VALDOSTA, Ga. - Five Valdosta State Blazers scored in double figures as VSU defeated Albany State 90-77 in the final game of the Holiday Inn GSC vs. SIAC Challenge at The Complex Saturday evening.

Blake Justice led Valdosta State (2-0) with 21 points while Colin Cook added 15 and Jeff Nibo 12 off the bench. James Spencer and Jeremiah Hill each added 10 points.

The game was close for the first 17 minutes of the contest, which featured four lead changes and three ties, before Valdosta State used a 9-1 run to grab control of the contest. With the score tied 32-32, Nibo opened the run with a three-pointer before Lester Moore also added a trifecta. Jay Watkins pushed the VSU lead to eight points with a lay-up and, after a Ray Bullock free throw for Albany State (0-2), Nibo added a bucket 65 seconds before the half to push the Blazers in front 41-33.

The Golden Rams got no closer than six points the rest of the half as a Nibo three-pointer with a second remaining gave VSU a 47-38 halftime lead.

Albany State closed to within five points early in the second half, only to have the Blazers respond with a 14-5 spurt over a six minute span to push its lead into double digits. Four different VSU players scored during the run, led by Justice with five points, which ended with 13:47 remaining and Valdosta State holding a 61-47 lead.

The Blazer lead stretched to as much as 23 points, at 72-49, over the next three minutes and got no lower than 14 points in ensuing nine minutes before Albany State staged one last rally. The Golden Rams scored seven straight points to close to within 84-74 with 88 seconds remaining in the game, but Justice hit a pair of free throws and added a lay-up off a steal to seal the victory.

The Blazers shot 43.3 percent from the floor as they made 29-of-67 field goal attempts, and tallied 13 steals while forcing 21 Albany State turnovers. VSU turned the ball over only eight times in the game and blocked five shots, including three by Cook.

Earl Farnum led Albany State with 17 points while Stephen Shaw had 10. Farnum also had 10 rebounds and Chris Wheeler contributed 14 more as ASU out-rebounded Valdosta State 42-35 in the game.

Valdosta State returns to action Friday, November 21 when it hosts the VSU Classic in The Complex. The Blazers will play Southeastern at 8:00 p.m. on Friday followed by Carver Bible at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.