Al'Lonzo Coleman scored 18 points, while Eric Washington added a career-high 14 to lead the Presbyterian College men's basketball to the thrilling 63-56 win over Liberty tonight at the Vines Center in Lynchburg, Va.
PC improves to 8-6 overall and 2-2 in the Big South Conference, while Liberty drops to 5-11, 0-4. The Blue Hose earned their first win over Liberty in Lynchburg, since a 74-60 decision in 1978.
The first half was a close battle with Liberty never holding more than a six point lead, that coming at the 8:35 mark with the Flames leading 21-15. PC cut the margin to one on five occasions in the half, the last coming off a layup by Josh Clyburn to give Liberty the narrow 33-32 lead with 54 seconds to go. A PC foul gave the Flames two free throws, which they convert to make the score 35-32 with 33 ticks left on the clock before intermission.
PC took its first lead of the second half at the 15:31 mark with a layup by Khalid Mutakabbir to make the score 43-41. The Blue Hose led by as much as six, 51-45 with 8:21 remaining before a basket by David Minaya cut the margin back to four with 6:45 on the clock.
Liberty went on an offensive run, connecting on the next nine of the game's 11 points to take the 54-53 lead with 3:40 left. A basket by Coleman at the 2:21 mark gave PC the 55-54 lead back, however.
PC extended its lead to 59-54 off another basket by Coleman and two free throws by Miller with 50.7 seconds left. Liberty's Jesse Sanders made it a three-point game with 44 seconds remaining but Coleman hit the one of two free throws to make it a two possession game again with 23.3 ticks left.
Washington hit two free throws and Coleman added another one down the stretch to seal the 63-56 win.
With the ball for the last shot in the first half, the Blue Hose tied the game for the fourth time as Josh Johnson hit one of his three three-pointers from just beyond the arc on the right side to knot the score at 35-35 heading into the locker room.
Coleman led the team with 18 points and eight rebounds, with Washington following with a career-high 14 points. Johnson finished the night with 11. Minaya led Liberty with 15 points, while Tavares Speaks had 12 and Sanders had 10 to go along with his team-leading 12 rebounds.
Liberty, which shot 63.6 percent in the first half, fired 41.7 in the second for 52.2 percent for the game. PC shot 44.4 percent for the contest after shooting 53.8 in the first half. The Blue Hose held the 31-29 edge in rebounds and only had four turnovers, compared to 10 for Liberty. Points off those turnovers were 13-2 in favor of the Blue Hose.
PC returns home for a two-game set with a Jan. 5th game against High Point at 7 p.m. and a Jan. 7th game against Campbell at 7:30 p.m.
The game can be heard on WLBG 860-AM and www.GoBlueHose.com. ohn Avery will call all the action with the pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m.
