Liberty Dominant Second Half Secures 74-52 Victory: Liberty (7-3) dominated Tennessee State (6-4) with a decisive 74-52 victory, captivating a crowd of 2,311 at Liberty Arena.
Proud of our effort, declared Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. We knew Tennessee State was a dangerous team, and they could really get out in transition at a breakneck pace. It felt like that was an important part of the game. We did a pretty good job until the last 4:30-something in the first half; they went on a little run and took the lead.
Despite the Flames pushing the lead to eight points in the first half, Tennessee State made it clear they shouldn’t be underestimated. The Tigers, led by Christian Brown’s 16 first-half points, fought back and even took the lead for a brief period. An 11-0 run by TSU late in the first half gave them a three-point lead, but Joseph Venzant’s layup brought the score to 35-34 at halftime.
The second half witnessed a defensive showcase by the Flames. Liberty held the Tigers to a mere 12.5% shooting (4 of 32) after halftime, outscoring them 40-17 and securing the victory.
Kyle Rode led the scoring with 18 points, followed by Joseph Venzant with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Kaden Metheny added 10 points, while Zach Cleveland contributed 9 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds.
I think it was a little bit of a trap, reflected McKay on the game. When you play in front of 4,000+, you lose a really tough game to another really good team, and it breaks whatever game-winning streak at home; there could be a little bit of interference in your confidence, maybe the disappointment that we felt that maybe we let Flames Nation down. I thought our guys showed a great deal of maturity, especially being down one in the first half, to respond the way they did in the second half.
After a challenging few weeks for Liberty basketball, this win is a welcome return to the victory column. The Flames face non-Division I opponent St. Andrews next on Saturday, December 16, at 1 p.m.
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Grateful for winning because you can never take it for granted, McKay emphasized. College basketball is hard to win games, it doesnt matter who you play. Its hard playing any game, especially at this level. Absolutely, I think it was good for our group.
Zach Cleveland and Joseph Venzant, often overlooked for their contributions, made a significant impact. Cleveland, nearing a triple-double, played a pivotal role in directing the offense. Venzant secured his second career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Zach has such a uniqueness to him because he can play-make, he can be a point forward, he can score on the block, praised McKay. Then, hes a terrific defender. I think his uniqueness really helps our cause.
The more you watch Joseph, the more you appreciate him, McKay added. Hes really complete. Hes sacrificial. I think anything that comes his way in terms of recognition or accolades, I think they are so deserved.
The Flames demonstrated a remarkable defensive turnaround in the second half, holding Tennessee State to a mere 12.5% shooting, with only 17 points scored in the period. This marked the fewest points scored in a half against Liberty this season.
We were better defensively, acknowledged McKay. I think Joseph had a lot to do with that. Them not having #2 for some of the 2nd half helped our cause too because he was feeling it, but Joseph wanted that assignment in the second half. I think our defense was really solid in the second half.
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