VALDOSTA — It was a grand night for the Valdosta State men’s basketball team as it defeated Lincoln Memorial 82-67.

It was also a grand night for VSU guard Michael Crain as he surpassed the 1,000 point plateau midway through the second half.

As the clock ticked down to 11:26 left in the game, Crain was sent to the free throw line as he was fouled on a three-point attempt.

His first charity shot was point No. 1,000.

“I didn’t know it was coming,” Crain said. “I thought I had to score at least 40 more points.

“It felt great. It’s a great accomplishment. I really appreciate everybody’s support.”

Crain finished the night with a game-high 23 points, joining Jon Rogers, who surpassed the milestone Feb. 4 at Alabama-Huntsville in the 1,000 point club.

“Both of them in the last four games have went over the 1,000 point mark,” VSU coach Mike Helfer said. “Having two 1,000 points scorers makes your job a little easier as a coach.”

The way the Blazers played in the first half also makes a coach’s job easier.

After Lincoln Memorial ran out to a 6-2 lead, the Blazers scored 13 unanswered points in 2:54 before the Rail Splitters called a timeout.

VSU then scored three more points before the Rail Splitters finally answered more than five minutes after their last basket.

“We were focused. Had great energy. We were determined and had toughness,” Helfer said. “We had all that the first half.”

The Blazers would finish the half the way they started it, going on a tear after Lincoln Memorial scored four unanswered points.

With 7:40 left until intermission, VSU outscored the Rail Splitters 28-5.

VSU finished the first half with a 47-21 lead behind 59 percent shooting, eight steals and 14 first-half Crain points.

“I think when we play like that our potential is pretty high,” Helfer said.

With a 26 point lead at the break, the Blazers then seemed to bring it down a gear and almost coast through the second half.

“It was more like a pickup basketball game in the second half,” Helfer said. “Instead of having a goal and some determination, we were just running up and down the floor.

“It got a little sloppy. It was a little disappointing.”

In total there were 54 fouls called as VSU’s Jon Rogers and Lincoln Memorial’s Kai Wells fouled out.

The biggest skirmish of the night came when Artavius Mitchell fouled Rogers as he was going up for a shot. Rogers felt the foul was intentional and answered back with a shove that got both players technical fouls.

Rogers sank both of his free throws before Kelvin Burnes went to the line for the Rail Splitters.

Burnes had four shots thanks to a technical foul on Helfer, but made only one much to the crowd’s delight.

“They fouled Jon really hard,” Helfer said. “I thought it was an intentional foul.

“Jon Rogers is competitive, and I appreciate that about him.”

In the second half the Blazers forced Lincoln Memorial into just six turnovers compared to 15 in the first and were out-rebounded 25-12.

Despite the Blazers’ less than spectacular second-performance, they were able to come away with a blowout win, improving their record to 15-8 overall and 6-5 in the Gulf South Conference.

“It was a good win,” Helfer said. “We were playing against the game a little bit in the second half. We lost our focus and energy a little bit.

“We just can’t do that to become a team that’s on the rise hopefully in the Conference Tournament.”