JAXST

LIB

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Liberty knocks off Jacksonville State 59-55, moves ahead of Gamecocks into 1st in C-USA

AP
Feb 27, 2025

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) Kaden Metheny scored 13 points as Liberty beat Jacksonville State 59-55 on Thursday night to take a half-game lead over the Gamecocks in the Conference USA standings.

Metheny shot 4 for 13 (3 for 11 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Flames (23-5, 11-4). Jay Maughmer scored 12 points while shooting 5 for 8, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc. Zach Cleveland shot 3 of 7 from the field and 4 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points, while adding nine rebounds. It was the sixth victory in a row for the Flames.

The Gamecocks (19-10, 11-5) were led by Jao Ituka, who recorded 14 points. Jaron Pierre Jr. added 13 points and seven rebounds for Jacksonville State. Mason Nicholson also had eight points and 10 rebounds.

Jacksonville State beat the Flames 72-61 at home on Feb. 1.

Cleveland scored six points in the first half for Liberty, who led 31-16 at halftime. Ituka scored Liberty's final seven points as they finished off a four-point victory.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

1st Half
JVST
Gamecocks
16
LIB
Flames
31

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Gamecocks gains possession)
19:42	+3	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes three point jump shot (Koree Cotton assists)	3-0
19:09		Colin Porter misses two point jump shot
19:07		Flames offensive rebound
19:07		Flames turnover (shot clock violation)
18:50	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point dunk (Koree Cotton assists)	5-0
18:34		Owen Aquino misses three point jump shot
18:32		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
18:12		Koree Cotton turnover (out of bounds)
17:50	+2	Owen Aquino makes two point dunk (Zach Cleveland assists)	5-2
17:50		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:48		Colin Porter defensive rebound
17:17		Zach Cleveland misses two point layup
17:15		Zach Cleveland offensive rebound
17:10		Jayvon Maughmer misses three point jump shot
17:10		Zach Cleveland offensive rebound
17:10		Marcellus Brigham Jr. shooting foul (Zach Cleveland draws the foul)
17:10		Zach Cleveland misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:10	+1	Zach Cleveland makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-3
16:51		Quel'Ron House turnover (lost ball) (Colin Porter steals)
16:33		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
16:31		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
16:00		Owen Aquino blocks Jaron Pierre Jr.'s three point jump shot
15:58		Gamecocks offensive rebound
15:58		Gamecocks turnover (shot clock violation)
15:58		TV timeout
15:35	+2	Jayvon Maughmer makes two point jump shot (Zach Cleveland assists)	5-5
15:16		Michael Houge turnover (bad pass) (Owen Aquino steals)
15:02		Zach Cleveland turnover (bad pass)
14:43		Michael Houge misses two point jump shot
14:41		Koree Cotton offensive rebound
14:36		Jao Ituka misses three point jump shot
14:34		Taelon Peter defensive rebound
14:18		Owen Aquino misses two point layup
14:16		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
14:05		Owen Aquino blocks Jaron Pierre Jr.'s two point layup
14:03		Kaden Metheny defensive rebound
13:43		Kaden Metheny misses two point layup
13:41		Owen Aquino offensive rebound
13:41		Owen Aquino misses two point layup
13:39		Koree Cotton defensive rebound
13:34		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:32		Michael Houge offensive rebound
13:29		Michael Houge turnover (lost ball) (Taelon Peter steals)
13:05		Owen Aquino turnover (lost ball) (Iaroslav Niagu steals)
12:56		Jao Ituka offensive foul
12:56		Jao Ituka turnover (offensive foul)
12:41	+3	Zander Yates makes three point jump shot (Colin Porter assists)	5-8
12:21		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point layup
12:19		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
12:04		Taelon Peter misses three point jump shot
12:02		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
11:48	+2	Koree Cotton makes two point jump shot	7-8
11:28		Iaroslav Niagu shooting foul (Taelon Peter draws the foul)
11:28		TV timeout
11:28	+1	Taelon Peter makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-9
11:28	+1	Taelon Peter makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-10
11:03	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point jump shot	9-10
10:35	+2	Colin Porter makes two point layup	9-12
10:09		Marcellus Brigham Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Kaden Metheny steals)
10:03	+2	Taelon Peter makes two point layup (Kaden Metheny assists)	9-14
9:45		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:43		Michael Houge offensive rebound
9:39	+2	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes two point layup (Michael Houge assists)	11-14
9:24	+3	Colin Porter makes three point jump shot	11-17
9:09		Quel'Ron House turnover (bad pass)
8:55	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point layup (Kaden Metheny assists)	11-19
8:32		Colin Porter personal foul
8:23		Zach Cleveland blocks Jaron Pierre Jr.'s two point layup
8:21		Quel'Ron House offensive rebound
8:12		Jao Ituka misses three point jump shot
8:10		Colin Porter defensive rebound
8:04		Zach Cleveland turnover (bad pass)
7:40		Taelon Peter personal foul
7:40		TV timeout
7:30		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
7:28		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
7:01		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
6:59		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
6:43		Quel'Ron House misses two point jump shot
6:41		Owen Aquino defensive rebound
6:33		Jao Ituka shooting foul (Kaden Metheny draws the foul)
6:33	+1	Kaden Metheny makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-20
6:33	+1	Kaden Metheny makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-21
6:06	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point jump shot (Koree Cotton assists)	13-21
5:51		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
5:49		Zach Cleveland offensive rebound
5:41	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot (Colin Porter assists)	13-24
5:18		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:16		Owen Aquino defensive rebound
5:12		Michael Houge shooting foul (Zach Cleveland draws the foul)
5:12		Zach Cleveland misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:12	+1	Zach Cleveland makes regular free throw 2 of 2	13-25
4:53		Zander Yates personal foul (Iaroslav Niagu draws the foul)
4:43		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
4:41		Zander Yates defensive rebound
4:25		Taelon Peter misses three point jump shot
4:23		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
4:15		Quel'Ron House misses two point jump shot
4:13		Iaroslav Niagu offensive rebound
4:06	+3	Koree Cotton makes three point jump shot (Michael Houge assists)	16-25
3:36		Colin Porter turnover (bad pass) (Koree Cotton steals)
3:18		Zander Yates personal foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
3:18		TV timeout
3:10		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
3:08		Kaden Metheny defensive rebound
2:44	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point layup	16-27
2:20		Quel'Ron House misses three point jump shot
2:18		Taelon Peter defensive rebound
2:12		Zach Cleveland turnover (bad pass) (Koree Cotton steals)
1:45		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
1:43		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
1:30	+2	Jayvon Maughmer makes two point layup (Zach Cleveland assists)	16-29
1:30		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
1:13		Mason Nicholson misses two point jump shot
1:11		Kaden Metheny defensive rebound
0:54		Koree Cotton personal foul (Colin Porter draws the foul)
0:37		Zach Cleveland misses two point layup
0:35		Owen Aquino offensive rebound
0:35	+2	Owen Aquino makes two point layup	16-31
0:11		Jaron Pierre Jr. turnover (bad pass)
0:01		Colin Porter misses two point jump shot
0:00		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
JVST
Gamecocks
39
LIB
Flames
28

Time		Play	Score
19:47		Kaden Metheny turnover (lost ball) (Quel'Ron House steals)
19:45		Zach Cleveland personal foul (Quel'Ron House draws the foul)
19:32		Marcellus Brigham Jr. misses three point jump shot
19:30		Kaden Metheny defensive rebound
19:11		Zach Cleveland misses two point layup
19:09		Gamecocks defensive rebound
18:53	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point layup (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	18-31
18:34		Quel'Ron House personal foul (Colin Porter draws the foul)
18:27		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
18:25		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
18:03		Mason Nicholson misses two point jump shot
18:01		Owen Aquino defensive rebound
17:39	+3	Colin Porter makes three point jump shot (Owen Aquino assists)	18-34
17:12		Koree Cotton misses two point jump shot
17:10		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
17:03	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point layup	18-36
16:43		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
16:41		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
16:38		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
16:36		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
16:24		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
16:22		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
16:10	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot	18-39
16:08		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
16:08		TV timeout
15:53	+3	Jao Ituka makes three point jump shot (Michael Houge assists)	21-39
15:36		Jayvon Maughmer turnover (bad pass)
15:36		TV timeout
15:23		Owen Aquino personal foul (Iaroslav Niagu draws the foul)
15:20	+3	Jao Ituka makes three point jump shot (Koree Cotton assists)	24-39
14:59		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
14:57		Michael Houge defensive rebound
14:40	+2	Jao Ituka makes two point layup	26-39
14:40		Kaden Metheny shooting foul (Jao Ituka draws the foul)
14:40		Jao Ituka misses regular free throw 1 of 1
14:40		Michael Houge offensive rebound
14:38		Owen Aquino shooting foul (Michael Houge draws the foul)
14:38	+1	Michael Houge makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-39
14:38		Michael Houge misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:38		Taelon Peter defensive rebound
14:14		Michael Houge personal foul (Owen Aquino draws the foul)
14:04	+2	Jayvon Maughmer makes two point layup	27-41
13:41	+2	Michael Houge makes two point layup	29-41
13:16	+3	Jayvon Maughmer makes three point jump shot (Colin Porter assists)	29-44
12:53		Jao Ituka turnover (lost ball) (Colin Porter steals)
12:53		Jao Ituka personal foul (Owen Aquino draws the foul)
12:33		Zander Yates misses three point jump shot
12:31		Michael Houge defensive rebound
12:16		Michael Houge misses two point jump shot
12:14		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
12:00		Taelon Peter misses three point jump shot
11:58		Michael Houge defensive rebound
11:42		Jao Ituka misses three point jump shot
11:40		Zander Yates defensive rebound
11:40		Michael Houge personal foul (Zander Yates draws the foul)
11:40		TV timeout
11:15		Mason Nicholson shooting foul (Zach Cleveland draws the foul)
11:15	+1	Zach Cleveland makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-45
11:15	+1	Zach Cleveland makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-46
10:50		Michael Houge misses two point jump shot
10:48		Mason Nicholson offensive rebound
10:46		Mason Nicholson misses two point layup
10:44		Zander Yates defensive rebound
10:37		Zander Yates misses three point jump shot
10:35		Michael Houge defensive rebound
10:26	+2	Jao Ituka makes two point layup	31-46
10:06		Zach Cleveland turnover (bad pass)
9:54	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot	33-46
9:38	+2	Owen Aquino makes two point layup (Colin Porter assists)	33-48
9:18		Taelon Peter shooting foul (Jao Ituka draws the foul)
9:18	+1	Jao Ituka makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-48
9:18	+1	Jao Ituka makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-48
8:54		Colin Porter misses two point jump shot
8:52		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
8:46	+3	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes three point jump shot	38-48
8:22		Jayvon Maughmer misses three point jump shot
8:20		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
8:11		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
8:09		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
7:46		Jao Ituka personal foul (Jayvon Maughmer draws the foul)
7:46		TV timeout
7:32		Jayvon Maughmer turnover (lost ball) (Marcellus Brigham Jr. steals)
7:24	+2	Koree Cotton makes two point layup (Marcellus Brigham Jr. assists)	40-48
6:49		Zach Cleveland misses two point jump shot
6:47		Marcellus Brigham Jr. defensive rebound
6:35		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:33		Colin Porter defensive rebound
6:10	+2	Kaden Metheny makes two point layup (Zach Cleveland assists)	40-50
5:47		Quel'Ron House turnover (bad pass) (Zach Cleveland steals)
5:45		Quel'Ron House shooting foul (Zach Cleveland draws the foul)
5:45		Zach Cleveland misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:45		Zach Cleveland misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:45		Marcellus Brigham Jr. defensive rebound
5:26		Mason Nicholson misses two point layup
5:24		Jaron Pierre Jr. offensive rebound
5:23		Taelon Peter personal foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
5:19		Mason Nicholson misses two point jump shot
5:17		Marcellus Brigham Jr. offensive rebound
5:15	+2	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes two point layup	42-50
4:45	+2	Jayvon Maughmer makes two point layup	42-52
4:23		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
4:21		Flames defensive rebound
4:07		Colin Porter misses three point jump shot
4:05		Jao Ituka defensive rebound
3:57		Colin Porter shooting foul (Jao Ituka draws the foul)
3:57		TV timeout
3:57	+1	Jao Ituka makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-52
3:57	+1	Jao Ituka makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-52
3:42	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot (Colin Porter assists)	44-55
3:26	+2	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes two point layup (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	46-55
3:20		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
3:08		Quel'Ron House personal foul (Colin Porter draws the foul)
3:08	+1	Colin Porter makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-56
3:08		Colin Porter misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:08		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
2:50	+2	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes two point jump shot	48-56
2:30		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
2:28		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
2:23		Jayvon Maughmer personal foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
2:23	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-56
2:23	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-56
2:03		Koree Cotton personal foul (Kaden Metheny draws the foul)
2:03		Kaden Metheny misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:03		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
1:52		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
1:50		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
1:39		Flames 60 second timeout
1:23		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
1:21		Owen Aquino offensive rebound
1:19	+2	Owen Aquino makes two point layup	50-58
1:05	+3	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes three point jump shot	53-58
1:05		Gamecocks 60 second timeout
0:50		Flames 30 second timeout
0:40		Mason Nicholson blocks Jayvon Maughmer's two point layup
0:38		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
0:32		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point layup
0:30		Mason Nicholson offensive rebound
0:27	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point layup	55-58
0:21		Flames 30 second timeout
0:10		Jaron Pierre Jr. personal foul (Jayvon Maughmer draws the foul)
0:10	+1	Jayvon Maughmer makes regular free throw 1 of 2	55-59
0:10		Jayvon Maughmer misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:10		Marcellus Brigham Jr. defensive rebound
0:02		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:00		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound