Flames Drop Heartbreaker in Double Overtime

Seth Curry's trey as time expired in overtime forced a second extra frame, but the Liberty Flames (10-6, 1-3 BSC) couldn't hold on during the second extended period, dropping their second straight contest away from home, 67-66, to the Presbyterian Blue Hose (6-9, 3-1 BSC), Monday night, inside the Templeton Center.

Curry hit a jumper at 18:41 to get things started, giving the Flames an early 2-0 lead. But the Bulldogs quickly answered back with Pierre Miller's trey at 18:18 to take a one point lead, 3-2. Another Miller three-pointer at 17:15 gave homestanding Presbyterian another one point edge, 6-5.

The Blue Hose extended their lead to three points, 11-8, scoring five out of the game's next eight points. Chase Holmes capped the jaunt with a bucket at 15:22. Liberty answered back, evening the score at 15-15, courtesy of a 7-4 run. Anthony Smith hit one-of-two from the charity stripe to cap the scoring spurt.

Presbyterian then extended the lead to its largest of the first half, seven points, 24-17, via a 9-2 jaunt. Five straight points by Josh Johnson capped the streak, including his trey at 5:06.

The Flames hurried right back, tying the game at 28-28, courtesy of an 11-4 spurt. Four straight points by Smith ended the run, including two free throws with 38.4 seconds left in the opening stanza. However, the Blue Hose were not finished, as they took a three point lead into the intermission, 31-28, when Miller tallied a 30-foot trey with 4.2 seconds left.

Liberty, whose last five losses have come by a combined 11 points, managed to hit just 32.3 percent (10-of-31) of its shots during the opening 20 minutes of action, including 22.2 percent (2-of-9) from beyond the arc.

Presbyterian was much more successful, connecting on 42.9 percent (12-of-28) its attempts from the floor, including 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from three-point land.

A Smith dunk at 19:45 got things started for the Flames in the second half, cutting the Blue Hose's advantage to one point, 31-30. Presbyterian quickly tallied five straight points, lifting their advantage to six points, 36-30. The Blue Hose pushed the lead up to their largest of the game, eight points, 44-36, after a Johnson bucket with 9:52 left in regulation.

Liberty came roaring back, scoring nine straight points to take a one point advantage, 45-44, their first since 12:06 left in the opening period. During the run, Smith hit back-to-back three-point buckets and Kyle Ohman hit a trey of his own, capping the scoring burst at 7:46.

The two teams went back-and-forth for the next five minutes and it was a Curry lay-up and ensuing free throw on a Johnson foul that gave Liberty another one point lead, 48-47, with 2:03 remaining. The Blue Hose scored the next four points, staking themselves to a three point lead, 51-48, with 39 seconds remaining, via an Al'Lonzo Coleman free throw and a Johnson bucket.

Smith sent the Flames into overtime with a trey with 10 second remaining in regulation, via an Ohman pass. A stellar defensive effort on the Flames' behalf, limited the Blue Hose from attempting a shot in the closing 10 ticks.

Johnson put Presbyterian up by a point, 52-51, in the first overtime when he made one-of-two free throws at 4:20. An Ohman trey at 3:45 staked the Flames to a two point advantage, 54-52. Miller retaliated with a three-pointer of his own at 2:23, retaking the lead for the Blue Hose, 55-54.

Tyler Baker was fouled with 30 seconds left by Coleman, sending the redshirt junior to the line for two shots. Baker sank the back end of the two-shot foul, tying the game at 55-55. Johnson, with a hand in his face, looked to take would-be game-winning shot with six seconds left, as his trey sailed through the net, giving Presbyterian the three point lead, 58-55.

In quick transition, Curry, from the right wing, pumped faked Johnson, who went flying by, giving the freshman a wide-open look. Curry buried his first three of the game, as the ball crisply went through the net as time expired, sending the game to a second overtime.

Presbyterian started things off with a three-point bucket by Miller with 4:09 remaining in the second overtime, staking the Blue Hose to a 61-58 advantage. The Flames struck right back with a three-point bucket by Smith at 3:57, knotting the game once again, this time at 61-61.

Curry then put Liberty up three points, 64-61, when he was fouled on a jumper from the elbow, making the shot and the ensuring free throw at 2:54. Coleman cut the Blue Hose's deficit to one point, 64-63, when he tallied both markers on his two shot foul at 2:30.

Miller made the second free throw after being fouled by Jesse Sanders at 1:52, tying the game at 64-64. Liberty briefly took the lead back, 66-64, when Floyd tipped in a Johnny Stephene miss with 55 seconds left.

The heroics were not done for Presbyterian, as Miller drained a three-pointer with 28 seconds left, giving the Blue Hose a narrow 67-66 advantage. And that is where the score would remain, as Curry missed a three-point attempt that was batted away into Smith's hands. Smith threw the desperation attempt up as time expired to no avail, sending the Blue Hose to the dramatic victory.

The Flames shot 36.9 percent (24-of-65) from the floor during the double-overtime event, including 34.6 percent (9-of-26) from three-point range.

Smith led all scorers with 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. Curry added 15 points, while Ohman and Floyd chipped in eight points each. Smith racked up his seventh career double-double with a career-high 12 rebounds.

Presbyterian shot 39.3 percent (24-of-61) from the floor, including 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from three-point range.

Miller led the Blue Hose with 22 points, including the game winner, on 7-of-12 shooting from the field with all seven of his field goals coming from behind the arc (7-of-10). Johnson chipped in with 17 points, while Coleman secured the double-double with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Liberty returns to action on Saturday, when the Charleston Southern Buccaneers invade the Vines Center for Big South Conference action. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Schedule

Flames Drop Heartbreaker in Double Overtime

Next Event

Team Stats

Anthony Smith

Seth Curry

Kyle Ohman

Brolin Floyd