JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One streak ended and one streak continued on Saturday night, both of them good for Jacksonville University men's basketball.
 
The Dolphins (16-8, 8-4) erased a 10-point halftime deficit to beat ASUN-leading Liberty 73-69 at Swisher Gym, besting the Flames for the first time in nine tries and moving to a perfect 12-0 at home this season.
 
JU struggled to contain defending ASUN Player of the Year Darius McGhee in the first half, who hit big shot after big shot to keep the Flames on top throughout the first twenty minutes. He finished the half with 26 points, the only scorer in double-figures to that point, and was a big part of Liberty's 56 percent shooting in the opening frame.
 
The second half started out much more determined on both ends of the floor for JU. The Dolphins scored the first seven points of the half, and did not allow Liberty to score a field goal until 11:06 to play in the game. The Flames made six free throws to keep it close over that time, but JU outscored them 17-6 over the first eight minutes of the half, with Bryce Workman's layup putting the Dolphins up 49-48 for the first lead since the opening few minutes of the game.
 
Liberty hit three straight three-pointers and got the lead back to six, before Gyasi Powell hit a tough layup and was fouled, completing the three-point play with 8:41 left. Tyreese Davis then scored and converted an and-one to tie it back up at 57, followed by burying a step-back three to give JU the lead again.
 
The two sides traded buckets until Kevion Nolan came alive with four minutes left. He shot-faked on a three and hit a tough floating jumper while being fouled, making the free throw to build JU's lead back to three, and after JU fell behind by two, made a free throw to cut it to one with 1:53 remaining.
 
Liberty scored a layup to push the lead to three, 69-66, but Nolan swished a left corner three to tie and the defense rose to the occasion again after that. The Dolphins forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, with Nolan coming away with the loose ball and drawing a foul. He calmly buried both freebies to put JU up by two, and Liberty turned to McGhee, who lost the ball trying to drive it and Nolan collected the steal again. He made two more free throws to ice the game and McGhee's three at the buzzer missed long, ending his frustrating half, where he scored only four points, on two free throws and a layup.
 
UP NEXT
 
Jacksonville heads down the road to face Stetson for the second time this season. The Dolphins bested the Hatters at home back on Jan. 11, 57-50. The game is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS

 

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
 

• Jacksonville is now tied for the 10th longest home win streak in the country
• After allowing Liberty to shoot 56 percent in the first half, the Dolphins held the Flames to 29 percent in the second, and outscored them 40-27
• JU outscored Liberty 36-24 in the paint and outrebounded them 32-31
• Kevion Nolan scored 19 points, his 12th double-figure scoring game of the year, and added six assists, his eighth 5-plus assist game of the season
• Tyreese Davis scored in double-figures for the second-straight game