Liberty pulls off the miracle win over Gardner-Webb in double overtime, 92-87. Here’s our rapid reactions:

  1. There’s no way these rapid reactions will do this game justice. It was an all-time great game. The Flames looked like they were dead in the water in the final moments of regulation and the first overtime, but somehow still pulled out the win.
  2. Liberty trailed by 8 points with 40 seconds left in the first overtime. The Flames cut the deficit to 3 as AC Reid banked in a 3 pointer to force the 2nd OT. Remember, it was Reid’s banked in 3 pointer at the buzzer that won the game for Liberty against Radford on Saturday.
  3. Liberty’s freshmen were outstanding. Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz (plenty more on him below), Myo Baxter-Bell, Brock Gardner, and Josiah Talbert combined for 58 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists on 17/32 shooting. At one point late in the 2nd half, this quartet had combined for 40 of Liberty’s 48 points.
  4. Ryan Kemrite, John Dawson, and Myo Baxter-Bell combined for 0 points on 0/4 shooting in the first half, yet the Flames went into the locker room with a 27-25 lead. Myo rebounded for a solid 2nd half and overtime session, but Kemrite and Dawson continued to struggle offensively. Ryan went on to finish with 13 points, but was just 3/10 from the field. Dawson finished with 6 points.
  5. Due to foul trouble in the first half, as Myo Baxter-Bell, Brock Gardner, John Dawson, and Lovell Cabbil all had 2 fouls, Josiah Talbert had an extended run. The true freshman post player had a career night as he lodged 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 8 first half minutes. He did not play in the 2nd half or either overtime period.
  6. Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz. Where to begin? The true freshman had a career night. He finished the game with 28 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. He was 10/11 from the charity stripe, and made huge play after huge play. His most notable play was the 2 free throws he knocked down with 2 seconds left in regulation to force the first overtime period. He also had a huge offensive rebound with 40 seconds left in the 1st overtime with the Flames down by 8. In those final 40 seconds of the first OT, Georgie had 2 points (as he knocked down 2 free throws), 3 assists, and 1 rebound.
  7. Coming into the game, Georgie had gone 103 consecutive minutes without a turnover. He played 30 minutes against the Runnin’ Bulldogs without committing a turnover, including all of regulation. He did, however, commit a turnover 1 minute into the 1st overtime, his only turnover of the game. His streak ended at 133 consecutive minutes without commiting a turnover. He’s had 2 turnovers in the last 7 games, 9 turnovers in 13 conference games. Meanwhile, he’s had 39 assists in those 13 conference games.
  8. With the win, the Flames remain in a tie for first place in the Big South with UNC-Asheville as the Bulldogs knocked off Winthrop in double overtime. Liberty and UNCA are both 11-2 while Winthrop is 10-3. High Point is 3 games behind first place at 8-5, and Gardner-Webb is in 5th place at 7-6.
  9. The Flames have 11 conference wins, the most in a single season since the 2010-2011 season when the team finished 13-5.
  10. Liberty has now won 7 straight road games to open league play. The 7 straight road wins are a school record for most consecutive road wins. The 7 road wins in conference play sets a school record for most road wins in a single season in Big South play, the previous best was 6 set in the 1996-96 season when the Flames went 6-1 on the road in conference play.
  11. The Flames return home for a game against Charleston Southern on Saturday at 2pm. Students, you better have a good excuse for not being at the game.