Liberty University
3-8
Lamar
5-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar | 27 | 46 | 73 |
| Liberty | 14 | 44 | 58 |
Lamar Keeps Flames at Bay, Saturday
12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Liberty men's basketball team looked to end a six-game skid, Saturday afternoon, playing host to Lamar inside the Vines Center. Despite Liberty responding in the second half after a slow start in the first, the Cardinals were able to hold off the Flames en route to the 73-58 decision.
With its defeat in its first-ever meeting with Lamar, Liberty falls to 3-8 overall, while the Cardinals improve to 5-3.
The Flames continued to receive points from their two leadings scorers, as sophomore center Evan Maxwell and freshman guard Lovell Cabbil paced Liberty with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Receiving his first collegiate start, freshman guard Caleb Homesley finished with nine tallies.
Nick Garth led all scorers with 22 points. Three other Cardinals finished in double scoring figures – Dorian Chatman (14), Lincoln Davis (11) and LeMon Gregory (10).
Lamar closed the contest shooting 50.0 percent (29-of-58) compared to 46.3 percent (19-of-41) for the Flames. Liberty outscored the Cardinals from three-point land, 24-15, but Lamar capitalized in the paint, 38-16.
The Flames struggled from the field in the opening period, finishing the stanza with its lowest one-half shooting percentage of the season (17.6 percent, 3-of-17). Head coach Ritchie McKay's squad also went 1-of-10 from three-point land in the first 20 minutes. Liberty's 14 points tied a Vines Center record for the fewest in a half. The previous time the Flames finished with 14 tallies in a single frame was on Jan. 26, 1991, during the first half of a matchup versus College of Charleston.
Lamar shot 37.0 percent (10-of-27) in the first period. The Cardinals outscored the Flames in the paint, 10-2, and forced Liberty to commit 15 first half turnovers. Lamar took a 13-point lead with 1:05 left in the half thanks to a Dorian Chatman jumper, making it 27-14 at halftime.
Davis paced all scorers at the half with nine points. Homesley led the Flames with four points.
Liberty greatly improved its shooting in the second period, hitting seven of its first eight shots and finishing with 66.7 percent shooting (16-of-24). The home team also limited its turnovers, committing just two in latter half. The Flames had more success from three-point land, receiving early long range buckets from Cabbil, redshirt sophomore guard Ryan Kemrite and freshman guard Ryan Hiepler. Hiepler's trey made it a nine-point game, 41-32, with 13:11 left on the clock.
With Lamar leading by 14 at the 10:39 mark, Liberty looked to cut into the deficit, outscoring the Cardinals, 8-2, over the ensuing 3:07. Cabbil kick started the burst with a three-pointer. On the next Liberty possession, Maxwell wowed the crowd as he drove to the basket, finishing with a one-handed reverse dunk. After a layup by Josh Nzeakor on the other end, Cabbil countered with another three-ball to pull the Flames within eight, 50-42, at 7:32.
Still trailing by eight after a Homesley three-pointer with 4:08 remaining, the Flames were unable to climb any closer. The Cardinals led by as much as 18 in the closing minutes and outscored Liberty, 12-5, during the span to set up the 73-68 final.
Liberty hits the road again, squaring off with Princeton on Thursday. Tipoff inside Jadwin Gym is slated for 7 p.m.
