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Liberty University
11-6 (5-0BSC)
Charleston Southern
8-8 (2-2BSC)
Sanders Posts Triple-Double in Flames Win
1/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Thanks in part to a third career triple-double from Jesse Sanders Thursday night, Liberty improved to 5-0 in Big South play, defeating Charleston Southern, 68-54, inside the Vines Center.
The win allows Liberty to improve to 11-6 overall on the season, continuing an unprecedented start in conference action. The Buccaneers fall to 8-8 on the year and 2-2 in the Big South.
Finishing the night with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, Sanders becomes the first player in Liberty and Big South history to have three career triple-doubles.
The Sugar Land, Texas native first accomplished the feat during his freshman season, posting identical totals against Presbyterian on Feb. 9, 2009. Last season, Sanders recorded his second triple-double against Kentucky Christian on Dec. 12, 2009, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
John Brown jumpstarted the Liberty offense in the opening minutes, igniting an early 9-0 run with a thunderous fast break dunk. During the scoring burst, the Flames also received baskets from Sanders and Joel Vander Pol. Evan Gordon capped off the run, nailing a trey from the far side at 17:09.
The Buccaneers were not panicked by the early spurt, reeling off an 11-2 run over the next 6:17. Jeremy Sexton knotted the contest at 11, connecting on a fast break layup at 10:52.
Both teams traded baskets over the ensuing 4:51. After Charleston Southern's Jamarco Warren tied the game for the fourth time, 17-17, at 6:01, Antwan Burrus hit a layup to put Liberty up by two points. The Buccaneers answered at the other end, when Sexton hit a three-pointer to give Charleston Southern a 20-19 lead at 4:22.
Gordon responded for the Flames 17 seconds later, sinking a trey of his own to reclaim the Liberty lead. The sophomore's long distance shot sparked a 13-2 run for the Flames to close out the half. With Gordon and Brown accounting for the majority of Liberty's points during the spurt, Jeremy Anderson concluded the Flames scoring in the opening period, hitting a three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining. The redshirt junior's trey gave Liberty a 32-22 advantage at halftime.
Gordon was the leading scorer at the half with nine, followed by Sanders and Sexton, who finished with eight.
Liberty shot 45.2 percent (14-of-31) from the field in the opening period, while holding the Buccaneers to 36.0 percent (9-of-25).
The Flames began the second half in similar fashion, as Brown initiated a 6-0 run with a tip-in layup. Following a layup by Sanders, David Minaya ended the spurt with a jumper to put Liberty up 38-22.
After a Kenny Mitchell layup, Liberty proceeded to score five unanswered points to widen the gap further to 43-24 with 15:25 remaining. Warren cut at the deficit with a layup 30 seconds later, but Gordon gave Liberty a 20-point lead at 14:40, knocking down a three-pointer to make it, 46-26.
With 11:11 remaining in the contest, Burrus gave Liberty a 22-point advantage with a tip-in. Anderson then expanded the Flames lead further, nailing his second three-pointer of the contest, making it 55-30 at 9:54.
Despite Liberty holding a 24-point lead with under 8:30 left in the contest, Charleston Southern chipped away at the bulge with a 7-0 run. Sexton sealed the run with a three-pointer, moving the Buccaneers within 17, 58-41, with 6:07 remaining.
During the final minutes, Liberty managed to maintain its double digit lead over its visitors. Needing just one more assist, Sanders cemented his third career-triple double with 22 seconds remaining, dropping a pass to Minaya, who nailed a three-point jumper. Charleston Southern scored one more basket to close out the contest, and a 68-54 final.
Sexton finished with a game-high 17 points. Gordon led the Flames with 15 points, followed by Brown, who picked up his seventh double-double of the year, with 13 tallies and 12 boards.
Liberty committed its least number of turnovers in five games, finishing with 13. The Flames capitalized on Charleston Southern's 20 miscues, outscoring the Buccaneers 32-15 off turnovers.
The Flames shot 43.5 percent (27-of-62) from the field in the contest. After shooting 14-of-26 (53.8 percent) in the second half, the Buccaneers concluded the contest at 45.1 percent (23-of-51).
The Buccaneers head to Lexington, Va., where they will square off with the VMI Keydets, Saturday. Game time inside Cameron Hall is set for 1 p.m.
The Flames remain in the Vines Center this Saturday to host fellow unbeaten Big South member Coastal Carolina (13-2, 4-0 Big South). The battle for first place airs live on MASN at 6 p.m.
