
Flames Beat Coastal for 20th Victory
2/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
For the first time in 12 years, the Liberty Flames (20-8, 11-5 BSC) have reached the 20 win plateau, as they disposed of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (11-16, 5-10 BSC) in a thrilling 85-82 victory, Monday night inside the Kimbel Arena.
With the win, the Flames sweep their Charleston Southern/Coastal Carolina "Beach Trip" for the first time since 2005 and reach the 20 win plateau for the first time since the 1996-97 Liberty squad went 23-9. The 20 wins for this year's club registers the fifth time in program history the Flames have had as many triumphs.
The homestanding Chanticleers snatched the early 9-2 advantage, courtesy of three straight treys by Coastal Carolina. Seven Sexton hit two triples during the run, including capping the streak at 16:46.
Liberty followed by reeling off an 18-7 run to take a four point lead, 20-16, at the 11:36 mark. Back-to-back buckets by Austin Smith and a jumper by Seth Curry completed the burst.
Coastal Carolina countered, staking themselves to a nine point lead, 33-24, via a 17-4 spurt. Dexter Moore hit three treys during the run, his third finishing it off at 7:18.
Anthony Smith hit a three-point bucket a 1:12 later to bring the Flames to within four, 33-29, with 6:06 left in the first stanza. But the Chanticleers retaliated with a 9-2 jaunt to take an 11 point lead, its largest of the half, 42-31. Back-to-back three-pointers by Moore and an old-fashioned three-point play by Anthony Breeze capped off the run with 3:30.
Coastal Carolina did not score the remainder of the half, as Liberty stormed back, for a one point lead at intermission, 43-42. Curry hit a four-point play after being fouled at the top of the key by Moore. A Tyler Baker bucket and back-to-back three-point buckets by Curry capped 11 straight unanswered points by the Flames. Curry's hit his fourth trey of the half with 39.3 seconds left in the first half, finishing the scoring for either team.
Liberty managed to hit 42.9 percent (15-of-35) of its shots from the floor, including 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from three-point range.
Moore hit his first six attempts from beyond the arc, helping Coastal Carolina to connect on an efficient 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from three-point range. The Chanticleers also succeeded at a 46.9 percent (15-of-32) rate from the floor.
The Chanticleers started the second half much like it began the game, bursting to a 54-47 lead behind a 12-4 run. Moore completed the spurt with a trey at the 15:36 mark. Another Moore trifecta at 11:02 kept the Chanticleers advantage at seven points, 61-54.
The Flames countered with a 17-4 run to retake the advantage by six points, 71-65. Back-to-back free throws by Anthony Smith at 7:18 finished the burst, as the Flames never relinquish the lead from that point on.
Coastal Carolina did make it exciting until the final horn, by cutting its deficit to one point, 78-77, with 2:03 left to play. The Chanticleers rode back-to-back treys by Mario Edwards to cap a 12-7 spurt.
Anthony Smith answered with a triple on Liberty's next possession to extend the Flames' lead to four, 78-74, with 1:50 remaining. Edwards answered in the trifecta duel, connecting on an off-balance three with Curry's hand in his face. The Edwards bucket at 1:25 cut the Liberty advantage back to one point, 81-80.
Baker was fouled by Logan Johnson with 55 seconds left, sending the Albuquerque, N.M. native to the line to shoot two free throws. Baker nailed both attempts, pushing Liberty's lead up to three points, 83-80.
Kyle Ohman committed a loose ball foul on Joseph Harris with 43 seconds left, sending Coastal Carolina to the charity stripe behind three points. Harris sank both attempts, cutting the Liberty advantage once again back to one point, 83-82.
However, Anthony Smith was fouled by Harris with nine seconds left after Curry's jumper missed its target and Jesse Anderson tipped it back to the Plano, Texas native. Anthony Smith's converted both attempts in the one-in-one situation, giving the Flames an 85-82 lead.
Edwards attempted one last shot, trying to tie the game, but Ohman's defense helped alter the shot as the ball fell harmless off the rim into Curry's hand, sealing the Liberty victory.
Liberty connected on 47.5 percent (29-of-61) of its shots, thanks in part to a 53.8 percent (14-of-26) effort in the second stanza. The Flames also were efficient from three-point land, hitting 48.1 percent (13-of-27) of its attempts.
Four Liberty players reached double figures, led by Curry's 22 points and team-high eight rebounds. Curry's four three-pointers gives the freshman 84 on the season, tying Anthony Smith's single season record set last year. Ohman was near perfect from three-point land, hitting 5-of-6 attempts, finishing with 19 markers, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals. Baker added a career-high 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting, while pulling down five rebounds in 15 minutes of action. Anthony Smith chipped in 12 points and Austin Smith added eight points and three caroms in 11 minutes of action.
Coastal Carolina finished the contest hitting at a 48.3 percent (29-of-60) clip, including an impressive 53.6 percent (15-of-28) mark from long range.
Moore broke an opponent Liberty record by hitting nine three-pointers. Moore finished with a game-high 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, including 9-of-13 from three-point range, but was unable to get a shot off in the game's final 11 minutes of play.
Harris picked up his eighth straight double-double with 14 markers and 14 caroms. Anthony Breeze added 13 points and six rebounds, while Sexton and Edwards chipped in 11 points each.
Liberty returns to the hardwood on Saturday, when they take a break from Big South action to participate in the 2009 ESPNU BracketBuster. The Flames will travel Norfolk, Va. to take on Old Dominion. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m., and the contest will be televised on ESPNU, as one of 13 televised games in this season's BracketBuster event.
With the win, the Flames sweep their Charleston Southern/Coastal Carolina "Beach Trip" for the first time since 2005 and reach the 20 win plateau for the first time since the 1996-97 Liberty squad went 23-9. The 20 wins for this year's club registers the fifth time in program history the Flames have had as many triumphs.
The homestanding Chanticleers snatched the early 9-2 advantage, courtesy of three straight treys by Coastal Carolina. Seven Sexton hit two triples during the run, including capping the streak at 16:46.
Liberty followed by reeling off an 18-7 run to take a four point lead, 20-16, at the 11:36 mark. Back-to-back buckets by Austin Smith and a jumper by Seth Curry completed the burst.
Coastal Carolina countered, staking themselves to a nine point lead, 33-24, via a 17-4 spurt. Dexter Moore hit three treys during the run, his third finishing it off at 7:18.
Anthony Smith hit a three-point bucket a 1:12 later to bring the Flames to within four, 33-29, with 6:06 left in the first stanza. But the Chanticleers retaliated with a 9-2 jaunt to take an 11 point lead, its largest of the half, 42-31. Back-to-back three-pointers by Moore and an old-fashioned three-point play by Anthony Breeze capped off the run with 3:30.
Coastal Carolina did not score the remainder of the half, as Liberty stormed back, for a one point lead at intermission, 43-42. Curry hit a four-point play after being fouled at the top of the key by Moore. A Tyler Baker bucket and back-to-back three-point buckets by Curry capped 11 straight unanswered points by the Flames. Curry's hit his fourth trey of the half with 39.3 seconds left in the first half, finishing the scoring for either team.
Liberty managed to hit 42.9 percent (15-of-35) of its shots from the floor, including 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from three-point range.
Moore hit his first six attempts from beyond the arc, helping Coastal Carolina to connect on an efficient 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from three-point range. The Chanticleers also succeeded at a 46.9 percent (15-of-32) rate from the floor.
The Chanticleers started the second half much like it began the game, bursting to a 54-47 lead behind a 12-4 run. Moore completed the spurt with a trey at the 15:36 mark. Another Moore trifecta at 11:02 kept the Chanticleers advantage at seven points, 61-54.
The Flames countered with a 17-4 run to retake the advantage by six points, 71-65. Back-to-back free throws by Anthony Smith at 7:18 finished the burst, as the Flames never relinquish the lead from that point on.
Coastal Carolina did make it exciting until the final horn, by cutting its deficit to one point, 78-77, with 2:03 left to play. The Chanticleers rode back-to-back treys by Mario Edwards to cap a 12-7 spurt.
Anthony Smith answered with a triple on Liberty's next possession to extend the Flames' lead to four, 78-74, with 1:50 remaining. Edwards answered in the trifecta duel, connecting on an off-balance three with Curry's hand in his face. The Edwards bucket at 1:25 cut the Liberty advantage back to one point, 81-80.
Baker was fouled by Logan Johnson with 55 seconds left, sending the Albuquerque, N.M. native to the line to shoot two free throws. Baker nailed both attempts, pushing Liberty's lead up to three points, 83-80.
Kyle Ohman committed a loose ball foul on Joseph Harris with 43 seconds left, sending Coastal Carolina to the charity stripe behind three points. Harris sank both attempts, cutting the Liberty advantage once again back to one point, 83-82.
However, Anthony Smith was fouled by Harris with nine seconds left after Curry's jumper missed its target and Jesse Anderson tipped it back to the Plano, Texas native. Anthony Smith's converted both attempts in the one-in-one situation, giving the Flames an 85-82 lead.
Edwards attempted one last shot, trying to tie the game, but Ohman's defense helped alter the shot as the ball fell harmless off the rim into Curry's hand, sealing the Liberty victory.
Liberty connected on 47.5 percent (29-of-61) of its shots, thanks in part to a 53.8 percent (14-of-26) effort in the second stanza. The Flames also were efficient from three-point land, hitting 48.1 percent (13-of-27) of its attempts.
Four Liberty players reached double figures, led by Curry's 22 points and team-high eight rebounds. Curry's four three-pointers gives the freshman 84 on the season, tying Anthony Smith's single season record set last year. Ohman was near perfect from three-point land, hitting 5-of-6 attempts, finishing with 19 markers, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals. Baker added a career-high 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting, while pulling down five rebounds in 15 minutes of action. Anthony Smith chipped in 12 points and Austin Smith added eight points and three caroms in 11 minutes of action.
Coastal Carolina finished the contest hitting at a 48.3 percent (29-of-60) clip, including an impressive 53.6 percent (15-of-28) mark from long range.
Moore broke an opponent Liberty record by hitting nine three-pointers. Moore finished with a game-high 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, including 9-of-13 from three-point range, but was unable to get a shot off in the game's final 11 minutes of play.
Harris picked up his eighth straight double-double with 14 markers and 14 caroms. Anthony Breeze added 13 points and six rebounds, while Sexton and Edwards chipped in 11 points each.
Liberty returns to the hardwood on Saturday, when they take a break from Big South action to participate in the 2009 ESPNU BracketBuster. The Flames will travel Norfolk, Va. to take on Old Dominion. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m., and the contest will be televised on ESPNU, as one of 13 televised games in this season's BracketBuster event.
Team Stats
LU
COASTAL
FG%
.475
.483
3FG%
.481
.536
FT%
.824
.750
RB
36
32
TO
9
12
STL
5
2
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