Liberty Overtakes Jacksonville St. 59-55, Leads C-USA

LYNCHBURG, Va. — In a tightly contested Conference USA matchup on Thursday night, Liberty secured a narrow victory over Jacksonville State with a final score of 59-55. This win places Liberty a half-game ahead of the Gamecocks in the conference standings.
Kaden Metheny led the Flames with 13 points, delivering a shooting performance of 4 for 13, including 3 of 11 from deep, and made 2 of 3 from the charity stripe. His efforts were supported by Jay Maughmer, who added 12 points while hitting 5 out of 8 shots from the floor, with 1 successful attempt from the 3-point line. Zach Cleveland contributed significantly to the victory, scoring 10 points on 3 of 7 from the field and 4 of 8 from the free-throw line, also grabbing nine rebounds. This win marks the sixth consecutive victory for Liberty, further solidifying their position in the league.
On the Gamecocks’ side, Jao Ituka was the top scorer with 14 points. Jaron Pierre Jr. aided the team’s efforts with 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mason Nicholson was also a key player for Jacksonville State, contributing eight points and securing 10 rebounds.
Previously, Jacksonville State had triumphed over Liberty with a 72-61 win on February 1st. However, in this recent face-off, Liberty established an early foothold by leading 31-16 at the halftime break. Cleveland’s contribution of six first-half points played a pivotal role in this lead. Ituka’s late-game performance, where he scored Liberty’s final seven points, ensured the Flames’ four-point victory.