Box Score
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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Kennesaw State took a 14-point first half lead, but could not stop Liberty's deadly three-point shooting in the final 10 minutes of the game as the Owls lost a heartbreaker, 81-79 in the semifinals of the Conference USA men's basketball tournament on Friday afternoon from Propst Arena. The Owls fell to 19-14 with the loss, which still marks the second most wins in KSU's D1 history, while Liberty improved to 27-6 overall and advanced to Saturday's championship game.
STAT OF THE GAME: Liberty shot 57% in the second half, including 8-of-18 from three-point range for 44.4%.
THE FIRST HALF: The Owls were the one hot to start the game, knocking down a pair of threes to open the game for a 6-0 edge two minutes in. The lead stood at eight, 32-24 after a three-pointer from the Flames while KSU reeled off six straight points for its largest lead of the game. Frankquon Sherman scored the first four points of the run, while Braedan Lue's dunk made the score 38-24 in favor of KSU with 3:54 on the clock. Liberty went on a 7-2 run to end the half, scoring on the final play of the opening stanza to make to a 40-31 contest.
THE SECOND HALF: KSU still looked to be in control, answering every Liberty run. After the Flames first closed within 50-47, three-pointers from Ricardo Wright and Adrian Wooley pushed the edge back to 56-47 with 13:43 left in the game. Liberty then closed within 58-52 before a 7-0 run gave the Owls a 65-52 advantage with 10:37 to play. It was a 10-point game, 67-57 under nine minutes to go when the Flames made their move. Kaden Metheny would hit five-of-five from three-point range over a 4:40 span, fueling the game-changing 19-6 run to put Liberty up three with 2:38 to play. Down 77-75 in the final 90 seconds, KSU had a chance to tie the game but missed a layup attempt, and after forcing a missed shot, threw the ball away looking for a tying score that Liberty ran in for a fast break dunk and a four-point lead. The Owls still had one chance left, down three with four seconds left and the ball. Simeon Cottle was fouled and made the first shot before intentionally missing the second, but the rebound attempt was ruled out of bounds off KSU with under a second to play.
NOTES
- Wooley led all scorers with 28 points. Lue was next with 14 while Cottle added 13.
- KSU shot 48.1% for the game, but just 40% in the second half after 55% in the first. The Owls were also held to just eight made three-pointers, after connection on 11 from three-point range in each of the past three games.
- The Owls did own a 35-29 edge on the boards, and 14-10 on second chance points.
