Liberty became the first team in Division I to reach the 10-win mark with a 87-28 win over Trinity Baptist Monday night.
The game started at 10 p.m. as student government request a late night game and Coach McKay happily obliged with the late tip against the NAIA program.
Much like Friday’s game against Kentucky Christian, Liberty got off to a hot start from outside as Elijah Cuffee hit three three-pointers before the first media timeout. The Flames led 16-2 at that first timeout, thanks to a perfect 4-of-4 start from distance as Darius McGhee also got in on the action.
Preseason ASUN Player of the Year Caleb Homesley missed the previous three games and had only played 6 minutes in the previous 5 games combined. He came off the bench to get some early action for the Flames as he fights his way back from a hamstring injury.
After starting the game 6-of-7 from the field, the Flames got cold as they missed 10 straight shots. Fortunately, Trinity Baptist had no luck on the offensive side either, as they started 2-of-11 from the field as Liberty led 16-4 with 10:45 left in the first half.
Scottie James would end the cold spell as he got a bucket in the paint at the 10:12 mark of the first half. Kyle Rode and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz would each knock down a three-pointer on consecutive possessions as Liberty’s lead grew to 24-8.
The Flames went on a 13-2 run to push the lead to 31-10 at the under 4 media timeout thanks to a bucket and the foul from Myo Baxter-Bell.
The run would extend to 22-3 over the end of the half as Liberty went into the locker room with a 40-11 halftime lead. The 11 points allowed is the fewest points Liberty has ever given up in a half, besting the 13 points allowed in the first half to Clarks Summit on December 16, 2016.
Elijah Cuffee led the team with 12 points as he made all four of his three point attempts in the first half.
Out of the locker room nothing changed as the Flames quickly came out of the break with a 9-0 run. Liberty pushed its lead over 40 points as McKay continued to utilize his bench throughout the game.
Homesley would score his first bucket of the game at the 12:11 mark of the second half. He had missed his first 5 shots, including all 4 of his three point attempts, before he got in the scoring column. It was his first points since he scored 25 on November 16th against East Carolina. Homesley would make his next bucket, a straight on three pointer a few minutes later and then another bucket in the paint shortly thereafter. He would finish the game with 7 points on 3-of-8 shooting. He also had 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Cuffee led the team in scoring with 15 points, as he finished the game 5-of-6 from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from 3. Scottie James had 14 points as he made all seven of his field goal attempts.
Coach McKay’s son, Luke, got some action for the second consecutive game. The team manager made a three point bucket midway through the second half as the 3,164 fans in the Vines Center erupted.
Another former team manager, Colton Reed, who is a walk-on this season, finished the game with 12 points as he made 4-of-5 three pointers.
Blake Preston led the team with 9 rebounds.
Liberty would finish the game shooting 58.9% from the field and 55.6% from three while the Flames held Trinity Baptist to 22.7% from the field and 15% from 3.
The 28 points scored by Trinity Baptist were the fewest Liberty has ever allowed in a game. The previous low was 33 points that Clarks Summit scored on December 16, 2016. The 59-point margin of victory by the Flames’ was the largest in school history.
This was Liberty’s final home contest this calendar year as the Flames now hit the road for 7 straight games before returning to the Vines Center on January 9th. Next up for the 10-0 Flames is Grand Canyon in the Jerry Colangelo Classic in Phoenix, Arizona on December 8th.
