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Saturday, January 11
Ruston, La.
8:00 PM ET/7:00 PM CT
Liberty University
14-3,2-2CUSA
74
at
79
Louisiana Tech
13-4,2-2CUSA
1
2
F
Liberty
34
40
74
Louisiana Tech
27
52
79
Maughmer had 13 points and six rebounds at LA Tech.
LA Tech Uses 2nd Half Surge, Holds On for 79-74 Win Over Liberty
1/11/2025 11:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball
RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech surged ahead of Liberty in the second half and held on late for a 79-74 win, Saturday evening at the Thomas Assembly Center.
The Bulldogs (13-4, 2-2 CUSA) pick up their second win of the weekend and improve to 7-1 on their home court this season. Liberty (14-3, 2-2 CUSA) suffers its first road loss of the year (3-1). The Flames split a pair of CUSA road games this weekend. Liberty topped Sam Houston 76-68 before tonight's narrow setback.
Taelon Peter scored a season-high and game-high 33 points for Liberty in defeat. The Bulldogs' Sean Newman Jr. (27 points, eight assists) and Daniel Batcho (24 points, 12 rebounds) combined for 51 of the host's 79 points in the win.
Liberty held a seven-point lead at the half, 34-27, before Louisiana Tech scored 52 second half points on 50 percent shooting. LA Tech held a decisive 44-23 advantage in rebounding to aid in the victory.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Taelon Peter 33 points, 9-13 FG, 5-9 3FG, 10-12 FT, 4 rebounds; Jayvon Maughmer 13 points, 6 rebounds; Zach Cleveland 11 points, 5-9 FG, 3 rebounds, 4 assists; Colin Porter 8 points, 3-6 FG
Louisiana Tech Individuals: Sean Newman Jr. 27 points, 11-16 FG, 4-4 FT, 8 assists; Daniel Batcho 24 points, 12-15 FT, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks; Amaree Abram 13 points, 6 rebounds; Sean Elkinton 12 points, 3-5 FG, 2-4 3FG, 4-4 FT
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60), compared to 45.5 percent (25-of-55) for Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs were outstanding at the foul line on the night, making 22-of-25 attempts (88 percent). Liberty was 71.4 percent (15-of-21) from the charity stripe. Liberty was 7-of-25 (28 percent) from three-point territory, with the seven threes being a season low. LA Tech was 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from three-point land. The Bulldogs held a big 44-23 edge on the glass, including 10 offensive boards. Both teams dished out 10 assists. The Flames only committed four turnovers to LA Tech's 13 and led in points off turnovers (15-6), points in the paint (38-30) and bench points (33-15). Liberty's biggest lead was 10, while Louisiana Tech's was nine. The Flames' four turnovers were their second fewest in a game this season.
Turning Point
Liberty led by as many as 10 (34-24) late in the first half and took a seven-point lead into the locker room. Louisiana Tech whittled away at the deficit and used a 12-2 run to take the lead 42-41 on a Sean Newman Jr. midrange jumper with 14:36 to play. The Bulldogs' lead grew to nine, 66-57, with 5:08 left following a big three from Amaree Abram, but Liberty would not go away.
The Flames fought back and got within two, 73-71, largely behind the offense of Taelon Peter and some key stops defensively. Peter scored the final 12 points for Liberty. His pair of free throws with 43 seconds left made it a two-point game (73-71). On the ensuing trip down the court, the Bulldogs' Newman Jr. scored in the paint to push the lead to four, 75-71, with 29 seconds to play. Despite another Taelon Peter three, LA Tech converted on 4-of-4 free throws down the stretch to preserve the victory.
Key Stats & Notes
The Flames will return home to face UTEP (12-4, 2-1 CUSA), Thursday evening at Liberty Arena. Tip time is 9 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
Liberty and UTEP met three times last year, with the Miners prevailing in two of the three meetings. Liberty fell 66-57 to UTEP in the 2024 Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship quarterfinal round.
The Bulldogs (13-4, 2-2 CUSA) pick up their second win of the weekend and improve to 7-1 on their home court this season. Liberty (14-3, 2-2 CUSA) suffers its first road loss of the year (3-1). The Flames split a pair of CUSA road games this weekend. Liberty topped Sam Houston 76-68 before tonight's narrow setback.
Taelon Peter scored a season-high and game-high 33 points for Liberty in defeat. The Bulldogs' Sean Newman Jr. (27 points, eight assists) and Daniel Batcho (24 points, 12 rebounds) combined for 51 of the host's 79 points in the win.
Liberty held a seven-point lead at the half, 34-27, before Louisiana Tech scored 52 second half points on 50 percent shooting. LA Tech held a decisive 44-23 advantage in rebounding to aid in the victory.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Taelon Peter 33 points, 9-13 FG, 5-9 3FG, 10-12 FT, 4 rebounds; Jayvon Maughmer 13 points, 6 rebounds; Zach Cleveland 11 points, 5-9 FG, 3 rebounds, 4 assists; Colin Porter 8 points, 3-6 FG
Louisiana Tech Individuals: Sean Newman Jr. 27 points, 11-16 FG, 4-4 FT, 8 assists; Daniel Batcho 24 points, 12-15 FT, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks; Amaree Abram 13 points, 6 rebounds; Sean Elkinton 12 points, 3-5 FG, 2-4 3FG, 4-4 FT
Key Team Stats: Liberty shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60), compared to 45.5 percent (25-of-55) for Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs were outstanding at the foul line on the night, making 22-of-25 attempts (88 percent). Liberty was 71.4 percent (15-of-21) from the charity stripe. Liberty was 7-of-25 (28 percent) from three-point territory, with the seven threes being a season low. LA Tech was 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from three-point land. The Bulldogs held a big 44-23 edge on the glass, including 10 offensive boards. Both teams dished out 10 assists. The Flames only committed four turnovers to LA Tech's 13 and led in points off turnovers (15-6), points in the paint (38-30) and bench points (33-15). Liberty's biggest lead was 10, while Louisiana Tech's was nine. The Flames' four turnovers were their second fewest in a game this season.
Turning Point
Liberty led by as many as 10 (34-24) late in the first half and took a seven-point lead into the locker room. Louisiana Tech whittled away at the deficit and used a 12-2 run to take the lead 42-41 on a Sean Newman Jr. midrange jumper with 14:36 to play. The Bulldogs' lead grew to nine, 66-57, with 5:08 left following a big three from Amaree Abram, but Liberty would not go away.
The Flames fought back and got within two, 73-71, largely behind the offense of Taelon Peter and some key stops defensively. Peter scored the final 12 points for Liberty. His pair of free throws with 43 seconds left made it a two-point game (73-71). On the ensuing trip down the court, the Bulldogs' Newman Jr. scored in the paint to push the lead to four, 75-71, with 29 seconds to play. Despite another Taelon Peter three, LA Tech converted on 4-of-4 free throws down the stretch to preserve the victory.
Key Stats & Notes
- Taelon Peter's 33 points tonight also matched a career high. The redshirt senior scored 33 points on two occasions while at Arkansas Tech, with the last one coming against Arkansas-Monticello on Nov. 30, 2023.
- Peter's 33 points are the most by a Liberty player off the bench in program history.
- Javyon Maughmer (13 points, team-high six rebounds) reached double figures in scoring for the fourth straight contest and eighth team in his last 10 games.
- LA Tech takes a 2-1 lead in the all-time series. The three games between the Flames and Bulldogs have been decided by a combined 12 points.
- Liberty's biggest deficit of the season, nine points, came tonight. The Flames have not trailed by double digits at any point this season.
- Liberty's only three losses this year have come when the Flames have led at halftime. The Flames are 11-3 when leading at the break.
The Flames will return home to face UTEP (12-4, 2-1 CUSA), Thursday evening at Liberty Arena. Tip time is 9 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
Liberty and UTEP met three times last year, with the Miners prevailing in two of the three meetings. Liberty fell 66-57 to UTEP in the 2024 Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship quarterfinal round.
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Team Stats
Lib
LATech
FG%
.433
.455
3FG%
.280
.333
FT%
.714
.880
RB
23
44
TO
4
13
STL
5
1
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
33
FGM
9
3FGM
5
FTM
10
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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