NEW ORLEANS, La. | Alabama State finished off their non-conference portion of the schedule, falling 87-70 to Liberty on the final day of the New Orleans Shootout at the Convocation Center, on the campus of Xavier University.
 
Ed Jones posted a career-high 16 points for Alabama State (0-12), leading four players in double figures for the Hornets. He finished the day shooting 70 (7-of-10) percent from the floor for the Hornets in the loss. Jacoby Ross finished with 14 points, connecting on eight free throws.
 
Both Jones and Ross came up just short of a double-double, as Jones finished with nine rebounds and Ross four assists. Meanwhile, Reginald Gee finished with 12 points, on 10-of-11 shooting from the free throw line and Rodney Simeon 11.
 
Alabama State went nearly nine minutes before hitting their first basket Friday afternoon when Ed Jones connected on a turnaround in the lane with 11:21 remaining in the opening half. The basket trimmed the deficit to 15-9 after the first seven points for the Hornets came via the free throw line.
 
After trading baskets until Liberty was able to push the lead back to eight at 19-11, the Hornets were able to come back and close the gap to three – the smallest margin in the first half. They used a pair of free throws by Jacoby Ross and a three-pointer from Gene Davis, the only one of the first half, with 8:56 to play in the half to trim the deficit to 19-16. From there, Liberty outscored the Hornets 16-7 over the final eight minutes to take a 35-23 halftime lead.
 
Liberty was able to push the lead to as large as 18 early in the second half on a pair of three-pointers by Ryan Kemrite, equaling the first half amount of three-pointers hit by the Flames. The Flames were able to pull away with four three-pointers in the second half and build the lead to as many as 24, answering each Alabama State run.
 
Although the Flames kept running out to leads, Simeon kept the Hornets in the contest with three three-pointers in a two-minute span to trim the deficit to 20. The baskets were the first of the game for Simeon, who hit his first three with 11:34 to play in the contest and his last with 9:41 to play that trimmed the deficit to 65-45. The Hornets continued to climb back into the game on a Jones' layup (off a dish from Jacoby Ross) with 9:08 to play, and a pair of free throws by Simeon to trim the deficit to 18. The baskets were part of an 11-3 run that ultimately trimmed the deficit to 13 (69-56).
 
George Pacheco-Ortiz led Liberty (9-4) with 19 points and seven assists, while Scottie James added 14. Kemrite and Caleb Homesley each finished with 11 for the Flames.
 
Alabama State will return to action on January 1, opening conference play in Jackson (Miss.) against the Tigers from Jackson State University. The game is part if a doubleheader with the women, tipping off at 7:30 pm, and can be heard on the Hornet Sports Network.
 
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