Jonathan M. Chick | The Valdosta Daily Times Valdosta State University senior Kevin Harris (24) goes for a no look pass during the game against West Florida Thursday at the PE Complex.

Tristan Steele found his shot.

For the Valdosta State Blazers, it came at a good time.

Steele scored a season-high 34 points and hit 8 of 11 3-pointers to lift the Blazers to an 88-59 win over the West Florida Argonauts on Thursday at the P.E. Complex.

“We needed a win,” Steele said. “We weren’t shooting well. We needed someone to come in and knock down some shots. It might as well be me.”

It was without a doubt a clinic from beyond the arc put on by the junior transfer from Southwest Baptist. He hit four straight 3-pointers in the first half, after VSU started 0 for 6 from 3-point land, to put VSU up 29-21.

With the game still in the balance midway through the second half, he hit four more 3-pointers to help the Blazers take a 30-point lead. They only had a 38-33 lead at halftime.

“I was feeling good in warmups, but I sat the first eight minutes of the game,” Steele said. “After about the third one that went in when I shot off balance, I was already at midcourt. After I hit that shot, I knew it was going to be a long night for somebody.”

Steele’s hot shooting transferred to fellow guard Kevin Harris. The Gulf South Conference’s leading scorer hit four threes of his own, including three in the second half. He finished with 24 points.

But the night belonged to Steele. He also made five baskets from inside the arc, and capped off his night with an assist to Billy McShepard on a dunk.

He left the game to a standing ovation and an embrace from Blazers head coach Mike Helfer.

“I’m glad to get a win and shoot the ball well,” Steele said. “It was a big win for us. A lot of people had doubts about us after the Huntsville and Augusta State losses back-to-back. To have our fans behind us and everyone cheering, I love that. I’m happy to be here in Valdosta.”

Before it started raining threes, it started as a poor shooting night for the Blazers (16-4, 3-1 in the GSC). They only shot 42.9 percent in the first half. Steele kept the team afloat, scoring 12 straight points for the Blazers, all from the 3-point line.

“When he gets it going, he’s as good a shooter as I’ve ever coached in my career,” Helfer said. “Not only can he make the ones where he’s wide open, he makes ones where his body is moving or he’s falling down. He makes those, too. He’s fun to watch.”

The Argos’ Marquis Mathis scored 15 points in the first half, and Mike Lewis hit a couple of jumpers and layups to keep West Florida in the game into the second half.

But what was a close game — the Argonauts were within five points with 13:29 left — turned into a laugher. VSU closed the game with a 41-15 run. They made seven of their first eight 3-point attempts in the second half.

“When you start making threes as efficiently as we were, that moves the scoreboard fast,” Helfer said. “You have to be careful, because in four or five possessions, you can go from up five to up 17 and not really know what hit you from the other side.”

Mathis led the Argos (7-11, 0-4) with 25 points. Lewis added 14. West Florida lost its fifth straight game.

The Blazers, ranked No. 7 in the South Region rankings, picked up their second straight win after losing back-to-back games to Alabama-Huntsville and Augusta State.

They’ll go for three in a row at West Georgia, where they’ve won the last two meetings with the Wolves by one point apiece. Tipoff is set for Saturday at 4 p.m.

“I’d like to say (a shooting night like Thursday) can carry over, but you just never know,” Helfer said. “Any time you go on the road, it can be different. But I expect us to play well. If we don’t shoot it well, we’ll have to find other ways to get it done.”