MONTEVALLO, Ala. – In a game that had 11 lead changes and six ties, the Valdosta State Blazers battled in a hostile environment and to secure their third-straight victory in a win over the Montevallo Falcons on Thursday night, 76-73.

Senior Lee Flenor secured his fourth double-double of the season with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals on a perfect 6-6 from the floor and 7-8 from the free throw line. Three other Blazers scored in double figures on the evening, as junior Braxton Williams scored 13 points off the bench and tied a season high in steals with three. The duo of junior Caden Boser and graduate student Jay Rucker defended the paint, as each Blazer recorded three blocks in the victory.

As a team, Valdosta State shot .531 from the floor, .400 from three on eight makes, and .727 from the stripe. The Blazers committed 21 turnovers on the game, that resulted in 20 points for the Falcons. On the other end, VSU had 13 steals that resulted 19 fast break points.

Valdosta State improved to 11-14 (8-13 GSC), while Montevallo dropped to 10-15 overall (9-12 GSC). As it stands on Feb. 22, VSU is one game out of the eighth spot in the GSC, as four teams are battling for that last spot in the postseason tournament.

Montevallo got off to a quick 11-0 start over the first four minutes of the game, until Boser halted the Falcons run with a three on the assist from Williams.

Tyson Sexton started out hot, scoring seven points heading into the first media timeout, with UM leading VSU 16-5. The Falcons shot a blistering 7-12 from the floor, and the Blazers committed five turnovers in the first five minutes of action.

Out of the break, Williams splashed home a three to cut the deficit to single digits. A forced shot clock violation from VSU on the defensive end gave them a chance to cut into the lead, and Rucker took advantage, driving to the left and laying it in for a hoop and the harm to cut it to five.

Montevallo retaliated with a three from Jack Henderson to keep the Falcon lead at eight. Graduate student LaTrell Tate kept doing what he does best, as he knocked home a trey ball in the left corner. Heading into the second media break, UM lead 21-16.

A fast break layup from Williams made it a one possession game with 8:00 left in the half.

Boser knocked down both at the line, as Valdosta State was close to completing the first half comeback after trailing 11-0. Montevallo retaliated with a bucket inside to get the lead back to three. Both teams went quiet, as neither team could get the lid off the basket for a few minutes until Patten Curington got fouled on the break and knocked home a free throw.

Senior Mike Isler was able to get loose on the break and lay one in to make it a two-point game. After a quick stop, Williams muscled one home to tie it up at 30 with 3:07 left in the half.

An offensive put-back from Flenor gave the Blazers their first lead of the game with 2:40 left in the first half. A bucket from Flenor inside, and the Blazers headed into the locker room leading the Falcons 37-35.

Out of the locker room, true freshman Brandon Fussell hit a tough bucket off the glass to tie the game up at 37. Fussell got another two quick buckets to go as a solo 6-0 had the Falcons up 41-40.

A quick outlet pass got Flenor out ahead of the pack, where he laid one in to make it a one-point game. A beautiful pass from Jack Henderson led to a layup inside, as UM led 45-42.

The Blazers tied the game up for the fourth time on a three from Williams, his second of the night.

A missed one-and-one opportunity led to a pullup jumper from graduate student JC Clausi. Yet another steal from Flenor got Clausi wide open on the left wing, where the recent Union transfer splashed one home to force a UM timeout with 11:24 left, VSU leading, 57-53.

Trailing 64-60, a quick 6-0 Blazer run had that was capped off by a layup from Flenor had them leading 66-64 with 5:30 left. The Falcons came right back, as Fussell hit a corner three to take a 67-66 lead with 4:20 left on the clock.

Rucker ripped the ball away on the defensive end Tate got to his signature shot at the elbow and gave VSU a three-point lead. Montevallo inbounded quickly and as a result, got a wide-open look from distance to tie it up at 70 with 1:36 left.

Tate was able to draw a foul and knocked down two clutch free throws yet again to regain the lead. A deep three was left just short and gave VSU a chance to ice the game.

Rucker got a great look at a dunk, where he was fouled and was sent to the line up two with 32 ticks left. He knocked home to give the Blazers a four-point lead. Montevallo’s Aidan Gardiner tried to get one to go inside but was stuffed by Rucker and corralled by Flenor for his 10th rebound of the game, securing his fourth double-double of the season and sending him to the line.

Flenor, a career 47.4% free throw shooter, knocked down both to ice the game, with Valdosta State winning a critical game over Montevallo, 76-73.