VALDOSTA — In his first season as head coach of the Valdosta State men’s basketball team, Mike Helfer waited patiently for his team to get comfortable with his system.

As the Blazers defeated Florida Gulf Coast University 97-78 Friday, they were as comfortable in Helfer’s offense as if it were their favorite pair of jeans.

For Mike Crain those jeans were so comfortable they came complete with holes and rips, as the senior tore apart the Eagles for 30 points.

“I really felt that he’s been comfortable in stepping into my system and as a result I think it’s been benefiting him,” Helfer said. “He’s really stepping into the identity of a great player.”

Crain set a career high in points, shot 5-of-6 from three-point range and was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.

“I just stuck with my shot,” Crain said. “I hit my first couple, and just felt it.”

As soft as Crain’s outside shot was, the 6-foot-2 guard rounded out his career-night on a ferocious dunk that was the oop to Herman Burge’s Alley for Crain’s final field goal.

VSU’s offense worked from its transition game and in the Blazers’ inside-outside balance.

To start the game VSU picked apart the Eagles from the outside, both by stopping and popping in transition and throwing up shots when FGCSU converged on center Jon Rogers.

Along with Crain, Jeremy Bloomfield and Jon Banks played the wings like Maverick and Goose going to the air from long distance.

The three were part of a 14-of-23 performance from behind the three-point arc, including 11 made three-pointers in the first half alone.

Running up the floor, the offense was clicking as the Blazers movement and space allowed for the majority of their shots to be open looks.

“What transition does is open up the court for Mike and our wings, not only to take an easy shot but to get to the basket early,” Helfer said. “So, by pushing the tempo offensively, I think it gives us more opportunities from the wing position.”

The Blazers used those opportunities to shoot 60 percent from long-range and 54 percent from the field.

“I think we got in a rhythm, and I thought we took great shots,” Helfer said. “I don’t remember many of them being contested and that’s just a credit to our guys recognizing good shots and being conformable enough to shoot it.”

Thanks to their outside shooting, the Blazers scored 42 points from three-point baskets compared to 26 points in the paint.

The lack of points down low was also in part of the pressure of the Eagles on Rogers.

Rogers, who is second on the team in scoring, posting 16.3 points per game scored seven against the Eagles.

“The guys shot real well from the floor,” Rogers said. “Even though we couldn’t get the ball inside, they did an excellent job on three pointers and outside shots which helped us get the win.”

When the Blazers tried to get the ball to their senior big man, FGCU’s Langston Anderson and Marcus Watts acted like a toupee glued on in the wind, bouncing up and down but never coming lose.

“I think that was a little bit of their philosophy was to send guys at him,” Helfer said. “When he touched it, they doubled, doubled and doubled him, and we were able to kick it out and get some good looks.”

The Eagles kept the game close throughout, both on the scoreboard and running up and down the floor with the streaking Blazers.

However, VSU’s defense limited the Eagles’ open looks, limiting them to 40 percent shooting.

The Blazers working in Helfer’s system forced their opponent to both try and keep up as well as stay as consistent as VSU.

“Well, they were keeping up, but the difference was we shot a higher field goal percentage,” Helfer said. “You can try to keep up, but if you don’t shoot it well we’re going to get away from you and that’s what happened (Tuesday).”

The Blazers fell into Helfer’s system and stayed focus against Florida Gulf Coast despite a looming game against Division I opponent University of Alabama-Birmingham Thursday.

“We’re trying to take it one game at a time, and just prepare for each game,” Helfer said. “You have to be careful because if you don’t look at the stair in front of you, you’re going to trip.”