Lynchburg, Va. -- Sophomore
Chase Johnston led the Stetson University men's basketball team in one of its hardest fought games of the season as the Boca Raton native tallied a career-high 38 points Saturday night, but it was in a losing effort as the Hatters fell 88-82 to Liberty University at Liberty Arena.
The Hatters (11-16, 5-9 ASUN) and the Flames (19-9, 10-3) battled it out in the first half as both teams traded blows for much of the first stanza. By the 13:04 mark, Stetson held a 16-13 lead after a jumper from
Alvin Tumblin but LU responded with two straight field goals to take a 17-16 edge. The Hatters knotted the game at 28 apiece with 3:23 left in the half, but the Flames went on a 12-5 run before the break and took a 40-33 lead into the locker room.
Two of the best 3-point shooters in the country, Johnston and Darius McGhee, went toe-to-toe in the first half with each hitting four 3-pointers as Johnston finished the half with a team-high 18 points while McGhee had 21.
The second stanza opened with a 17-9 run from the Flames as LU took a 57-42 lead with 14:14 left in regulation. The Hatters tried to cut into the lead but the Flames continued to hold a three or more possession lead and by the 5:48 mark, LU led by 14. With 3:35 left, a
Stephan Swenson trey cut the Stetson deficit to single digits and sparked a 13-0 run from the Hatters, capped off by a Johnston 3-pointer that gave the Hatters their only lead of the second half. LU retaliated as McGhee hit back-to-back shots, including a triple to put the Flames up 84-80 with 35 seconds left and all but sealing the win for Liberty.
Johnston's 38-point performance was the first time in 26 years that a Hatter tallied over 35 points in a game. It was the first time a Hatter achieved the feat since Stetson Hall of Famer Jason Alexander scored 36 against FIU back on Feb. 24, 1996.
Christiaan Jones exploded for 15 points in the second half as the graduate student went 6-for-9 from the field and 3-for-6 from long range. Jones finished with 19 points and in the process became Stetson's 9th member of the 1500-career points club. Sophomore
Stephan Swenson also added 10 points of his own with six dimes.
McGhee led all scorers on the night as Liberty's senior guard put up 39 points on 12-of-22 shooting and 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
Stetson's men's hoops will be back in action on Wednesday, Feb 23 as the Hatters travel to Kennesaw, Georgia for their final regular season road trip to face Kennesaw State University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.
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