No. 13 Florida Atlantic hands Liberty its first loss of the season, 83-58
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) Alijah Martin scored 20 points and Vlad Goldin added 18 points and seven rebounds as No. 13 Florida Atlantic cruised past Liberty 83-58 on Thursday night in the opening game of the Field of 68 Tipoff Classic.
The Owls extended a 15-point halftime lead to 29 in the second period and handed Liberty (6-1) its first loss of the season.
Playing at home for the first time since its Nov. 18 upset loss to Bryant, FAU (6-1) overcame a sluggish shooting start by pounding the ball inside - where Liberty had no answer for Goldin and Martin. The duo combined for 24 of the team's 44 first-half points, with only one field goal - Martin's 3-pointer - coming outside the lane.
“I thought we took advantage of the right matchups,” FAU coach Dusty May said. “I thought we took advantage of the right spacing."
The Owls' first six field goals came in the paint. FAU didn’t drain an outside shot until more than eight minutes in, when Bryan Greenlee’s 3-pointer found its target.
Having found their range, the points came in bunches. Brandon Weatherspoon’s 3-pointer, the Owls' second in a 45-second span, gave FAU its first double-digit lead, 26-15, with a little more than seven minutes remaining in the first half.
All 18 of FAU’s first-half field goals either came in the paint or from beyond the 3-point arc. Florida Atlantic ultimately connected on more than half its field goal attempts, including 7 of 14 from behind the arc.
Even before its offense started rolling, FAU’s defense stifled Liberty, limiting leading scorer Kyle Rode to six points on 2-of-11 shooting - the worst shooting performance of his career.
“They are one team that can penalize you on the offensive end and match up with you on the defensive end,” Liberty coach Ritchie McKay said.
FAU once again showcased its deep bench, as eight Owls played at least 12 minutes. Johnell Davis, their second-leading scorer, didn’t connect on any of his seven shots, sinking only two free throws on the night.
“I think these guys appreciate and value winning - and they do it together,” May said.
A late 17-2 run by FAU removed all suspense from the final minutes.
Colin Porter paced Liberty with 16 points.
BIG PICTURE
Liberty: The Flames entered as the lone FBS school with undefeated football and basketball teams. ... Kaden Metheny had 10 points and five rebounds. ... The Flames shot only 57% from the free-throw line.
Florida Atlantic: Starting point guard Nick Boyd missed his third consecutive game with a leg injury. It’s possible he could return Saturday against Charleston, but next Tuesday vs. No. 24 Illinois at Madison Square Garden seems more likely.
UP NEXT
Liberty: Will face Charleston on Friday night at Florida Atlantic University in the second game of the Field of 68 tournament.
Florida Atlantic: Will host Charleston on Saturday night in the tournament finale in Boca Raton.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Owls gains possession) | |||
19:43 | Brandon Weatherspoon misses two point layup | |||
19:41 | Kaden Metheny defensive rebound | |||
19:08 | Flames turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
18:45 | Jalen Gaffney misses two point layup | |||
18:43 | Alijah Martin offensive rebound | |||
18:40 | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point layup | 0-2 | |
18:13 | Kyle Rode misses three point jump shot | |||
18:11 | Zach Cleveland offensive rebound | |||
18:04 | +2 | Zach Cleveland makes two point layup | 2-2 | |
17:53 | +2 | Vladislav Goldin makes two point jump shot | 2-4 | |
17:30 | Vladislav Goldin blocks Joseph Venzant's two point layup | |||
17:28 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
17:22 | Brandon Weatherspoon misses three point jump shot | |||
17:20 | Alijah Martin offensive rebound | |||
17:13 | Jalen Gaffney misses two point layup | |||
17:11 | Zach Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
17:02 | Zach Cleveland turnover (Alijah Martin steals) | |||
16:44 | +2 | Vladislav Goldin makes two point layup | 2-6 | |
16:21 | Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot | |||
16:19 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
16:09 | Johnell Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
16:07 | Owls offensive rebound | |||
15:56 | Colin Porter shooting foul | |||
15:56 | TV timeout | |||
15:56 | Giancarlo Rosado misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
15:56 | +1 | Giancarlo Rosado makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-7 | |
15:30 | Kyle Rode misses three point jump shot | |||
15:28 | Brandon Weatherspoon defensive rebound | |||
15:07 | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point jump shot | 2-9 | |
14:49 | +3 | Colin Porter makes three point jump shot (Kyle Rode assists) | 5-9 | |
14:33 | Johnell Davis misses two point layup | |||
14:31 | Johnell Davis offensive rebound | |||
14:22 | Johnell Davis turnover (out of bounds) | |||
14:06 | +2 | Shiloh Robinson makes two point layup | 7-9 | |
13:54 | Johnell Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
13:52 | Giancarlo Rosado offensive rebound | |||
13:40 | +2 | Jalen Gaffney makes two point layup | 7-11 | |
13:15 | Kyle Rode turnover (Giancarlo Rosado steals) | |||
13:06 | +2 | Bryan Greenlee makes two point layup | 7-13 | |
12:50 | Johnell Davis blocks Brody Peebles's three point jump shot | |||
12:48 | Giancarlo Rosado defensive rebound | |||
12:37 | Johnell Davis misses two point layup | |||
12:35 | Giancarlo Rosado offensive rebound | |||
12:28 | Zach Cleveland blocks Giancarlo Rosado's two point layup | |||
12:26 | Kaden Metheny defensive rebound | |||
12:18 | +3 | Shiloh Robinson makes three point jump shot (Brody Peebles assists) | 10-13 | |
12:04 | Alijah Martin misses two point layup | |||
12:02 | Giancarlo Rosado offensive rebound | |||
11:49 | Shiloh Robinson blocks Giancarlo Rosado's two point layup | |||
11:49 | Zach Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
11:49 | Kaden Metheny misses two point layup | |||
11:47 | Jalen Gaffney defensive rebound | |||
11:42 | +3 | Bryan Greenlee makes three point jump shot | 10-16 | |
11:18 | Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot | |||
11:16 | Bryan Greenlee defensive rebound | |||
11:04 | Bryan Greenlee misses two point layup | |||
11:02 | Zach Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
11:02 | Giancarlo Rosado personal foul | |||
11:02 | TV timeout | |||
10:39 | Colin Porter misses two point jump shot | |||
10:37 | Joseph Venzant offensive rebound | |||
10:24 | Colin Porter misses three point jump shot | |||
10:22 | Zach Cleveland offensive rebound | |||
10:19 | +3 | Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot (Zach Cleveland assists) | 13-16 | |
10:00 | Zander Yates personal foul | |||
9:49 | +2 | Vladislav Goldin makes two point hook shot | 13-18 | |
9:29 | Vladislav Goldin personal foul | |||
9:27 | +2 | Joseph Venzant makes two point dunk (Zach Cleveland assists) | 15-18 | |
9:05 | Vladislav Goldin turnover (Colin Porter steals) | |||
8:45 | Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot | |||
8:43 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
8:33 | +3 | Brenen Lorient makes three point jump shot (Jalen Gaffney assists) | 15-21 | |
8:05 | Kaden Metheny turnover (Jalen Gaffney steals) | |||
7:50 | +2 | Vladislav Goldin makes two point hook shot | 15-23 | |
7:25 | Vladislav Goldin blocks Colin Porter's two point layup | |||
7:23 | Bryan Greenlee defensive rebound | |||
7:15 | +3 | Brandon Weatherspoon makes three point jump shot (Brenen Lorient assists) | 15-26 | |
7:14 | Flames 30 second timeout | |||
7:14 | TV timeout | |||
7:02 | Kaden Metheny turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Gaffney steals) | |||
6:41 | Flames misses three point jump shot | |||
6:39 | Owls defensive rebound | |||
6:34 | Alijah Martin misses two point layup | |||
6:32 | Joseph Venzant defensive rebound | |||
6:22 | Zach Cleveland turnover (Alijah Martin steals) | |||
6:17 | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point layup | 15-28 | |
5:52 | Kyle Rode misses two point jump shot | |||
5:50 | Kyle Rode offensive rebound | |||
5:46 | Kyle Rode misses two point layup | |||
5:44 | Johnell Davis defensive rebound | |||
5:26 | +2 | Giancarlo Rosado makes two point layup | 15-30 | |
5:26 | Kyle Rode shooting foul (Giancarlo Rosado draws the foul) | |||
5:26 | Giancarlo Rosado misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
5:26 | Kaden Metheny defensive rebound | |||
5:06 | +3 | Colin Porter makes three point jump shot (Kaden Metheny assists) | 18-30 | |
4:53 | Bryan Greenlee misses three point jump shot | |||
4:51 | Colin Porter defensive rebound | |||
4:43 | Giancarlo Rosado blocks Shiloh Robinson's two point layup | |||
4:41 | Flames offensive rebound | |||
4:23 | Shiloh Robinson misses two point layup | |||
4:21 | Giancarlo Rosado defensive rebound | |||
4:12 | +2 | Jalen Gaffney makes two point layup | 18-32 | |
3:58 | Kaden Metheny turnover (Johnell Davis steals) | |||
3:51 | Alijah Martin misses two point layup | |||
3:49 | Kyle Rode defensive rebound | |||
3:42 | +2 | Colin Porter makes two point layup | 20-32 | |
3:42 | Johnell Davis shooting foul | |||
3:42 | TV timeout | |||
3:42 | +1 | Colin Porter makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 21-32 | |
3:30 | +3 | Alijah Martin makes three point jump shot (Bryan Greenlee assists) | 21-35 | |
3:11 | Zach Cleveland misses two point layup | |||
3:09 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
3:01 | Vladislav Goldin misses two point hook shot | |||
2:59 | Alijah Martin offensive rebound | |||
2:50 | +2 | Vladislav Goldin makes two point hook shot | 21-37 | |
2:20 | Brody Peebles misses three point jump shot | |||
2:18 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
2:10 | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point layup | 21-39 | |
2:10 | Shiloh Robinson shooting foul | |||
2:10 | +1 | Alijah Martin makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 21-40 | |
2:03 | Kyle Rode misses three point jump shot | |||
2:01 | Alijah Martin defensive rebound | |||
1:53 | Vladislav Goldin misses two point layup | |||
1:51 | Kyle Rode defensive rebound | |||
1:44 | +3 | Colin Porter makes three point jump shot (Kyle Rode assists) | 24-40 | |
1:31 | Bryan Greenlee misses two point jump shot | |||
1:29 | Kaden Metheny defensive rebound | |||
1:14 | Joseph Venzant misses three point jump shot | |||
1:12 | Flames offensive rebound | |||
1:04 | +3 | Gabriel McKay makes three point jump shot (Kyle Rode assists) | 27-40 | |
1:02 | Giancarlo Rosado shooting foul | |||
1:02 | Gabriel McKay misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:02 | Alijah Martin defensive rebound | |||
0:38 | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point dunk (Bryan Greenlee assists) | 27-42 | |
0:25 | Flames 30 second timeout | |||
0:25 | Flames 30 second timeout | |||
0:15 | Kyle Rode misses three point jump shot | |||
0:13 | Owls defensive rebound | |||
0:09 | Gabriel McKay personal foul | |||
0:02 | Colin Porter shooting foul (Jalen Gaffney draws the foul) | |||
0:02 | +1 | Jalen Gaffney makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-43 | |
0:02 | +1 | Jalen Gaffney makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-44 | |
0:00 | End of period |