LYNCHBURG, Va. - Jacksonville University men's basketball fell 88-49 to Liberty on Tuesday night at Liberty Arena.
 
The Dolphins (11-5, 3-1) had its four-game win streak snapped and suffered its first loss in conference play.
 
Things started well for JU, with Osayi Osifo scoring the first four points inside. Mike Marsh converted a layup and Tyreese Davis sank a tough right elbow jumper to push the advantage to 8-1 early. The lead grew to 11 after Davis and Marsh hit consecutive shots to extend the lead to 16-5 with 11:24 left in the first.
 
Darius McGhee then sank his first shot of the night, a driving layup, and the tide turned for Liberty, albeit slowly at first. Consecutive threes made by the Flames cut the deficit to four before JU got a steal and a dunk by Osifo to make it 19-13 with nine minutes to play. McGhee, the reigning ASUN Player of the Week and Preseason Player of the Year, made a three and was fouled on his next attempt, sinking all three free throws to tie it at 19.
 
After Kevion Nolan made a three, Liberty quickly answered with of its own, which sparked an 8-0 run. The Dolphins kept making shots on offense to keep pace, only Liberty was making threes to JU's twos, and supplementing them with trips to the free throw line. At the half, the Flames led by 10, 40-30, and while both teams shot 54 percent for the half, Liberty made five more threes and five more free throws.
 
The second half started with struggles offensively for JU and even more efficient offense for Liberty, who scored the first eight points of the half and used a 13-0 run to take a 28-point lead. The advantage continued as JU battled through the remainder of the game, getting young players like Gyasi Powell, George Pridgett and Isaiah Broady significant playing time in a tough road environment late.
 
UP NEXT
 
Jacksonville heads to Louisville, Ky., to face off against Bellarmine, who is 4-0 in the ASUN and atop the West Division.

COACH'S COMMENTS

 

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Jacksonville allowed an opponent to score more than 70 points for the first time all season
• The 49 points were the second-fewest scored by JU this season
• The Dolphins were led by three players with eight points each, the first time they have been held without a double-figure scorer this year
• JU continues its four-game road trip on Saturday and are 1-1 so far. Like Liberty, the next two opponents are also undefeated in the league so far, a combined 7-0
• It was Jacksonville's first loss of 2022