VALDOSTA — Valdosta State basketball players Traci Newton and Mike Crain have been named the Gulf South Conference’s East Division players of the week for their performances last weekend on a road swing to Alabama-Huntsville and North Alabama.

Newton, a senior guard from Dalton, kept the Lady Blazers in the UAH game, hitting a three-pointer that gave her team a late lead before losing, 63-58. She was the catalyst against North Alabama, canning a short jumper to force overtime, then scoring six of her team’s 10 points in the extra session en route to a crucial 64-61 win.

In the two games, she scored 44 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and shot over 50 percent from the field. Newton is the first VSU player to earn the player of the week honor this season. She will be making her 107th consecutive start for the Lady Blazers Saturday against West Georgia in The Complex.

Crain, a junior guard from Riverdale, has also been named player of the week for his performance in last weekend’s games at Alabama-Huntsville and North Alabama.

Crain scored 59 points and dished out seven assists in the two games, shooting 50 percent from the field (20-for-40) and 45 percent from three-point range (9-for-20). He was the lone bright spot in Saturday’s 86-62 loss at UAH, scoring 25 points.

He carried his club at North Alabama, especially in the first half when he scored 21 of his career high 34 points, as the Blazers posted a crucial 90-82 win to sweep the season series against the Lions. In the last seven games, he has averaged 22.4 points, raising his season average to 21 ppg.

Crain is the second VSU men’s player to earn a POW award this season. Senior center Jon Rogers picked up his first career honor in early January.