KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a defensive battle decided by a handful of crucial plays in the final seconds, the Towson Tigers edged the previously unbeaten Liberty Flames 72-69 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Tuesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The game was a tale of two halves, with Liberty taking a narrow 37-36 lead into the break before Towson’s defense tightened to secure the victory. The Tigers improved to 5-2, while the Flames, who entered the contest as a 7.5-point favorite, suffered their first loss of the season to fall to 5-1.

Towson’s Tyler Tejada was the central figure in the closing moments. With the Tigers clinging to a one-point lead, Tejada blocked a potential go-ahead 3-point attempt by Liberty’s Brett Decker with under 10 seconds to play. Tejada secured the defensive rebound, was fouled, and calmly sank two free throws to extend the lead to three.

Liberty had one final chance, but a desperation heave at the buzzer fell short, sealing the upset for Towson.

The contest was a statistical dead heat in many categories, with both teams shooting nearly 50% from the floor and finishing with 36 points in the paint. The difference came down to efficiency and key defensive stands. Towson won despite committing more turnovers, 10-6, and dishing out only four assists. The Tigers compensated with a dominant performance on the glass, outrebounding Liberty 10-5 on the offensive end, which led to 12 second-chance points.

Towson also showcased a formidable interior defense, recording eight blocks to Liberty’s two. Tejada, a 6-foot-8 forward from Teaneck, New Jersey, led that effort with three blocks to go with his team-high 20 points and nine rebounds.

Liberty was led by Kaden Metheny, who scored 16 points, and Zach Cleveland, who filled the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. JJ Harper added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Flames.

Beyond Tejada, Towson received significant contributions from its bench. Jack Doumbia scored 15 points, while Dylan Williamson added 14. Tyler Coleman provided a spark with nine points and five rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

The game’s total points, 141, went over the pregame over/under line of 136.5. The result was a surprise based on pregame analytics, as Liberty’s Interstat ELO system had projected the Flames with a 74.8 percent probability to win.

Towson, which defeated Rhode Island on Monday, has now won two straight. The Tigers will host Cornell on Dec. 3. Liberty, coming off a win at Vermont, looks to rebound at home against Coppin State on Dec. 6.