LYNCHBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Cooper Campbell scored 21 points and Liberty used a dominant first half to beat visiting Boyce 113-54 in a non-divisional men’s NCAA Division I basketball game at the Vines Center on Saturday. Liberty, now 1-1, led 51-19 at halftime and never allowed Boyce to mount a serious comeback. The Flames finished with 113 points from 74 possessions and an offensive rating of 153.1. Attendance was 3832.

The decisive stretch came immediately. Liberty opened the game with the first 12 points, capped by Reece Davidson’s layup with 14:23 remaining in the first half. Boyce finally scored on Josh Sangalli’s pullup jump shot with 13:58 left, but the Flames answered with consecutive 3-pointers from Cobi Campbell and Matthew Shelton and a Zander Carter driving layup to build a 20-2 lead with 11:21 remaining. Cooper Campbell started the burst with a 3-pointer and a driving layup, and Eli Sancomb added a 3-pointer and a turnaround jumper. Liberty kept padding the margin and led 51-19 at halftime. The Flames shot efficiently throughout and controlled the game from the opening minutes.

Cooper Campbell, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound guard from Puyallup, Wash., who previously attended Phhoenix Prep, finished with 21 points, three rebounds, six assists and one block in 26 minutes. He made 3-point field goals, driving layups and free throws while directing Liberty’s offense. It was a strong response after he scored five points in the season-opening loss at High Point. Liberty dropped that opener 72-57 before returning home to even its record.

Zander Carter, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound guard who previously attended Paul G Blazer High School, added 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one block in 27 minutes. Eli Sancomb, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard who previously attended Central Catholic High School, had 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes. Cobi Campbell, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound guard who previously attended Puyallup High School, scored 18 points and added three assists in 20 minutes. Ryan Jones, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward who previously attended The Rock School, contributed 11 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 14 minutes. Reece Davidson, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward who previously attended North Laurel High School, finished with eight points, five rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes. Matthew Shelton, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard who previously attended Evergreen Christian School, scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds in 19 minutes. Drew Grimes, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward who previously attended Clayton High School, added five points, three rebounds and one block in 12 minutes. Eli Herbert, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard who previously attended Grain Valley High School, had four points, three rebounds, three assists and one block in 23 minutes. Brady Kester, a 6-foot-8 forward who previously attended Davidson Day School, scored six points and grabbed one rebound in four minutes.

Liberty also had 11 offensive rebounds, 12 assists, six blocks, seven turnovers and 12 fouls. The Flames’ efficiency was reflected in their 113 points from 74 possessions and an offensive rating of 153.1. Boyce scored 35 points after halftime but could not threaten.

Boston Boike hit several 3-pointers for Boyce, Josh Sangalli made pullup and turnaround jump shots, and Andrew Thomas scored on drives and free throws. Luke Bee added 3-point field goals, while Garrett Hatcher contributed a layup and a floating jump shot with a free throw. Boyce’s best second-half stretch came early in the period when Boike and Thomas helped trim the margin slightly, but Liberty answered with a 3-pointer from Cooper Campbell and a 3-pointer from Ryan Jones. Cobi Campbell’s late layup and 3-pointer, along with Reece Davidson’s layups and Eli Sancomb’s inside finishes, kept the Flames in control. Torr Sorensen also made a 3-pointer for Liberty, and Brady Kester closed the scoring with three layups in the final 1:23.

Liberty is scheduled to host North Carolina Central next. Upcoming opponents also include Southern Illinois, Rhode Island, Richmond, Princeton, Saint Thomas (Minn.), UNC Wilmington, Christendom and Kentucky Christian.