Top 10: Why JMU's Gwathmey went off on Liberty

What caused JMU's Jazmon Gwathmey to light up Liberty (a career-high 33 points in a 72-56 victory) Monday night? This Top-10 list features nine pet theories followed by the one most likely factor.

Drum roll, please....

10. Someone convinced Gwathmey the Liberty contest was actually a CAA tournament game. And as we all know, Gwathmey owns that event.

9. She already knew this, but after Friday's UCLA debacle (fouled out in 16 minutes), Gwathmey drew extra motivation from that reminder that it's a lot more fun actually playing basketball than it is sitting on the bench watching others do so.

8. Wanted to see if she could outscore an entire team for one half. Monday's halftime score: Gwathmey 21, Liberty 16. Check.

7. Misunderstood instructions. Was told to get three 3s, thought they said "3-3." Wound up doing both (3-4 3FGs).

6. Was miffed that we dropped JMU to No. 3 in our weekly state rankings (Oopsie?)

5. Inserted herself in her own lineup on her fantasy women's college basketball team. (Off topic: The one week I sit Russell Wilson is the one week he puts up numbers? Sheesh!)

4.  Wanted to make up for her scoreless, four-fouls-in-12-minutes stint as a redshirt freshman reserve in a 60-48 loss the last time Liberty visited Harrionsburg, on Nov. 4, 2012. Consider that debt settled, Jazmon - with interest.

3. As a tribute to her beloved Lakers, Gwathmey decided to play like the Kobe of old - instead of the old Kobe we're seeing these days (Hey, we're Celtics fans. Cheap shots against the Lakers are in our blood. By the way, good luck with Steph and Golden State tonight!).

2. Wanted to keep JMU's winning streak against in-state opponents intact - it's now 18 and counting since that 2012 loss to Liberty.

And, of course, the No. 1, most obvious reason:

1. Gwathmey is really good at basketball. As Dukes coach Kenny Brooks put it in the postgame, "Jaz was just Jaz tonight."