VALDOSTA — Valdosta State men’s and women’s basketball brings in 20224 with a three-game Gulf South homestand that will make a huge impact in the conference standings.

All three games will be doubleheaders for the Blazer men and women, starting with West Florida on Jan. 2 at 6 p.m. Auburn Montgomery comes to The Complex Jan. 6, starting at 2 p.m. Two days later, Jan. 8, is Montevallo, with an opening tip time of 3 p.m.

The VSU women are 9-2 on the year and 6-1 in the Gulf South, one game behind Lee, the only team to beat them in-conference this season. Lee won in Cleveland, Tenn., on Nov. 25, 59-53, behind 23 points from Mallory Hampton. The Lady Blazer offense had three players in double-digits, Lili Long, Taylor Searcey and Aleisha Curry. Lee has taken the last four games in the series.

Valdosta State won’t get a chance to see Lee again until Jan. 20, when the Lady Flames make the trek south.

West Florida’s Lady Argonauts bring a 5-2 conference record (8-3 overall) to The Complex for their first meeting of the season with VSU. A high-scoring game is certainly a possibility as West Florida has scored at least 58 in every game, with a high of 111 against Spring Hill. Brooke Kane leads with an average of 15.2 points per game, with Tyashia Bostick close behind at 13.3.

Auburn Montgomery and Montevallo are equally tough, currently with a 4-3 Gulf South record for the former and 5-2 for the latter.

Head coach Deandra Schirmer’s Lady Blazers have been led by Kalifa Ford’s 14.8 points game, with Emma Martin also averaging in double figures at 10.5 points per game. Searcey is the top rebounder at 7.2 per contest. She also has the most assists on the team at 33.

Meanwhile, the male Blazers have some ground to make up in the standings. Valdosta State is currently 2-5 in the Gulf South race, 5-6 overall. Like in the women’s standings Lee is leading, albeit tied with West Alabama and Alabama Huntsville, all three with 6-1 marks. West Georgia is a shade behind at 5-1.

The Blazers fell in their last three games before Christmas, to West Georgia, Christian Brothers and Union, with the closest of those contests being the 84-76 loss to Union. VSU’s last victory was Dec. 3, 77-69 over Mississippi College.

Caden Boser is averaging 14.5 points per game for Mike Helfer’s Blazers. Braxton Williams is at 11.2 points per contest, with LaTrell Tate at 10.1.

The homestand will be a prime opportunity to make up ground as all of their opponents did not have an easy or fun 2023 half of their hoops seasons. Sam Martin is the squad’s assists leader (38), with Lee Flenor tops in rebounding average at 7.7. Jay Rucker is at 9 blocks.

West Florida will be doing its best to find any momentum in the Gulf South, struggling to a 1-6 conference record before the holidays. The Argos are 3-8 overall. Auburn Montgomery is also 1-6 and, like, VSU, Montevallo is 2-5.