Valdosta State center Kate Tanner (20) takes the ball to the basket against West Alabama’s Zoe Watts (34) during the second half of a game Saturday at The Complex.

VALDOSTA – Following the two big wins at home over Alabama Huntsville and West Alabama last week, the Valdosta State women’s basketball team returns to the road this week as it travels to Shorter and Gulf South Conference-leader No. 13/22 Lee.

The Lady Blazers have won 12-straight games heading into the week and are 12-2 overall and 11-1 in Gulf South Conference play. Shorter is 1-14 overall and 1-11 in the GSC, while Lee is 14-2 overall and 12-0 in league play.

Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming and more at vstateblazers.com on the women’s basketball schedule page. Thursday’s games will be on 94.3 WJEM FM Fox Sports Valdosta and Saturday’s games will be broadcast on TALK 92.1 WDDQ FM with Spencer Van Horn having the call both days.

Heading into the weekend, VSU is receiving votes in both the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 and D2SIDA Top 25, while Lee is 22nd nationally in WBCA and in the D2SIDA Top 25. VSU also is receiving votes in the D2SIDA Top 25. Lee is second in the D2SIDA South Region Poll, while VSU is fifth. Eckerd leads the regional poll, while Tampa is third, followed by Nova Southeastern and VSU. Union is sixth, followed by Lynn, Tuskegee, West Florida and Savannah State rounds out the top ten.

This week begins the second half of the conference slate as Lee leads VSU by one game in the league standings. Union and West Florida each are two games back of the Lady Blazers at 9-3, while West Alabama, West Georgia and Delta State all are 6-6. VSU’s only loss in league play is a 56-55 setback to Lee on Nov. 17, 2022, in Valdosta. In that game, which had all of the intensity of a postseason game, VSU’s potential game-winning shot was blocked at the buzzer. The game saw 19 lead changes and seven ties as neither team garnered more than a six-point lead throughout. VSU had a chance for a go ahead bucket with 10.3 second seconds left. Lady Blazer sophomore Kate Tanner had a team-high 15 points for the game, while Lee’s Mallory Hampton had a game-high 20 points. VSU dominated the glass, 38-29, but only could score nine points off 19 Lee miscues, while the Lady Flames converted 17 points off 22 Lady Blazer turnovers.

In what has become quite the rivalry over the last few years, VSU holds a slim 13-12 lead in the all-time series dating back to Dec. 19, 2013. The teams have traded wins in the last ten meetings, meeting all ten times since Dec. 19, 2020, with an 80-76 VSU victory in overtime in Valdosta. Lee leads the series 6-3 in Cleveland, Tenn., with VSU’s last victor there coming in a 63-57 decision on Jan. 16, 2021. VSU head coach Deandra Schirmer is 6-5 against Lee in her four seasons at VSU. She is 74-23 at VSU and 54-15 in GSC play.

The Lady Blazers posted an 81-44 victory over Shorter on Nov. 19 for the first victory of the season. In that game, sophomore Taylor Searcey had a game-high 17 points on 8 of 12 from the field with eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. After Shorter raced out to a 23-16 lead in the first quarter making nine of its first 14 shots and three triples, VSU roared back for a 19-2 second quarter and then outscored the Hawks 46-19 in the second half. SU’s Lindsey Hardin led the team with eight points. VSU has won 20 of the last 23 meetings in the series, including 14-straight dating back to a 70-63 loss in Rome, Ga., on Jan. 9, 2017. All three losses came in Rome during the 23-game streak.

VSU’s 12-game winning streak is the longest in the GSC (11 for Lee) and fourth-longest nationally. Ashland has won 16-straight, while Cal State Dominguez Hills is at 14 and Central Missouri has won the last 13. The winning streak is the fourth longest streak in school history currently and if the Lady Blazers were to win both games this week, it would tie for second all-time (1975-76). In the 1983-84 season, VSU won 21-straight games for the school record.

This season, the Lady Blazers lead the GSC in scoring defense, allowing just 55.9 points per game for 21st nationally. VSU is second in the GSC and 31st nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at a .356 clip on 93 of 261, while the team is third in the GSC and 41st nationally in field goal percentage at a .438 clip on 317 of 724. VSU is fourth in the GSC in turnover margin at a 3.57 clip for 45th nationally, while it is second in the GSC and 39th nationally in turnovers forced per game at a 21.0 clip.

Individually, Searcey is third in the GSC in free throw percentage at a .873 average on 55 of 63 from the line, while she is fifth in the league in offensive rebounds per game (2.8) and third in the league in steals per game at a 2.64 clip for 34th nationally. Her 37 steals are good for fourth in the GSC and 34th nationally. Junior Emma Martin is sixth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at an even .500 clip on 28 of 56. Her 28 made triples leads the team and are good for fourth in the GSC. She is second in the GSC in 3-pointers made per game at a 2.0 clip. Junior Tamiya Francis is second on the team in scoring at 10.5 points per game. She is 27 of 75 from distance and 52 of 127 from the field (.409). Francis is second on the team in assists with 40 and third in steals with 25.

The Hawks have dropped their last four games following a 69-67 victory over Mississippi College on Dec. 16. Derrica McCall leads the team averaging 9.9 points per game. She is 62 of 161 from the field (.385), while she is 14 of 47 from beyond the arc and has made 12 free throws. She has a team-high 40 assists and 21 steals. Lindsey Hardin leads the team with 22 made 3’s, while Katelyn Richards has made a team-high 27 free throws in 42 attempts. Keyra Peterson leads the team averaging 5.5 rebounds per game. Head coach LaSheena Brooks is in her second season and is 6-31 at the helm of the Hawks. SU is third in the GSC in blocks per game at a 2.9 clip, while the team is fifth in offensive rebounds per game at 10.9, while Peterson leads the team averaging 2.5 offensive rebounds per game for seventh in the league.

Lee enters the week winners of its last 11 games and has won 12-straight conference games for the third-most in NCAA Division II, just one ahead of VSU. The Lady Flames will host West Florida on Thursday, before entertaining the Lady Blazers on Saturday afternoon. Lee is under the direction of head coach Marty Rowe who is in his 25th year at the helm of the program. Rowe is 608-189 overall and in his 19th season at Lee with a 477-124 record. Rowe is 12-13 against VSU.

This season, the Lady Flames are second in the GSC and 47th nationally in scoring offense at 72.6 points per game, while they are second in the league and 32nd nationally in scoring margin at 13.1. Lee allows 59.4 points per game for fifth in the league and 65th nationally. Lee is 19th nationally in assist/turnover ratio at a 1.18 clip to lead the league, while it is 34th nationally in assists per game at 15.8 to lead the conference. Lee sits second in the GSC in field goal percentage at a .458 clip for 20th nationally on 432 of 956 from the floor, while it is third in the league in 3-pointers attempted per game (24.4) for 35th nationally, third in the GSC in 3-point field goal percentage (.346) for 45thnationally on 135 of 390 and third in the league in 3-pointers per game at 8.4 for 25th nationally. Lee turns the ball over just 13.4 times per game for 20th nationally and tops in the conference.

Individually, Haley Schubert leads the team averaging 18.7 points per game for tops in the league and 27th nationally. She is fifth nationally in field goals attempted (259) to lead the league, while she is eighth nationally and second in the league in field goals made (110). Schubert is fifth in the conference in steals with 35 for 50th nationally, while she is fourth in the league in free throws attempted (70) and third in free throws made (56). Hampton leads the team with 72 assists for second in the league and 23rd nationally.

Schubert eclipsed the 2,000-point mark for her career in the 72-68, overtime victory at Union on Saturday. Union roared back in the fourth quarter, outscoring Lee 19-9 to force overtime, before the Lady Flames outscored Union 12-8 for the extra session and the 72-68 victory. Schubert finished with 27 points in the game.

Following the two road games, the Lady Blazers return home to host Mississippi College on Thurs., Jan. 19 at 6 p.m., at The Complex and Delta State on Jan. 21 at 2 p.m., for Hall of Fame Weekend. Tickets are on sale now for the 26thAnnual VSU Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.