LYNCHBURG, Va. (Interstat) — The Liberty Flames used a balanced offensive attack and a dominant second-half stretch to pull away from the Jacksonville State Gamecocks for a 78-69 victory in a Conference USA men’s basketball game Sunday at Vines Center.

The win improved Liberty to 11-3 overall, while Jacksonville State evened its record at 7-7.

The game was a tight contest for the first 25 minutes, featuring 11 lead changes and six ties. Jacksonville State, led by the potent scoring duo of Emondrek Erkins-Ford and AC Bryant, consistently answered Liberty’s runs. The Gamecocks took a brief 40-38 lead early in the second half after a technical foul on the Liberty bench led to a series of free throws.

However, the turning point came shortly thereafter. With the score tied at 44, Liberty embarked on a decisive 13-2 run over a four-minute span. The surge was fueled by defensive stops and efficient scoring. Kaden Metheny, who led the Flames with 22 points, hit a layup. Zach Cleveland then found Brett Decker for a layup, and after a Jacksonville State turnover, Cleveland assisted on another Decker basket. Colin Porter capped the run with a layup, pushing Liberty’s lead to 57-46 with 12:44 remaining.

Jacksonville State never recovered from that deficit. The Gamecocks managed to cut the lead to six points on several occasions, the last at 70-64 following an Emondrek Erkins-Ford 3-pointer with 5:35 to play. Each time, Liberty had a response, often from the free-throw line where they sealed the game down the stretch.

The most important part of the game was Liberty’s defensive execution and offensive balance during that critical second-half run. They stifled Jacksonville State’s rhythm, forcing tough shots and turnovers, while efficiently scoring in transition and in their half-court sets. This stretch allowed them to establish a working margin that Jacksonville State’s late efforts could not overcome.

Cleveland was the engine for Liberty, falling just three assists shy of a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. His facilitation and defensive presence were pivotal. Decker added 16 points, Porter had 13 and Josh Smith provided a major boost off the bench with 12 points and eight rebounds.

For Jacksonville State, Erkins-Ford, a 6-foot-9 forward from Chicago, was a force inside, scoring 24 points in 29 minutes. Bryant, a guard from Shreveport, Louisiana, matched Metheny’s game-high with 22 points. Their combined 46 points kept the Gamecocks competitive, but they received limited scoring support elsewhere.

Liberty’s ability to share the ball, with 18 assists on 28 made field goals, and their composure in weathering Jacksonville State’s early second-half push proved to be the difference. The Flames also capitalized on Jacksonville State mistakes, scoring 11 points off turnovers compared to the Gamecocks’ 8.

The teams were even in points in the paint with 32 apiece, but Liberty’s superior perimeter shooting and late-game poise at the foul line secured the conference victory. Liberty entered the game as a heavy favorite according to national metrics and covered the pregame spread, while the total score of 147 surpassed the projected over/under.

Liberty next travels to face Louisiana Tech on Thursday. Jacksonville State returns home to host Florida International on Wednesday.