Bulldogs Run Win Streak To Five Straight Games With 78-67 First-Round Win Over Liberty At San Juan Shootout
Via Media Relations
GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico – The Bulldogs stretched their winning streak to five consecutive games by claiming a 78-67 first-round victory over Liberty at the 18th annual San Juan Shootout played at the Mario Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
After scoring the game’s first nine points, State (8-2) controlled much of the early portion of the contest. As the opening period progressed, three MSU players were saddled with three fouls apiece, including frontcourt starters Charles Rhodes and Wesley Morgan. With State leading by 10 points (25-15) midway through the half, Liberty (2-6) went on a 16-4 run to take a two-point lead (31-29) by the 3:58 mark. The Flames held onto that two-point margin for the remainder of the half to maintain a 38-36 halftime edge.
Liberty kept the narrow advantage for the opening eight minutes of the second stanza before State grabbed back the lead with 12 minutes remaining. With the Flames going scoreless for nearly five minutes and more than six minutes between field goals, the Bulldogs regained the lead for good. After Liberty cut the deficit to a single digit (57-56) by the 6:57 mark, MSU made a 10-2 run to push the margin back up to nine points (67-58) with 4:15 left in the contest.
Shooting 64 percent from the field and 75 percent from the charity stripe as a team in the second half, the Bulldogs tipped off their third basketball visit to San Juan in 13 years and first since 1996 with the 11-point triumph over Liberty.
MSU’s Jamont Gordon matched his season high with 20 points and led the Bulldogs with five rebounds, while Rhodes and Dietric Slater added 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the winners. Liberty’s all-conference performer Larry Blair paced all scorers with 26 points.
Coach Rick Stansbury’s Bulldogs will next meet Akron Tuesday afternoon in a second-round contest slated to tip off at 5 p.m. AT (3 p.m. CT).
