Alex McLean breaks a Vines Center record with 17 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as Lipscomb (8-4) defeated Liberty (6-4) on Thursday evening, 66-61. The loss was the Flames third straight and first at home this season, breaking a six-game home winning streak.
 
The game started out very even as both teams were neck and neck with the Bisons holding the 10-9 advantage when Michael Teller hit a lay-up with 15:55 remaining in the first period. The Flames then took the lead on a 5-0 run to make it 14-10 on a three-point basket from the corner by Larry Blair off a Dwight Brewington pass at 15:10 in the first half. 

Lipscomb then went off on a 9-2 run that was capped by a LaKory Daniels jumper with 11:10 left in the first half, making it a 19-16 game in favor of the Bisons. The rest of the first half remained very close with the Flames holding an 18-15 advantage over the remaining 11 minutes. The Bisons took a 35-34 lead into the half as the Flames closed out the half on a 4-0 run capped by two free throws by Blair with 47 seconds left. 

After being outrebounded by 21 rebounds at Buffalo on Monday night, the Flames outrebounded the Bison by 13 rebounds in the first half. However, Lipscomb became the second team to shoot over 50 percent in the first half against the Flames this year. St. Francis was the first team to do so on Dec. 4 when they shot 51.9 percent in the opening period of the Flames' 84-67 victory. 

Lipscomb jumped out to a 42-36 lead to start the second half b -way of a 7-2 run that was capped off by a Hopkins basket in the paint. That was all that the Bisons needed as the rest of the game was even as the Flames held a 25-24 advantage the rest of the way. 

There were 45 total fouls called between the two teams. The Bisons went to the foul line 20 more times than the Flames (37 to 17) which gives the Flames' opponents the 98-27 advantage in that category over the past three games. 

The Flames did outrebound the Bisons 46-29 but it wasn't enough. 

Blair led the way for the Flames with 20 points and three assists. Blair fouled out with 25 seconds remaining, marking the first time in Blair's 101 career games that he fouled out. 

McLean set a Vines Center record with 17 rebounds, breaking a three-way tie which included himself, Peter Aluma and Parish Hickman. McLean grabbed 15 against Cincinnati Christian on November 21. Aluma grabbed his 15 boards on December 5, 1996 against Drake and Hickman set the record against Towson State on February 11, 1993. 

McLean collected his fourth double-double of the season as he scored 12 points to go with his 17 boards. Brewington collected his first double-double with the Flames as he scored 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting while grabbing a season-high 10 rebounds. 

Ard led the way for the Bisons with 24 points on 5-of-13 shooting, including going 13-of-13 from the free throw line. Ard's 24 points is the most by an opponent this season against the Flames. Longar Longar of Oklahoma had the previous high of 21 in the season opener. Brian Fisk chipped in 12 points in the win. 

Tonight's game provided a unique situation as two of the three hearing impaired players were competing at the Division I level met in the game. Brewington has 60 percent hearing loss while Ryan Daniel of Lipscomb is deaf in both ears. Daniel did not play so the players did not meet on the court. It is believed to be one of the first games ever between two players suffering from hearing loss. The third player is Chris Devine of UC Santa Barbara. 

The Flames head out on a four-game road trip which include three games at BYU's Holiday Classic in Provo. The Flames start with BYU on December 28. Tip is set for 9:30 p.m. EST.