VALDOSTA, Ga. - Gulf South Conference play continues for the Valdosta State women's basketball team this week, as the Lady Blazers begin a long road stint against the Lady Statesmen of Delta State on Thursday night in Cleveland, Miss..
Throughout the 40 year history of the Valdosta State women's basketball program, the Lady Statesmen (3-5, 1-3 GSC) have proven to be a thorn in the side of the Lady Blazers. Of the 39 matchups between the two teams, DSU has won 34 of those contests. Due to the lopsided all-time record, the Lady Blazers (7-3, 3-1 GSC) will assuredly travel to the Walter Sillers Coliseum with a chip on their shoulder.
Fortunately for Head Coach
Kiley Hill and his VSU squad, the Lady Blazers carry strong momentum heading into the long road trip. Valdosta State holds a record of 7-3 on the season and has won four of the team's last five contests. The stretch for the Lady Blazers includes a three-game winning streak, and the squad's only conference loss was a narrow defeat that came in overtime on the road against North Alabama.
Valdosta State struggled to find their bearings during the opening weeks of the 2014-15 season, but since the start of GSC play, the team has been red hot. In four league games played this season, the Lady Blazers have been lights out from the field with a shooting percentage of 47.0 percent. In GSC competition, the number ranks VSU second only to the nationally ranked Union Lady Bulldogs.
In terms of three-point shooting, the Lady Blazers are currently blowing away the rest of the conference. Against league opponents, VSU holds a 45.6 shooting percentage from long range, a number that places the Lady Blazers at the top of the GSC leaderboard. Union, with a percentage that falls nearly ten percent lower at 36.8, ranks second. The sharpshooting effort of the Lady Blazers has been fueled thus far by
April Thomas, who currently holds a shooting percentage of 39.7 from three-point range. The number, along with her 25 three-point baskets this season, places her among the top five long range shooters in the Gulf South Conference.
The Lady Statesmen, under the new leadership of Head Coach Craig Roden, are in the midst of a two-game slide and have lost three of their last five contests. The team enters Thursday's game with a 1-3 record in GSC play, although their last two matchups, losses to Christian Brothers and Union, have been on the road. The Lady Blazers, who have managed to hold opponents to an average of 62.3 points per game this season, will aim to post a strong defensive effort against the Lady Statesmen, who rank 10th in the GSC with an average of just 54.1 points per game.
Lady Blazer basketball fans who can't make it to Thursday night's 6:30 p.m. EST contest can follow all of the action live via the links below or by visiting www.vstateblazers.com. Information regarding Lady Blazer basketball and Blazer Athletics will also be provided regularly throughout the 2014-15 season on Twitter. Follow us by searching for the handle @BlazerAthletics.
