After a strong first half offensive performance, Liberty (5-3) picked up the win over Maryland Eastern Shore (3-5), 79-59, on Friday night at Liberty Arena.

“I thought our guys had a really mature approach to tonight’s game,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “I think anytime that you’re coming up on finals, you won a couple in a row, you’re supposed to beat a team that plays really hard, I think there could be a propensity to maybe think it’s going to be easy. Our guys were hard to play against, especially in the first half, defensively. I thought that set a really good tone for us to be able to get the victory tonight.”

The Flames got off to a slow start, trailing 8-3, and making just two of 10 field goals to begin. That flipped quickly as Liberty made 13 of 14 field goals that spurred a 13-0 run and an extended 25-6 run. The Flames made all five three point attempts during the stretch and seized control. Liberty went into the locker room with a 47-22 lead at halftime.

Darius McGhee led the team with 22 points. He was one of five players to reach double figures. Kyle Rode, Shiloh Robinson, and Brody Peebles each had 12 points a piece while Blake Preston scored 10.

Liberty returns to action on Tuesday against non-Division I member, Clarks Summit.

OFFENSIVE SPURT PUSHES LIBERTY TO FIRST HALF LEAD

With the team coming off its first extended break of the season, having five days off since last playing, the Flames started the game cold on Friday night. Liberty was just 2 of 10 from the field to begin the game, falling behind 8-3.

That quickly changed as the offense found its rhythm. Liberty went on a 13-0 run in just over three minutes of game action to take the lead at 16-8. A 25-5 run that lasted nearly the entire final nine minutes of the first half saw the Flames take its largest halftime lead over a Division I opponent this season.

“I thought our guys found a rhythm,” McKay said of the first half run. “We got out for a couple easy buckets. I thought Darius was terrific as a play-maker tonight. Anytime he gets six assists in a half makes us really hard to guard.”

MCGHEE THREE POINT ONSLAUGHT CONTINUES

Darius McGhee finished with 22 points to lead the team as he made 6 of 11 three pointers and 8 of 16 field goals. He also had 6 assists and 0 turnovers. His 5th three pointer of the game was his 400th of his career. He became just the 22nd player in Division I history to make 400 or more three pointers in his career and the second active, joining Antoine Davis of Detroit Mercy.

“Appreciative,” Coach McKay said of McGhee. “When he goes up to shoot it, you are surprised when he misses it, that’s not normal. He’s one of the best players in the country and he wears the uniform that says Liberty on it. He’s a great representative of our program and our university. Enjoy it because he’s really good. What he does for our basketball program means a lot. If I’m a fan, I’m going to enjoy his last however many home games and then watch him on TV someday.”

BALANCED SCORING ATTACK PACES FLAMES

Five players reached double figures tonight for the Flames. In addition to McGhee, the Flames had three players score 12 points (Kyle Rode, Shiloh Robinson, Brody Peebles) and Blake Preston reached 10 points.

“Historically that’s kind of how we’ve been as a program,” said McKay of the balanced scoring. “Caleb, Darius, Darius has been ASUN Players of the Year the last three years. I think there’s a weight on them to score, but when they’re creating for others, it always helps us. Teams are going to double Darius, they are going to think if they can take the ball out of his hands they can beat us, and we’ve got a solution to that. We just have to execute.”