LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty closed the game on a 15-4 run to pull away for a 77-65 win over Gardner-Webb Saturday night in a key Big South Conference men's basketball game.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (12-15, 7-7 Big South) lost their second in a row and for the third time in four February games. Gardner-Webb and Liberty split this season's two regular season meetings, with GWU last winning in Lynchburg on February 11, 2014.

The Runnin' Bulldogs trailed 35-28 at the half and fell behind by 14 points early in the second half before recovering.

After Caleb Homesley drained a three-pointer with 13:24 left to put Liberty (16-10, 7-7 Big South), Gardner-Webb answered with a 16-7 run to pull within 56-54 on a pair of Liam O'Reilly free throws with 8:07 remaining.

Liberty kept pace from there, holding Gardner-Webb off despite a string of seven consecutive field goals for the Runnin' Bulldogs. 

Jaheam Cornwall's trey with 5:50 left cut the Flames' lead to 62-61 and Gardner-Webb had momentum, but a tip in by Liberty's Scottie James started the final 15-4 run.

GWU trailed just 69-65 with after a pair of David Efianayi free throws with 1:31 left, but would get no closer, as the Flames scored the game's final eight points from the free throw line after Gardner-Webb misses in the final minute.

Gardner-Webb led by as many as seven in the early going, taking an 18-11 lead with 13:07 to play before halftime. Liberty caught up and took the lead for good on a Myo Baxter-Bell jumper with 7:43 to play before halftime.

Gardner-Webb shot 44.4 percent for the game, but missed 10 layups or close shots (10-of-20) against a normally difficult Flames' interior defense.

Efianayi finished with 19 points and was joined in double figures by O'Reilly (17 points) and Cornwall (15 points). Cornwall came off the bench to make 5-of-7 from long range, which was key in pulling Gardner-Webb close in the second half.

The GWU post presence was limited on Saturday, with forwards and centers scoring just 14 combined points.

The Runnin' Bulldogs did take advantage when at the free throw line, making 16-of-20 chances (80.0 percent).

Liberty shot 43.7 percent from the floor (25-of-57), but separated itself with 13-of-28 shooting from long range (46.4 percent) – a marked improvement from its cold shooting effort in December vs. Gardner-Webb.

Ryan Kemrite and Elijah Cuffee each scored 1 points, James scord 14 and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz added 13 for the Flames.

Gardner-Webb will be back in action at home on Thursday, hosting a very talented Winthrop squad at 7:00 pm in Paul Porter Arena.

The game will stream live on the Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com).