LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — JR Coronado scored 20 points and hauled in 13 rebounds to lead Liberty to an 85-80 win over VMI in a tight conference matchup Saturday.
Liberty (7-10, 1-1 Big South Conference) controlled the boards, with a 52-31 rebounding advantage, and forced the nation’s leading scoring team into 17 turnovers. Davon Marshall contributed 16 points, John-Caleb Sanders added 15 and Andrew Smith had 13 in the win, their first on an opponent’s home court this season.
VMI (8-7, 1-1) kept the game close, trailing 38-37 at the break, and retook the lead midway through the second half on a D.J. Covington jumper that made it 55-54. The Flames responded with a Sanders 3-pointer that put them back on top 57-55 with 11:20 to go and protected the lead in the final minute with 5-of-5 shooting from the foul line by Antwan Burrus.
Rodney Glasgow led the Keydets with 27 points.
