CHICAGO -- Patrick Konan scored 16 points and had nine rebounds Friday as Liberty pulled away in the second half and beat Mississippi Valley State 72-53 in the Chicago Invitational Challenge.
Evan Gordon added 14 points and Kyle Ohman 12 for the Flames (2-5). Guard Jesse Sanders had a team-high 11 rebounds. Liberty won despite making only 5 of 21 shots from 3-point range.
Julius Cheeks scored 18 and Shannon Behling had all 10 of his points in the first half for MVSU (1-5). The Delta Devils made only 8 of 28 shots in the second half.
Liberty's Chris Perez hit a fast-break basket and 3-pointer to highlight a 13-0 run midway through the second half as the Flames took a 55-40 lead.
MVSU whittled the lead to eight with about five minutes to play but could get no closer.