Western Kentucky’s women’s basketball team fell on the road, 60-54, at Liberty on Saturday afternoon at Liberty Arena in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Torri James, Tia Shelling, Trinity Rowe, Zsofia Telegdy and Salma Khedr were the first five on the court for WKU (8-19 overall, 4-12 Conference USA) for the seventh consecutive game. It is the 10th time this season the group has started a game together.

Telegdy scored the first points of the game on a layup 28 seconds into the matchup. Liberty (16-12, 10-7 CUSA) scored four straight to take a lead. The two teams went back and forth with three ties and seven lead changes throughout the rest of the quarter. The squads even exchanged 3-pointers at the end of the quarter on four straight possessions, with each team making two. Khedr was the last to make a 3 to give WKU a 16-15 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Flames opened the second quarter on a 5-0 run to retake the lead. A 3-pointer from Shelling cut that lead down to one, but Liberty scored the next three points to go back ahead by four. The Lady Toppers rattled off a 10-0 run to take 29-23 lead. The Flames broke the run with a midrange jumper, but WKU scored another five straight, including the third made 3-pointer from Tatum Boettjer. Just before the break, Liberty made a free throw to bring the score to a 34-26 WKU lead going into halftime.

The Lady Toppers went cold in the third quarter, going 1-of-14 from the field and were outscored 18-3 in the frame. WKU went into the final quarter down 44-37.

After going back and forth, Shelling scored back-to-back baskets to get WKU back within five with 7:03 left. The Flames responded with five straight points, but WKU answered back with a 9-0 run to cut it to one with 1:54 left in the game. Liberty came down and made good on an and-one opportunity to push back ahead by four. After a few empty possessions both ways, WKU was forced to foul with 36 seconds left and Liberty was able to seal the win at the free-throw line from there.

Shelling led WKU in scoring for the third time this season with 13 points to go along with four steals and four rebounds. It was her seventh double digit game of the season.

Boettjer had 11 points in the game with three first half 3-pointers. It was her fifth double-digit game of the season.

Rowe scored 10 points and had a career high six rebounds and three assists. It was her 11th double digit game of the season.

Khedr added nine points, a career high six assists, five rebounds and two steals.

The Lady Toppers return home to close out the regular season. WKU will take on Missouri State on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and then FIU on Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m.