LYNCHBURG, Va. – After handing Liberty its first home loss in its new arena last season, the Flames turned up the heat on Jacksonville State Thursday night in a dominating 75-41 victory over JSU.
 
ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Darius McGhee scored a game-high 22 and the Flames (12-4, 3-0 ASUN) picked up their first-ever win over the Gamecocks (7-9, 0-3 ASUN).
 
Senior Skyelar Potter finished with a team-best 11 points as the only Gamecock in double figures, but it was no match for a Liberty squad that shot 50-percent overall to win for the 10th time in their last 11 games. Amanze Ngumezi, back in the starting lineup the last two games, did his best finishing with nine points and a rebound.
 
Juwan Perdue knocked down a pair of free throws and Amanze Ngumezi connected on a short jumper from the paint to give JSU an early 4-2 lead in the first 90 seconds, but it quickly became tough sledding from that point. The Flames counted with a 16-0 run while the Gamecocks were held scorless for the next eight minutes. The margin grew to 26 points before Demaree King drained his first triple of the night.  
 
With just four field goals in the opening 20 minutes, JSU trailed the Flames 38-13 at halftime after Liberty shot an even 50-percent.
 
Potter sparked an early second-half spark with seven quick points, but LU's high-powered offense wouldn't be kept in check long and countering each JSU threat. The Gamecocks more than doubled their offensive output in the second half, but it wasn't enough to battle back against a scorching LU team.
 
JSU's 41 final points marks a new low under seven-year head coach Ray Harper, and is the fewest points scored by the Gamecocks since an 88-39 loss to Louisville on Nov. 14, 2014.
 
JSU returns to action Saturday night with another tough task against the Knights of Bellarmine.