LYNCHBURG, Va. – Gardner-Webb squandered a tremendous opportunity at a league road win Saturday, but tired legs turned into cold shooting and allowed a late Liberty run that wound up a 68-59 win for the hosts.

Gardner-Webb (2-5, 1-1 Big South), playing its sixth road game in seven outings – and second in three days – came out shooting darts in the early going, going up 29-20 with 7:10 to play before intermission. The road-weary ‘Dogs started to sputter from there, hitting just 1-of-5 shots in the final five minutes of that half and were left clinging to a 35-33 edge at the break.

The frigidity continued for the Runnin’ Bulldogs in the second stanza, as open opportunities – from underneath to outside the arc – failed to connect. Gardner-Webb missed 14 of its first 16 shots in the second half, yet played well enough on the defensive end and on the glass to trail just by two points, 43-41, with 12 minutes left.

A layup by Josh Henley tied the game at 43 with just over 11 minutes to play, and the two teams traded baskets – albeit with long stretches between at times – as the Flames decided the slow the pace on offense and shorten the game, limiting GWU’s ability to get out and run in transition as well.

A 10-footer by Aaron Linn with 5:05 left gave Gardner-Webb a 55-54 lead, but preseason Big South Player of the Year Anthony Smith would have an answer for Liberty (6-1, 1-1 Big South). The senior followed his own miss to give the Flames a 56-55 lead at the 4:34 mark and swung momentum severely in favor of the hosts.

Gardner-Webb had its chances to go back in front over the next two minutes, but missed four open looks and had a turnover in five possessions. Smith then hit one of two free throws with 2:43 remaining to put the Flames up 57-55 and swished a three-pointer after another Bulldog miss for a 60-55 edge with 2:08 remaining.

Jonathan Moore’s layup with 1:48 left pulled Gardner-Webb back within three, but Smith worked off a screen for another corner three seconds later and a 63-57 lead. GWU remained cold the rest of the way, and Liberty knocked in five free throws in the final minute to stretch out its margin of victory.

Smith’s heroics saw him account for 11 points in a decisive 14-4 run for the Flames. He finished with a game-high 27 points, bailing out a Flames’ squad that saw young star Seth Curry struggle (4-for-16) from the floor en route to 15 points.

Gardner-Webb shot just 37.9 percent for the game (9-of-26 from deep) with a hobbled Flittner leading the way with 15 points. Moore added 14 points and Linn scored 10 points for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, who coughed up the basketball 20 times (19 Liberty points off turnovers). Josh Henley had 11 boards off the bench for GWU, which had to play most of the second half without forward Nate Blank – who picked up his fourth foul less than two minutes after halftime.

Gardner-Webb will enjoy a short break for final exams, then will hit the road again for a three-game road trip that includes games at Wichita State (12/12), Kansas State (12/14) and Western Carolina (12/17).