LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Liberty Flames used a 66-32 advantage in points in the paint and a 53-25 rebounding margin to prevail, 91-73, over the visiting VMI Keydets Thursday night in a Big South contest played at the Vines Center in Lynchburg, Va.
Despite a 27-12 halftime rebounding edge, the homestanding Flames' lead was just 42-37 at the intermission, but Liberty came out of the locker room with a 9-2 run to open the second half and take a 51-39 advantage with 17:05 to play. VMI eventually rallied to climb back within nine with three minutes to play, but the Flames went on a 9-0 run to put the game away.
Liberty was paced by forward Antwan Burrus, who had 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Jesse Sanders added 10 points and 15 boards to help the home team move to 11-11 overall and 6-4 in conference play. VMI was led by Keith Gabriel's 24 points, while Austin Kenon and Nick Gore also scored in double figures, with 12 and 11 markers respectively.
The first half was a back-and-forth period with several runs, as Liberty took the early edge, going up 16-11 after a basket by Chris Perez at the 12:38 mark. VMI fired back with a 9-1 run over just 1:02, as Gore nailed a triple with 11:36 left in the half, giving the Keydets a 20-17 lead.
The Flames answered with a 12-4 spurt of their own, going up 29-24 before VMI continued the volley of runs, notching seven of the next nine points to tie the score, 31-all on another Gore three-pointer with 3:38 left in the opening frame. The home team was able to pull back in front late in the half, and Liberty took a 42-37 lead to the intermission. The Flames were helped by 55% field goal shooting in the first half, while VMI's five three-pointers, including three by Gore, helped them stay in contention.
After the 9-2 run to open the second period, Liberty pushed its lead to as many as 19 with 8:40 to go. The Keydets battled back, starting with a 10-2 run that cut the margin to 11, 74-63, with 5:14 to go. The visitors reduced their deficit even further, closing to within nine after Gabriel scored with 2:53 to go, but a Jeremy Anderson three-pointer started the game-clinching 9-0 run, helping account for the final margin.
For the Keydets, Kenon struggled through a 4-of-14 night from the floor, including 0-of-9 from distance. VMI shot just 8-of-34 from long-range on the night, while Stan Okoye's run of five consecutive games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds came to an end. Okoye posted just four points and three rebounds to end his impressive streak. Liberty posted a 25-4 edge in second-chance points to beat the Keydets at home for the first time since the 2008 Big South Tournament.
VMI will open up a three-game homestand Tuesday, as the Keydets host the defending Big South champion Radford Highlanders. Game time at Cameron Hall is set for 7 p.m.
VMI Head Coach Duggar Baucom -
"We didn't have it tonight. We don't play well if we don't play hard. There wasn't the energy level like we had last Saturday at High Point."
"Credit Liberty. They outworked us, outhustled us and won the battle of the loose balls. We looked soft and not very tough. This was a winnable game."
"We couldn't get a stop after we cut it to nine points late in the game."
"I thought the highlight of the night was the play of Nick Gore and Joe Carr. I thought they both played extremely hard."
