Liberty Flames men’s basketball scorch past NJIT after heartbreaking defeat to Lipscomb to hold second place in ASUN

 The Vines Center was an entirely different world Saturday, Feb. 2, compared to just days before, when ASUN leader Lipscomb paid Lynchburg a visit. The Liberty Flames basketball team found its feet again when it took down the NJIT Highlanders 77-57. 

Liberty’s dominant performance was led by junior guard Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz with 18 points, closely followed by redshirt junior guard Caleb Homesley with 17 and redshirt junior forward Scottie James with 16. 

The game was Liberty’s chance to redeem itself after a heartbreaking 79-59 loss to the Lipscomb Bisons Tuesday night, and the team did just that. Tuesday’s game was marked with 12 turnovers, sloppy play and only 37.3 percent shooting. Saturday’s game was played with eight turnovers, sure hands and feet, and a 56.1 scoring percentage. 

“Tonight was a really mature win,” Head Coach Ritchie McKay said. “I was so elated for our guys because I think they earned it, and they did it the hard way. We had to earn this tonight. I’m really proud of our collective effort.” 

McKay told the media Friday afternoon that he shouldered the blame for the Tuesday loss, saying he got caught up in the desire to be a top-40 team and lost sight of mature, focused play. 

McKay said the loss was humbling, but it was what the team needed to get back on track. According to Homesley, it was reassuring to know that McKay had their backs, but that it wasn’t all his fault. 

“It wasn’t all on (McKay) but it was on us and our preparation as well,” Homesley said. “I thought we did a good job on prepping for this game. Coach told us he had a ‘D’ in that game and said that he was going to be better, and I thought he was way better tonight. Whenever he’s in a good mood and bringing joy to the games, it brings us joy.” 

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion
FORCE— Redshirt junior Myo Baxter-Bell drives for the basket.

Scottie James was an unexpected first-half leader, who brought the crowd and team to life with early points and a dunk, which sparked the Flames to an early lead. 

James’ play was opposite to his normal second-half push, putting 11 of his 16 points on the board in the first half. Seven of those points were made in the first five minutes of the game. 

“It helped us gain a rhythm,” James said. “We know that we’re capable of making shots, so eventually we’re going to start hitting shots as long as we take shots that we know we’re going to make.” 

The crowd fanned the Flames on when senior guard Lovell Cabbil Jr. scooped up an NJIT turnover and led a fast break down the court and passed the ball to Homesley, who completed the run with a layup. 

 Cabbil’s performance was key to the Flames victory. He heavily guarded NJIT’s top shooter Zach Cooks, who averages 18 points a game. However, with Cabbil contesting his every shot and preventing him from reaching the basket, Cooks was held to three points. 

“(Cabbil is) one of the best two-way players in the region,” McKay said. “Zach Cooks can play — that dude is a bucket. And Lovell did a good job.” 

Then, at the ten-minute mark, after a two-minute scoring drought, sophomore guard Elijah Cuffee drove hard and broke through the Highlanders to soar above three defenders for a layup. 

NJIT refused to fall behind, however, and even took the lead around the 9:30 mark of the first half. The Highlanders only pulled ahead by three points before the Flames passed them again, making the last lead change of the game at 8:30 in the half. 

Liberty took full advantage of Homesley’s shooting and a Cabbil three to pull ahead to 36-28 with 5 minutes remaining in the half. 

McKay expressed his gratefulness to have Homesley on the team, especially now that Homesley is back and healed from repeated knee injuries. 

“Caleb Homesley is a high-major player,” McKay said. “He can play for money for a long time if he stays healthy. The sky is the limit for him. He’s a special talent.” 

The game turned furiously fast between several missed shots that sent the game up and down the court. A rebound by Keenan Gumbs and a second-chance layup changed the pace. The half finally ended on a driving layup from Pacheco-Ortiz, pushing the halftime score to 40-28. 

The Liberty basketball team of 1993-1994 was honored at halftime, including players Matt Hildebrand and Paul Nazigan. That team went to the 1994 NCAA tournament after a victory over Campbell, then lost to North Carolina in the first round of the tournament. 

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion
CATCH— The halftime entertainment for Saturday’s game was from the Flying Houndz Frizbee group, featuring Gizmo (above) and Jaz.

The second half started slow until Homesley broke open the scoring with a swished 3-pointer. NJIT retaliated with a 3-pointer of its own from guard Diandre Wilson a minute later. 

The Highlanders clawed their way back into the game with six unanswered points early in the half and refused to fall behind for much more than 10 points for much of the half. Liberty pulled away for the last time with 11:30 left in the game when Cabbil sank a three, closely followed by another James dunk. 

NJIT piled the pressure on with less than 10 minutes remaining, despite its 17-point deficit. It didn’t matter where the Flames held the ball, whether at half-court or under the basket, the Highlanders were covering them. 

Even the constant coverage couldn’t stop Liberty, however, with Cuffee scoring seven points and Pacheco-Ortiz scoring 11 in the final 10 minutes of the game. 

During this time, the crowd had become quiet, content with the way the game was going. This changed, however, when senior Zach Farquhar and redshirt freshman Brendan Newton took the court. 

Liberty’s students went wild when the 5-foot-9 guard and 7-foot-2 center entered the game with 1:30 left. Their cheers grew even louder when Newton took the ball and assisted Pacheco-Ortiz to the final 3-pointer of the game. 

NJIT did not quit, even in the end when Liberty was ahead by 20 points. The game came to a close when NJIT’s Kjell De Graaf missed a 3-pointer and Pacheco-Ortiz came down with the rebound. 

The Flames will continue their march toward the ASUN conference title Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. when they host Stetson followed by a Saturday home game against Florida Gulf Coast University at 7 p.m. 

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