BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb opens the Big South Conference men's basketball slate Saturday afternoon, hosting Liberty at 4:30 pm in Paul Porter Arena.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (5-8) have won two in a row, taking a win at Hampton on December 17 and breezing past Toccoa Falls on December 20 – and have prepared for league play with a schedule rated among the top-25 in strength through the first two months of the 2017-2018 season.

Liberty (9-4) holds a 12-6 edge in the all-time series, and has won four in a row over Gardner-Webb. The last meeting was a thriller, with the Flames taking a 92-87 win in double overtime last February 9 in Paul Porter Arena.

All-Big South wing David Efianayi has improved his scoring output as a junior, ranking fourth in the Big South Conference at 17.1 ppg and has been very efficient from the foul line. The Orlando, Fla., standout has made 21 of his last 23 free throws heading into Saturday's league opener and is shooting at a solid 77.6 percent clip (45-of-58) for the season.

DJ Laster (15.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Liam O'Reilly (12.5 ppg) round out the double figures scorers for the Runnin' Bulldogs, with Laster nearly doubling his production from last season.

Reserves Jaheam Cornwall (6.9 ppg) and Patrick Zeck (6.4 ppg) have enjoyed strong scoring efforts this season at times and starting point guard Christian Turner (2.2 ppg) had his best game to date in the win at Hampton – netting 12 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Gardner-Webb has posted a 4-0 record at home so far this season, with three of those wins coming against non-Division I competition. One of the squad's most impressive performances offensively came against a Division I foe, however, as GWU assisted on 24 of its 29 made baskets in a dominant, 87-66 win over future Big South Conference foe USC Upstate on December 2.

Liberty was the Big South's most impressive squad during non-conference play, picking up a Power Five win (Wake Forest) and smothering many of its opponents with a trademark defensive effort.

The Flames rank No. 16 nationally heading into Saturday's game in team defense, allowing only 61.5 points per game. Opponents are shooting just 38.7 percent from the floor overall and only 30.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Guard Lovell Cabbil (13.0 ppg) has been very effective getting into the paint, and has converted 41-of-45 from the free throw line (91.1 percent) when fouled. Scottie James, a 6-foot-7 forward who transferred in from Bradley, has provided a boost inside with averages of 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Steady Senior Ryan Kemrite (10.8 ppg) has also been a strong scorer from the perimeter, making 31-of-71 shots from long range (43.7 percent). All told, 73.8 percent of Kemrite's made field goals have come from beyond the arc.

Point guard Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz (9.8 ppg), wing Caleb Homesley (7.2 ppg), forward Myo Baxter-Bell (6.6 ppg) and wing Isaiah Williams (6.0 ppg) have helped the Flames average an impressive 77.3 points per game as a team – which has built a strong 15.8 ppg average margin of victory.

Saturday afternoon's game will stream live on the Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com), with Fabian Fuentes calling the action. The game is the second half of a doubleheader at Paul Porter Arena, with the GWU women hosting Division II Converse at 2:00 pm.