High Point then closed out the half on a 13-3 surge, tying the game at 25 apiece going into the intermission. Reid tallied six-straight Panthers markers going into the break.

Liberty shot 40 percent (10-of-25) from the floor in the first period, including 37.4 percent (3-of-8) from three-point range.

The Panthers were right behind Liberty, hitting 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from the floor, including 30.0 percent (3-of-10) from three-point range.

Reid scored a fadeaway jumper at 19:39 to open up the second half, staking High Point to its first lead of the game, 27-25. McLean answered back for Liberty on the Flames' next possession, tallying a bucket, tying the game at 27 with 19:03 remaining.

Bannister fouled Harris on a three-point attempt at 18:42. Harris sank all three attempts from the charity stripe, posting his team to a 30-27 advantage. But Bannister tied the game up the next time down the floor, 30-30, with a three-point field goal at 18:12.

Liberty then jumped out to a 41-34 advantage, courtesy of an 11-4 jaunt, capped by a Jeremy Anderson three-point bucket from the corner at 11:44.

The Flames extended its lead to 44-36 via an Anthony Smith bucket off his own miss at 8:21. High Point then reeled off eight-straight points, tying the game at 44 when Jefferson drained a three-point bucket at 6:38.

Anderson helped Liberty retake the lead, 47-44, when his three-point bucket hit the bottom of the net as the shot clock expired at 6:00.

A Dave Campbell three-point bucket tied the game at 47 with 4:27 remaining, before Reid gave High Point the lead, 49-47, with 3:35 left in the game.

A B.J. Jenkins three-point basket from the top of the key put Liberty up by one point, 50-49, with 2:26 remaining in the contest. After a Harris miss, Reid fouled McLean on Liberty's ensuing possession. Liberty was in the bonus, sending McLean to the line to shoot the one-and-one. McLean sank 1-of-2, giving the Flames a narrow two-point lead, 51-49, with 1:44 left.

McLean then returned the favor to Reid, fouling the Preseason Big South Player of the Year, sending him to the line to shoot a one-and-one. Reid hit both free throw attempts, tying the game at 51, with 45.8 seconds remaining.

On Liberty's next trip down the court, McLean was fouled while rebounding a Jenkins miss, sending the Liberty senior to the line with 20.7 seconds left. McLean sank both attempts from the charity stripe, giving the Flames the lead, 53-51.

High Point went down the court, looking for Reid, who was heavily covered. Jefferson dumped a pass to Cruz Daniels, who lost the handle and dropped the ball out of bounds, giving possession to Liberty with four seconds left.

After a High Point timeout, Bannister tossed a baseball pass to a streaking Jenkins who layed it in, solidifying the Liberty victory, 55-51, with 2.0 seconds remaining.

Liberty who came into the game shooting 53.2 percent inside the Vines Center this year, won despite shooting a home season-low 38.0 percent (19-of-50). The Flames hit 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from three-point range.

McLean collected his eighth double-double of the season, the 20th of his career and his third in three career games against High Point. McLean finished with a team-high 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Jenkins tallied 11 points while Bannister finished with 10 points and four assists in the win.

High Point finished hitting 36.0 percent (18-of-50) from the floor and 21.7 percent (5-of-23) from three-point range.

Reid led all scorers with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, while Jefferson chipped in 13 points and six assists in a losing cause. Harris added eight points for the Panthers.

Liberty returns to action on Monday, when the Flames travel to Lexington, Va., to take on the VMI Keydets. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. High Point stays in the Commonwealth, facing Radford on Monday. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

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Flames Victorious In Pressure Cooker

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Team Stats

Alex McLean

B.J. Jenkins

TeeJay Bannister

Anthony Smith