LYNCHBURG, VA -- Winthrop gave its most dominating performance of the season and got a career-high 16 points from Matt Morgan to down the Liberty Flames 67-43 in a Big South Conference game on Thursday night at the Vines Center.
The Eagles have now won a season-best four straight games and seven of their past eight contests as they improve to 12-10 overall and 8-4 in conference play to remain tied for second place in the league standings. The 12 victories surpasses last year's season total. Liberty, which has lost leading scorer Kyle Ohman with a broken wrist for up to six weeks, falls to 11-12 overall and 6-5 in the conference.
Sophomore guard Reggie Middleton helped Winthrop get out to a quick start as he connected on back-to-back 3-pointers in the first two minutes and 17 seconds. Morgan then added three straight buckets to put the Eagles ahead 12-2 with just over four minutes elapsed in the game.
But just when it looked like Winthrop would blow the Flames out early, Liberty came back with a 10-0 run of its own over a five minute stretch to tie the score at 12-12 with 11:09 left on a dunk by Carson McMasters. Liberty, however, was never able to claim a lead as Charles Corbin led a 12-3 Eagle run to put his team up 24-15 with 5:15 left in the first half. Corbin scored eight of those points on a variety of mid-range jumpers. Middleton, Morgan and Corbin combined to score 27 first half points as Winthrop took a 34-21 halftime lead.
Liberty beefed up its defensive pressure early in the second half and was able to get back to within 8 points at 40-32 with 14:20 left in the game after Evan Gordon connected on a 3-pointer. But Winthrop bounced back to outscore Liberty 20-2 over a 8-minutes stretch to put the game away.
"I thought the play of Justin Burton and Charles Corbin was huge tonight," said Winthrop head coach Randy Peele. "When Reggie (Middleton) got his third foul in the opening minute of the second half, JB took over and actually was able to help us increase the lead. Charles came up with some big baskets and was huge on the boards as well."
Winthrop, which came into the game ranked 33rd in the nation in scoring defense and 56th in field goal percentage defense, showed why. The 43 points allowed was the second lowest total by an opponent this year and the Eagles held Liberty to 32 percent field goal shooting (16-50). The Flames actually committed more turnovers (18) that made field goals.
Corbin finished the game with 15 points, his best production of the season and tied Andy Buechert for the team rebounding lead with six as the Eagles won the battle of the boards 44-32. Liberty failed to place a player in double figures. Gordon led the Flames with eight points.
Winthrop departed Lynchburg immediately after the game and headed to Lexington, VA where they will face VMI on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Eagles were hoping to get into Lexington ahead of a heavy winter strom that is predicted across the entire state on Friday.
