VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State men's basketball returns from a two-week break as the Blazers host Christian Brothers in Gulf South Conference action Saturday in The Complex. Tip-off is slated for 8:00 p.m.
The Blazers, who have not played since December 20, enter their first game of the 2015 calendar year with a record of 7-5 on the season, including a 2-4 mark in GSC play. VSU is currently 5-1 at home on the season, with its only loss coming to Shorter in overtime in its last contest on its own court.
Valdosta State averages 77.4 points per game from the floor and is shooting 42.9 percent from the floor on the year. However, VSU has shot 45.9 percent from the floor in its last four games while showing marked improvement offensively. The Blazers' problems during the same span have come on the defensive end of the court, as opponents have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in the same four-game span, after shooting less than 45 percent in the first eight contests of the year.
Blake Justice leads the Blazers as he is scoring 13.7 points a game and has hit a team-best 39 three-pointers on the season.
James Spencer is just behind as he averages 13.2 points an outing and a team-best 6.8 rebounds a game while
Jeremiah Hill also scores in double figures at 11.3.Â
Christian Brothers enters Saturday's game with a 6-4 record, including a 3-3 mark in GSC play. After a preseason win over Division I Memphis in an exhibition game, the Bucs raced out to a 5-1 start to the season, but have dropped three of their last four games, inlcuding three GSC games.Â
The Bucs run a Princeton-style offense that is predicated on back-door cuts and strong shooting. CBU, which shoots 48.8 percent from the floor, averages 72.7 points per game and dishes out nearly 17 assists a game. Perhaps the one weakness for the Christian Brothers team is rebounding, as the Bucs average just 28.0 per game and are out-rebounded by more than two rebounds per game.
Trey Casey leads a trio of CBU players in double figures as he averages 18.0 per game while shooting almost 49 percent from the floor. He is very affective from beyond the three-point line as he shoots 43.8 percent from long range, but struggles from the free throw line where he shoots just 56.0 percent. Sidy Sall adds 15.6 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds a game while Ryan Fleming averages 10.5 points and 6.6 assists per game.
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