LYNCHBURG, VA. Despite a late second-half run, Charleston Southern dropped a 76-69 decision at Big South leader Liberty on Saturday <\/p>\n
afternoon. <\/p>\n
The Buccaneers trimmed a 16-point lead to four with under five minutes remaining but managed only two made baskets over the final four minutes. <\/p>\n
CSU (8-17, 4-10) lost for the fourth time in five games. <\/p>\n
The Flames (17-10, 12-2), who won their seventh straight game, put together two solid halves in the shooting department, hitting on 49 percent from the floor for the game. Myo Baxter-Bell, who averages only eight points per game, paced Liberty with 19 points and seven boards. <\/p>\n
Ryan Kemrite added 16 points while Lovell Cabbil and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz added 12 points each. Pacheco also tallied eight assists in the win. <\/p>\n
Charleston Southern shot 33 percent from the field in the first half and trailed, 37-27, at the break. The Buccaneers improved to 41 percent in the second half, hitting six 3-pointers. <\/p>\n
Junior guard Cortez Mitchell scored a career-high 23 points to pace Charleston Southern. Freshman guard Christian Keeling added 12 points and sophomore guard Armel Potter chipped in with 11 points. <\/p>\n
Libertys a very good team, CSU coach Barclay Radebaugh said. Theyre a very sound, extremely well-coached team. I was very proud of our effort. <\/p>\n
CSU opened the game with consecutive 3s from Keeling and Antwan Maxwell for an early 6-2 lead, but Liberty answered with a 13-2 run with Kemrite hitting three 3-pointers to grab a 15-8 lead with 12:55 to play in the opening stanza. <\/p>\n
The Buccaneers moved to within four at 18-14 but the Flames again ran away, using an 11-3 run to go up, 29-17. Libertys largest lead of the half was 16, at 33-17, and the Flames led, 37-27, at halftime. <\/p>\n
Liberty maintained a working margin for most of the second half. Mitchell propelled a late rally with a 3-pointer to cut Libertys lead to 55-50 with 8:51 remaining in the game. <\/p>\n
Three minutes later, Mitchell hit two free throws to cut the lead to 59-57 before Liberty opened a seven-point advantage. CSUs Patrick Wallace hit a long-range bomb with 4:35 left in the game, cutting Libertys lead to 64-60, but the Bucs could get no closer. CSUs last four minutes consisted of two field goals and five free throws. <\/p>\n
The second half was outstanding, Radebaugh said. We went small, and thats what were supposed to look like right there 42 points in the second half, a lot of energy, a lot of great ball movement, a lot of good player movement and four guys on the court that can really, really shoot the ball. I was encouraged by our ability to really compete in the second half and hopefully we can carry that forward. <\/p>\n
The Buccaneers host Campbell on Wednesday night. <\/p>\n
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Charleston Southern drops road test at Liberty, 76-69 - Charleston Post Courier<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LYNCHBURG, VA. Despite a late second-half run, Charleston Southern dropped a 76-69 decision at Big South leader Liberty on Saturday afternoon. Continue reading