Josh Sparks and Will Alston each recorded a double-double to lead Valdosta State to a 76-74 overtime victory over West Alabama in Gulf South Conference men’s basketball action at The Complex Thursday night.

With the victory, Valdosta State improved to 10-13 on the year and 3-9 in GSC play while West Alabama fell to 8-17 and 5-7 in league action.

The overtime period was back-and-forth as the lead exchanged hands six times. Chris Rozier eventually hit a pair of free throws to even the contest at 74-74 with a minute to play before Sparks blocked an Alquan Mendenhall shot and grabbed the rebound. VSU ran the clock down to just three seconds before Tristan Steele took a jumper that was long. However, Sparks grabbed the rebound and was fouled on the put-back attempt. The junior made both attempts to secure the win for VSU.

Neither team led by more than three points through the first 13 minutes of the game as the two teams matched each other bucket for bucket. The lead exchanged hands three times during the span and was tied three more times.

West Alabama hit a pair of back-to-back three pointers to grab its largest lead of the frame, at 22-17 with 6:16 to go in the half, only to have Valdosta State respond with a 12-2 run over the next three minutes to take control of the game for the remainder of the half.

Will Alston began the run for the Blazers before Steele hit a three to even the game at 22-22. After a basket by UWA’s Steven Samuels, Alston added another bucket and Drew Maynard a three-point lay while Michael Panaggio slashed to the bucket for two more points to put Valdosta State in front 29-24 with 3:47 remaining in the first half.

The Tigers got no closer than three points the rest of the half as VSU built a 31-28 halftime lead.

Valdosta State’s assault continued early in the second half as the Blazers scored 11 of the half’s first 15 points to push their advantage to 42-32 less than four minutes into the frame. VSU made each of its first four field goal attempts and also connected on two of three free throws as four different Blazers scored during the spurt.

UWA rebounded to score the next 12 points of the game to regain the lead and force a Valdosta State time out with 13:14 to play. VSU missed all four of its field goals during the Tiger spurt and committed three turnovers while West Alabama made four of its six field goal attempts and four out of five free throws.

Chris Rozier finally ended the Blazer drought with a free throw out of the timeout, but VSU’s offensive woes continued over the course of the next four minutes as it committed two more turnovers and missed a pair of jumpers while falling behind 51-44. Maynard eventually ended the shooting slump as he got a bucket to roll in with 9:00 to go.

The Blazers rebounded to even the game at 55-55 as Alston time and again powered to the ball to the bucket while scoring eight out of VSU’s next 13 points. West Alabama kept the heat on as it answered each bucket by the Valdosta State forward with one of its own and eventually rebuilt a 61-57 advantage, only to have VSU score six straight to once again take the lead.

A Josh Spears tip-in with 63 seconds remaining in the contest evened the game at 63-63 before each team missed shots on consecutive trips down the floor. Sparks eventually gave Valdosta State the advantage as he hit a free throw with 30 ticks to go in the contest. West Alabama ran the clock down and had Steven Samuels hit a three-pointer from the top of the key over the out-stretched hand of VSU’s Panaggio to give the Tigers a two-point advantage with 9.8 seconds to go. VSU in-bounded the ball and raced down the field, where Panaggio fed Sparks, who was fouled while going up for a wide-open lay-up. Sparks hit both free throws to once again even the game and force the overtime.

Alston scored a career-high 24 points and had 11 rebounds while Sparks added 17 points and 13 rebounds while also blocking two shots. Steele contributed 12 points and Maynard 10 more as Valdosta State shot 44.8 percent from the floor in the game and owned a 41-36 advantage in rebounding.

Samuels led West Alabama with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Jared Woolfolk added 16 points and 12 boards. Ryan Fitch poured in 17 and Kyle Belcher finished with 10, but Mendenhall, who tallied 26 points in West Alabama’s victory in Livingston, Ala. earlier this year was held to just seven in the game. West Alabama shot 45.5 percent from the floor in the game but hit just 9-of-14 free throws while VSU made 20-of-27.

Valdosta State returns to action Saturday, when it travels to Carrollton, Ga. to face West Georgia at 8 p.m.