Valdosta State's Maylisa Johnson (23) goes up for a layup during Saturday night's game versus North Alabama at the P.E. Complex in Valdosta.

Sczeny Hartry has made some big shots in her four-year basketball career at Valdosta State. On Saturday night, the senior added another big shot to her impressive collection.

With the seconds rolling off the clock, and the Lady Blazers trailing by one, Hartry drained a contested jump shot with 0.8 seconds remaining to lift the Lady Blazers to a 59-58 victory over Gulf South Conference rival North Alabama.

“It was an incredible job at (Hartry’s) part,” Valdosta State head coach Kiley Hill said. “She wanted it in her hands and we gave it to her in that situation.”

“Honestly, when Maylisa made the pass, I thought I was going to have to bail out for the three and then they closed out too quick,” Hartry said of the play. “So I decided to put the ball on the floor and shoot the pull-up jumper, because I knew I wasn’t going to have enough time to get to the rim.”

Hartry’s last-second shot capped off what was an extremely close second half between the two teams.  

North Alabama started the half with a 6-0 run, building a 35-27 lead. Senior Brittany Ferguson then led the Lady Blazers back into contention, putting together a 7-4 run of her own, which made the score 37-34.

“Sometimes you start to feel it, and it is all about confidence,” Ferguson said. “Once you see it go through the net, you get the confidence to shoot it again.”

Ferguson continued to carry VSU, recording the next five points before Maylisa Johnson converted a layup at the 9:21 mark to bring the Lady Blazers within one, 42-41.

“If Brittany Ferguson didn’t take over that game, then there was no way we would have stayed in that game,” Hill said. “I give a lot of credit to North Alabama, who hit big shot after big shot.”

After North Alabama re-extended its lead to three, Valdosta State knotted the game even at 46-46 behind a Kourtnee Williams 3-pointer, which came at the 6:47 mark. The Lady Blazers took the lead on their next possession after getting a free throw from Ferguson.

From there, North Alabama regained the lead and stayed out in front until the 1:29 mark, when Hartry converted two free throws to even the game at 55-55. After North Alabama took a one-point lead, Valdosta State quickly regained the lead with a Johnson layup, which made the score 57-56.

“We just kept plugging and plugging away,” Hill said. “We were just trying to keep it in that window of one or two possessions down the stretch and hopefully get the crowd involved. Luckily, things worked out and we were able to get a big basket and a big win.”

With the crowd on its feet, the Lady Blazers made an impressive defensive stand on the other end, but turned the ball over just seconds later, giving North Alabama the opportunity to hold the ball for a final shot.

Despite the chance to hold for the final shot, UNA got a Dana Jackson field goal with 23 seconds remaining to take a 58-57 lead, which gave way to VSU’s final possession, which ended with Hartry’s final-second field goal.

Ferguson led all scorers with a season-high 27 points. Hartry finished the game with 12 points. Johnson contributed 10 points. As a team, Valdosta State finished the night shooting 45 percent from the floor (22 of 49).

“We shot the ball extremely well, but I was disappointed with shots that we were trying to take,” Hill said. “They were rushed at times. We had no rhythm.”

Jackson led the Lions with 20 points on 8 of 9 shooting from the floor.

North Alabama led the majority of the first half, until Hartry drilled a 3-pointer at the 2:50 mark to give the Lady Blazers a 27-26 lead. Hartry’s deep ball was set up by a display of fancy passing, which saw all five Lady Blazers touch the ball on the possession.

Two minutes later, North Alabama regained the lead with a Jessi Smith 3-pointer, giving the Lions a 29-27 halftime advantage.

The Lions saw their lead get as large as eight points in the opening half before Valdosta State came charging back with an 11-2 run to take the lead off Hartry’s 3-pointer.