NEWARK, Del. (Interstat) — In a game defined by precision at the foul line and a decisive second-half surge, the Liberty Flames held off a persistent Delaware Blue Hens squad for a 75-69 victory in a Conference USA men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at the Bob Carpenter Center.

The win improved Liberty to 19-3 overall and marked its second triumph over Delaware in 11 days. The Blue Hens fell to 6-16.

The contest was a tale of two halves and, ultimately, a story of efficiency. Liberty, which trailed 30-29 at halftime, erupted for 46 points in the second half, fueled by a near-perfect performance from the free-throw line. The Flames converted 18 of their 20 attempts, a 90% clip that proved critical in a tight game. Delaware, by contrast, managed just 8 of 9 from the stripe.

Colin Porter, Liberty’s 5-foot-10 guard from Ashland, Kentucky, led all scorers with 23 points, igniting the Flames’ second-half comeback. After a quiet first half, Porter found his rhythm, hitting key three-pointers and sinking crucial free throws down the stretch. His performance was a stark contrast to his recent outings, where he scored just 8 points in each of the previous two games.

Delaware’s Justyn Fernandez, a 6-foot-5 guard from Richmond, Virginia, kept the Blue Hens in contention with a team-high 21 points, 4 assists, and a steal. Teammate Macon Emory, a 6-foot-8 forward from Devon, Pennsylvania, added 19 points, including five three-pointers. Christian Bliss, Delaware’s floor general from Queens, New York, contributed 15 points and a game-high 5 assists.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final minutes as Liberty sealed the win from the charity stripe. After Delaware closed to within four points following a Fernandez layup that made it 67-63 with just over two minutes remaining, the Flames’ offense stalled, committing turnovers on consecutive possessions. However, Delaware could not capitalize on the opportunities to cut further into the lead.

Liberty then put the game away at the line. Porter was fouled on a jump shot with 21 seconds left and calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to 71-67. After a Delaware timeout, the Blue Hens’ Christian Bliss was called for an offensive foul, handing possession back to Liberty. Porter was again fouled and made both shots with 11 seconds remaining, pushing the advantage to 73-67. Following a quick Delaware basket, Porter returned to the line with one second left and iced the game with two more makes, accounting for six of Liberty’s final eight points from the foul line.

Statistically, the game was remarkably even in several categories. Delaware shot slightly better from the field, 51% to Liberty’s 51.1%, and won the battle in the paint 28-24. Both teams grabbed only two offensive rebounds apiece. Liberty’s edge came from beyond the arc, where they hit 11 of 27 attempts compared to Delaware’s 9 of 24, and their superior free-throw shooting.

Liberty’s Zach Cleveland, a 6-foot-7 forward from Bloomington, Illinois, facilitated the offense with a game-high 9 assists. Josh Smith provided a strong interior presence for the Flames, scoring 14 points on efficient 5-of-6 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line.

The game drew an attendance of 2,084 to the Bob Carpenter Center. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Liberty entered with a 91.1% probability to win. The Flames covered the pregame spread of -12, and the total score of 144 went over the posted over/under line of 133.5.

Liberty will look to continue its winning ways when it hosts Missouri State on Saturday. Delaware will aim to regroup at home against Middle Tennessee, also on Saturday.