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Liberty University
18-8, 12-2BSC
Radford
5-19, 2-12BSC
Flames Clinch Home Game for BSC Quarterfinals
2/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Liberty men's basketball team is guaranteed to finish as one of the top four seeds for the Big South Conference Championship, defeating the Radford Highlanders inside the Vines Center, Thursday night, 79-71.
The victory allows Liberty to clinch a home game in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Advance Auto Parts Big South Championship on March 1. The Flames move to 18-8 on the season and 12-2 in conference play, while the Highlanders fall to 5-19 overall and 2-12 in the Big South.
Radford lit up the scoreboard first, scoring on an early tip-in by Martins Abele. After the layup a three-point showcase ensued, as Evan Gordon knocked down a trey to put the Flames in the lead.
Following a Blake Smith three-pointer counter on the other end of the floor, Gordon answered with another three-point bucket to give the Flames a one-point edge. Big South Freshman of the Week Jareal Smith capped the long range display, jacking up a trey of his own, creating a two-point cushion for the Highlanders, 8-6, at 16:36.
The Flames followed by reeling off eight unanswered points. John Brown, Gordon and David Minaya each scored baskets during the stretch to take a 14-8 lead at 14:45. Visiting Radford chipped away at its deficit over the ensuing 4:16, and tied the contest, 18-18, courtesy of another Jareal Smith three-pointer with 10:29 remaining in the opening period.
After a Jesse Sanders free throw gave the Flames a one-point lead, Radford ran off a 7-0 spurt, propelled by Jonathan Edwards and Jareal Smith buckets to take a 25-19 edge at 8:09.
The Highlanders took its largest lead of the period at the 7:09 mark, 30-22, when Blake Smith knocked down a three-pointer. Liberty closed the gap over the ensuing 2:50, knotting the contest at 33-33, thanks to a John Caleb Sanders basket from behind the arc. Gordon tacked on another trey 48 ticks later, putting the Flames up, 36-33. Liberty remained on top through the closing minutes of first half, carrying a 40-37 lead into the locker room at intermission.
The Highlanders kept pace with the Flames, who are in second place in the conference standings, through the opening 20 minutes, shooting 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from the field. Radford displayed a solid three-point touch during the period, knocking down 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) behind the arc. Liberty finished the period shooting 48.3 percent, while hitting 14-of-29 shots, including 5-of-13 (38.5 percent) from three-point land.
Jareal Smith paced the Highlanders with 14 first half points. Gordon led the Flames with 11 tallies, followed by Antwan Burrus who concluded the period with 10 points.
In the second half, Liberty maintained its narrow lead over the Highlanders until Jareal Smith tipped in a missed Highlander shot at the 17:29 mark, giving Radford a 43-42 advantage.
With Radford holding a four-point advantage, Jesse Sanders regained the lead for the Flames sinking back-to-back three-pointers. Entering the contest with just six three-point buckets on the season, Sanders dropped in his second trey at 15:07 to put the Flames up 51-49.
Following a Jareal Smith jumper which tied the contest at 51each, Minaya proceeded to score six straight points for the Flames, completing a traditional three-point play and draining a long distance jumper to give Liberty a 57-51 cushion with 12:30 left in the contest.
Gordon recorded Liberty's ninth three-pointer of the night at 8:48, extending the Flames edge to five points, 62-57. Brown gave the Flames double-digit lead 2:12 later, picking the pocket of Blake Smith and taking it to the hoop for a two-handed jam. The red shirt junior's dunk made it, 69-58 with 6:36 remaining.
Liberty took its largest lead of the contest at 4:33. Joel Vander Pol connected at the charity stripe, giving the Flames a 14 point lead at 74-60.
Radford tried to rally in the closing minutes, climbing as close six points. However, the Highlanders were not enough to any closer, as Liberty went onto a 79-71 victory.
Jareal Smith finished with a game high 21 points. Gordon led the Flames with 20 points, followed by Jesse Sanders (13), Minaya (12), Brown (11) and Burrus (10). Brown picked up his 13th double-double of the season, adding 13 rebounds to his scoring effort.
Liberty shot 45.3 percent from the field (24-of-53), finishing with 39.1 percent shooting from three-point range (9-of-23). The Highlanders concluded the contest with 43.5 percent shooting (27-of-62), knocking down 7-of-22 (31.8 percent) from behind the three-point arc.
Radford heads to Lexington, Va., on Saturday to take on VMI. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
Liberty returns to the Vines Center on Saturday, playing host to High Point. The contest is slated for 8 p.m. and is part of a double header which also features the Lady Flames against Gardner-Webb (5 p.m.).
