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LIB

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Metheny, Peter lead Liberty to its first CUSA tourney title with 79-67 win over Jacksonville State

AP
Mar 16, 2025

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) Kaden Metheny scored 21 points and Taelon Peter added 20, and top-seeded Liberty pulled away early in the second half to beat No. 2 seed Jacksonville State 79-67 on Saturday night for its first Conference USA Tournament title.

Liberty, in its second season as a member of CUSA, clinched its sixth NCAA Tournament berth in program history and its first since the Flames won the ASUN Conference Tournament in 2021.

Jacksonville State trailed 39-35 one minute into the second half before the Flames pulled away on a 26-10 run for its largest lead, 65-45, with 7:24 remaining. Metheny scored eight points and Peter scored seven during the stretch. Peter's dunk capped the Flames scoring with about a minute left.

Metheny shot 7 of 15 from the floor and 5 of 10 from long range. Peter was 7-of-7 shooting from the field that included three 3-pointers and was 3 of 4 from the foul line. Colin Porter added 13 points and Zach Cleveland had 10 for Liberty (28-6), which also made its second appearance in the CUSA title game.

Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 19 points to lead Jacksonville State (22-12). Marcellus Brigham Jr. scored all 12 of his points in the second half and Quel’Ron House chipped in with 11 points.

Metheny made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the first half to help Liberty build a 37-33 advantage. Pierre shot 6 of 12 and scored 16 first-half points to pace Jacksonville State.

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1st Half
JVST
Gamecocks
33
LIB
Flames
37

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Mason Nicholson vs. Owen Aquino (Colin Porter gains possession)
19:31		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
19:29		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
19:06	+2	Koree Cotton makes two point jump shot	2-0
18:41		Colin Porter misses two point layup
18:39		Marcellus Brigham Jr. defensive rebound
18:31		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:29		Colin Porter defensive rebound
18:19		Kaden Metheny misses two point layup
18:17		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
18:06		Jaron Pierre Jr. offensive foul
18:06		Jaron Pierre Jr. turnover (offensive foul)
17:46		Marcellus Brigham Jr. blocks Zach Cleveland's two point layup
17:44		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
17:37	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point layup (Koree Cotton assists)	4-0
17:37		Owen Aquino shooting foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
17:37	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	5-0
17:17	+2	Taelon Peter makes two point layup (Colin Porter assists)	5-2
16:45	+3	Quel'Ron House makes three point jump shot	8-2
16:32	+2	Colin Porter makes two point layup	8-4
16:07		Marcellus Brigham Jr. misses two point layup
16:05		Gamecocks offensive rebound
15:58		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
15:56		Flames defensive rebound
15:56		TV timeout
15:43		Owen Aquino turnover (lost ball)
15:26	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point dunk (Quel'Ron House assists)	10-4
15:12		Owen Aquino misses two point layup
15:10		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
15:05		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:03		Mason Nicholson offensive rebound
14:49	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point layup	12-4
14:23	+3	Colin Porter makes three point jump shot	12-7
14:01	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point jump shot	14-7
13:45	+3	Taelon Peter makes three point jump shot (Colin Porter assists)	14-10
13:23		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point layup
13:21		Owen Aquino defensive rebound
13:16		Taelon Peter turnover (lost ball) (Quel'Ron House steals)
12:55		Taelon Peter personal foul
12:40		Quel'Ron House misses two point jump shot
12:38		Taelon Peter defensive rebound
12:26		Zach Cleveland misses two point layup
12:24		Iaroslav Niagu defensive rebound
12:03		Jao Ituka misses two point jump shot
12:01		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
11:48	+2	Colin Porter makes two point layup	14-12
11:19		Michael Houge turnover (bad pass) (Jayvon Maughmer steals)
11:13	+2	Jayvon Maughmer makes two point layup (Colin Porter assists)	14-14
10:50	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point jump shot	16-14
10:32	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point layup	16-16
10:00	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot	18-16
9:47	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point layup (Colin Porter assists)	18-18
9:19		Zach Cleveland blocks Jao Ituka's two point layup
9:17		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
9:12	+2	Jayvon Maughmer makes two point layup	18-20
8:54		Zander Yates personal foul
8:54		TV timeout
8:45		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
8:43		Marcellus Brigham Jr. personal foul
8:26	+3	Taelon Peter makes three point jump shot (Jayvon Maughmer assists)	18-23
8:05		Koree Cotton turnover (bad pass) (Jayvon Maughmer steals)
8:03		Koree Cotton personal foul
8:03		Quel'Ron House personal foul
8:03		TV timeout
7:56	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot	18-26
7:35		Quel'Ron House misses two point jump shot
7:33		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
7:25	+3	Zander Yates makes three point jump shot (Taelon Peter assists)	18-29
7:23		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
7:15		Zander Yates shooting foul (Mason Nicholson draws the foul)
7:15	+1	Mason Nicholson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	19-29
7:15		Mason Nicholson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:15		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
7:05		Koree Cotton personal foul
6:57	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot	19-32
6:40		Mason Nicholson misses two point layup
6:38		Colin Porter defensive rebound
6:31		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
6:29		Gamecocks defensive rebound
6:13	+2	Michael Houge makes two point jump shot (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	21-32
5:43		Zach Cleveland misses two point jump shot
5:41		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
5:33	+3	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes three point jump shot (Quel'Ron House assists)	24-32
5:11		Mason Nicholson blocks Jayvon Maughmer's two point layup
5:09		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
4:42		Mason Nicholson misses two point jump shot
4:40		Owen Aquino defensive rebound
4:22		Jayvon Maughmer misses three point jump shot
4:20		Marcellus Brigham Jr. defensive rebound
3:53	+3	Michael Houge makes three point jump shot (Marcellus Brigham Jr. assists)	27-32
3:20	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot	27-35
3:17		Flames 30 second timeout
3:17		TV timeout
2:50	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point layup	29-35
2:22	+2	Kaden Metheny makes two point layup	29-37
1:57	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot	31-37
1:43		Iaroslav Niagu blocks Zach Cleveland's two point layup
1:41		Iaroslav Niagu defensive rebound
1:29		Michael Houge misses two point layup
1:27		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
1:00		Zander Yates misses three point jump shot
0:58		Michael Houge defensive rebound
0:51		Zach Cleveland shooting foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
0:51	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-37
0:51	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	33-37
0:22		Kaden Metheny misses two point jump shot
0:20		Flames turnover (shot clock violation)
0:02		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:00		Iaroslav Niagu offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
JVST
Gamecocks
34
LIB
Flames
42

Time		Play	Score
19:43		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
19:41		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
19:27	+2	Jayvon Maughmer makes two point layup (Colin Porter assists)	33-39
19:01	+2	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes two point jump shot	35-39
18:44	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot (Colin Porter assists)	35-42
18:18		Zach Cleveland blocks Koree Cotton's two point layup
18:16		Koree Cotton offensive rebound
18:16	+2	Koree Cotton makes two point layup	37-42
17:55	+3	Colin Porter makes three point jump shot	37-45
17:43		Kaden Metheny personal foul
17:39		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
17:37		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
17:25		Kaden Metheny turnover (bad pass) (Koree Cotton steals)
17:22		Zach Cleveland shooting foul (Koree Cotton draws the foul)
17:22	+1	Koree Cotton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-45
17:22	+1	Koree Cotton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	39-45
17:11	+2	Taelon Peter makes two point layup (Zach Cleveland assists)	39-47
16:54	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point layup (Koree Cotton assists)	41-47
16:27	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point layup (Kaden Metheny assists)	41-49
16:03		Zander Yates shooting foul (Mason Nicholson draws the foul)
16:03		Mason Nicholson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:03		Mason Nicholson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:03		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
15:41	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point dunk (Colin Porter assists)	41-51
15:29		Quel'Ron House misses two point jump shot
15:27		Colin Porter defensive rebound
15:22	+2	Taelon Peter makes two point layup (Kaden Metheny assists)	41-53
14:53		Mason Nicholson misses two point layup
14:51		Colin Porter defensive rebound
14:43		Jayvon Maughmer misses three point jump shot
14:41		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
14:40		TV timeout
14:23		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
14:21		Jaron Pierre Jr. offensive rebound
14:03		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
14:01		Owen Aquino defensive rebound
13:33		Iaroslav Niagu blocks Colin Porter's two point layup
13:31		Iaroslav Niagu defensive rebound
13:14		Michael Houge misses three point jump shot
13:12		Kaden Metheny defensive rebound
12:56	+2	Kaden Metheny makes two point layup	41-55
12:35	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point jump shot	43-55
12:13	+3	Taelon Peter makes three point jump shot (Colin Porter assists)	43-58
11:58		Quel'Ron House turnover (lost ball)
11:58		TV timeout
11:47	+2	Owen Aquino makes two point dunk (Taelon Peter assists)	43-60
11:23		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
11:21		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
11:10		Kaden Metheny misses two point layup
11:08		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
10:58	+2	Michael Houge makes two point jump shot (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	45-60
10:29		Jayvon Maughmer misses two point jump shot
10:27		Marcellus Brigham Jr. defensive rebound
10:17		Quel'Ron House turnover (bad pass) (Kaden Metheny steals)
9:51	+2	Owen Aquino makes two point layup (Kaden Metheny assists)	45-62
9:27		Taelon Peter personal foul
9:15		Koree Cotton misses two point layup
9:13		Zander Yates defensive rebound
8:56		Marcellus Brigham Jr. personal foul
8:55		Taelon Peter turnover (out of bounds)
8:37		Jayvon Maughmer shooting foul (Quel'Ron House draws the foul)
8:37		Quel'Ron House misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:37		Quel'Ron House misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:37		Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
8:29		Official timeout
8:14		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
8:12		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
8:01		Kaden Metheny personal foul
7:50		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
7:48		Marcellus Brigham Jr. personal foul
7:48		TV timeout
7:23	+3	Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot	45-65
7:07	+3	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	48-65
6:39		Michael Houge personal foul
6:25		Colin Porter turnover (bad pass) (Mason Nicholson steals)
6:11		Owen Aquino shooting foul (Mason Nicholson draws the foul)
6:11	+1	Mason Nicholson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-65
6:11		Mason Nicholson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:11		Taelon Peter defensive rebound
5:55		Colin Porter turnover (bad pass) (Jaron Pierre Jr. steals)
5:44		Colin Porter shooting foul (Koree Cotton draws the foul)
5:44		Koree Cotton misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:44		Koree Cotton misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:44		Owen Aquino defensive rebound
5:21		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
5:19		Gamecocks defensive rebound
5:07	+3	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	52-65
5:04		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
5:04		TV timeout
4:41		Mason Nicholson shooting foul (Owen Aquino draws the foul)
4:41	+1	Owen Aquino makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-66
4:41	+1	Owen Aquino makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-67
4:31		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
4:29		Michael Houge offensive rebound
4:28		Owen Aquino blocks Michael Houge's two point jump shot
4:26		Jaron Pierre Jr. offensive rebound
4:18	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point layup (Koree Cotton assists)	54-67
3:48	+2	Zach Cleveland makes two point dunk (Colin Porter assists)	54-69
3:28		Taelon Peter shooting foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
3:28		TV timeout
3:28		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
3:28	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-69
3:04		Colin Porter turnover (lost ball) (Michael Houge steals)
3:01		Owen Aquino shooting foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
3:01	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-69
3:01	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-69
2:42	+3	Colin Porter makes three point jump shot (Taelon Peter assists)	57-72
2:26		Kaden Metheny shooting foul (Marcellus Brigham Jr. draws the foul)
2:26		Marcellus Brigham Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:26	+1	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-72
2:05		Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
2:03		Zach Cleveland offensive rebound
1:57		Koree Cotton shooting foul (Taelon Peter draws the foul)
1:57	+1	Taelon Peter makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-73
1:57		Taelon Peter misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:57		Michael Houge defensive rebound
1:47		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:45		Flames defensive rebound
1:38		Iaroslav Niagu shooting foul (Taelon Peter draws the foul)
1:38	+1	Taelon Peter makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-74
1:38	+1	Taelon Peter makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-75
1:32	+3	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes three point jump shot (Quel'Ron House assists)	61-75
1:27		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
1:25		Jayvon Maughmer turnover (bad pass) (Marcellus Brigham Jr. steals)
1:17	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point layup	63-75
1:12		Michael Houge personal foul (Kaden Metheny draws the foul)
1:12	+1	Kaden Metheny makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-76
1:12	+1	Kaden Metheny makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-77
1:06		Quel'Ron House misses three point jump shot
1:04		Marcellus Brigham Jr. offensive rebound
1:03		Marcellus Brigham Jr. misses two point layup
1:01		Iaroslav Niagu offensive rebound
1:01		Taelon Peter shooting foul (Iaroslav Niagu draws the foul)
1:01	+1	Iaroslav Niagu makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-77
1:01	+1	Iaroslav Niagu makes regular free throw 2 of 2	65-77
0:59	+2	Taelon Peter makes two point dunk (Zach Cleveland assists)	65-79
0:50		Marcellus Brigham Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:48		Koree Cotton offensive rebound
0:44		Owen Aquino shooting foul (Koree Cotton draws the foul)
0:44		Koree Cotton misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:44		Koree Cotton misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:44		Jayvon Maughmer defensive rebound
0:39		Michael Houge personal foul (Jayvon Maughmer draws the foul)
0:39		Jayvon Maughmer misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:39		Michael Houge defensive rebound
0:26	+2	Michael Houge makes two point layup	67-79
0:00		End of period

+ 2

Michael Houge makes two point layup