ROME, Ga. —
Valdosta State's men's basketball team built a double digit second half lead and withstood a rally by Shorter, as the Blazers defeated the Hawks 97-89 in Gulf South Conference men's basketball action at the Winthrop-King Centre Saturday.
With the win, Valdosta State improved to 14-7 overall and 6-7 in GSC play while Shorter fell to 14-7 and 8-5.
Valdosta State shot 60.0 percent in the second half of the game as it turned a 38-33 halftime lead into a 86-70 lead with 3:52 to play in the contest. Shorter came storming back as the Blazers committed turnovers on three of their next four possessions while getting only a David Murray three-pointer during the Hawk run.
Shorter got three trifectas and a pair of lay-ups during the run, with the last three-pointer pulling SU to within 89-83 with 47 seconds to play.
VSU hit eight of 10 free throws the rest of the game to seal out the victory.
The two teams played even the first three minutes of play before Valdosta State used a 9-0 run to grab control of the game. Four different Blazers scored during the run as Josh Sparks hit a lay-up to open it and Murray hit a three.
James Anacreon added a dunk and Jarroid Johnson a basket to give VSU a 17-8 lead at the 14:55 mark of the first half.
Shorter stormed back to tie the game four minutes later while the lead exchanged hands four times in the following minutes before the Blazer scored eight out of 10 points to once again take the lead.
After the Hawks used a 14-8 run in the opening minutes of the second half to regain the lead, Valdosta State responded with an 8-0 run to lead for good. The Blazers later added an 11-2 spurt and then a 16-7 run to build its 16-point lead.
The Blazers shot 57.4 percent from the floor as they connected on 35-of-61 shots, including 18-of-30 in the second half when they shot 60.0 percent.
Valdosta State also made 11 three-pointers, including five by Murray, who scored 25 points in the game. Anacreon added 18 points and 10 rebounds while Patrick Diop had 19 points and Shaquille Harris 14.
Josh Sparks also finished in double figures with 11 and had four assists and three blocked shots.
VSU also owned a 33-25 advantage in rebounding.
Three Shorter players accounted for 73 of the team's 89 points as Walter Hill led all scorers with 30 while Brandon Pullman added 24 and Dedric Ware 19. Marquise King and Kenny Leverette each had eight to close out the scoring.
SU made 33-of-65 field goals, including 13 three-pointers, to shoot 50.8 percent from the floor. The Hawks also had 11 steals on 18 VSU turnovers.
Valdosta State returns to action Thursday when it hosts West Georgia in GSC play at The Complex at 8 p.m.
Blazers Blog
Blazers down Hawks, 97-89
- Blazers Blog
-
-
Blazers host respected rival UAH in Super Regional
One would expect a matchup featuring two of the top softball programs in Division II to come in the national championship game.
Unfortunately for Valdosta State and Alabama-Huntsville, who have combined to appear in four straight national championship games, they won’t be meeting in title game on Memorial Day in Salem, Va. -
Blazers lose to Delta State, fall to loser’s bracket
If the Valdosta State baseball team is going to win the South Region Tournament, the Blazers going to have to do it from the loser’s bracket.
The Blazers (33-17) dropped their first game of the tournament Thursday, falling to Delta State 4-2 at UT Baseball Stadium.
VSU will face Stillman College, which lost to No. 1 seed and tournament host Tampa Thursday, Friday at 11 a.m. to advance to the weekend portion of the tournament. The loser will be eliminated. -
Former Lady Blazer Ferguson hired to lead Vikettes
The sign above the door still has Shan Garner’s name on it. There is even a Shan Garner plaque sitting on one of the shelves in the corner of the gymnasium office.
That will soon change, though, as Lowndes has hired its newest girls’ basketball coach. -
VSU wins 7th GSC Men’s All-Sports Trophy
Look out Title Town, another trophy is coming to town.
Valdosta State’s athletic department was awarded a seventh Gulf South Conference Men’s All-Sports Trophy Tuesday, sharing the honor with West Florida.
The tie between VSU and West Florida marked the first time in the GSC’s 42-year history that a pair of schools shared the honor. Both schools finished the athletic season with 29.5 points, based on the conference’s point system that gauges athletic success. -
Baseball Heading to Tampa for NCAA Regional Play
The Valdosta State baseball team learned Sunday night that it will open the 2013 NCAA South Region Tournament against Delta State at the UT Baseball Field on the campus of the University of Tampa.
-
Soccer and Women’s Basketball team up for BoostHER Golf Tournament
Registration is now available for the annual BoostHER golf tournament to be held on Thursday, May 23rd.
-
VSU softball beats Tampa, 12-6, to host Super Regional
Kiley Rusen picked a good time to have a career breakout day for the Valdosta State softball team. Slugging her first-career home run and triple, while driving in six runs, Rusen led the charge as the Blazers routed Tampa 12-6 to advance to a second straight NCAA South Super Regional Tournament.
-
Late homers lift Blazers to South Region 1 final
Valdosta State’s softball team is one win away. One more win and the Blazers will be heading back to the NCAA South Super Regional for the third time in the last four years.
-
VSU softball has three named to All-South Region
Less than three hours before they took the field to open the South Region 1 tournament at Steel’s Diamond against Albany State, three Valdosta State softball players were named to the All-South Region First Team.
-
VSU softball, baseball camps set for june
Camp informationr regarding Valdosta State softball and baseball.
- More Blazers Blog Headlines
-
