Shenandoah (4-2) actually had the last shot of regulation, but Kenny Purnell’s (Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton) 15-foot jumper bounced off the rim as time expired.
Liberty (1-3) then opened the five-minute extra session with three-pointers by David Dees and Evan Risher and never trailed again. The margin was seven in the waning moments, but freshman Stevie Johns (Baltimore, Md./Towson Catholic) drained a three-pointer as the final buzzer sounded.
The Flames held an 11-point lead as late as the 7:04 mark, but a 9-0 SU run brought the Hornets into a 68-66 lead with 2:26 to play. Liberty scored the next five points, but Purnell calmly drained a three-pointer from 21-feet to tie the game at 71-71 with 51 seconds on the clock. After Purnell induced Dees into a missed layup at the 20 second mark, SU held for the final shot.
Purnell dribbled at the top of the key until starting his drive with five ticks remaining; after his shot went off the rim, Dees grabbed the board as regulation time expired.
Senior Chris Jenkins (Bristow, Va./Nokesville) led four visitors in double figures with 15 points, Purnell 14 and Jeremiah Lawrence (Forestville, Va./Forestville) and Onyie Onunaku (Bristow, Va./Stonewall Jackson) 13 each. Onunaku also posted his third double-double of the season with a game high 17 rebounds.
Blair led all scorers with 23 points and Dees added 22.
Liberty shot 30 for 71 (42.3 percent) for the game, including 6 for 18 from behind the arc. Despite playing LU close, Shenandoah did not have a good shooting night. The Hornets were 30 for 78 (38.5 percent) from the field and was just 16 for 28 (57.1 percent) from the line.
Shenandoah greatly assisted its Division I opponent in the first half by shooting a season low 10 for 35 (28.6 percent) from the field and seeing the Flames grab 29 of the 46 rebounds in the period. Still, SU kept itself in it by answering Liberty’s largest lead (21-8 at the 11:26 mark) with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to just six with 8:20 remaining. Unfortunately for the visitors, this would be as close as they would get in the first.
Jenkins led with eight points while classmate Chris Rhone (Washington, D.C./Northwestern) added six.
Box Score/Play by Play
Shenandoah completes this four-game road trip next Saturday at NAIA Southern Virginia. Game time is 2:00.