VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State Blazer basketball team is geared up for their home opener, scheduled to take place on Friday night against the Fort Valley State Wildcats at The Complex. The contest will represent one of two on the weekend for the Blazers, with the second contest taking place on the road against Benedict on Saturday in Fort Valley, Ga.

Head Coach Mike Helfer, who enters his 11th season at the helm, has won 370 games at the collegiate level, 184 of which have come at Valdosta State. Building around senior returners Blake Justice and Jay Watkins, Helfer has compiled a stable of new additions that are expected to return the Blazers to a fast-paced style of play that earned the team back-to-back Gulf South Conference East Titles in both 2008-09 and 2009-10.

"We're going back to playing a fast and up-tempo game," said Helfer on Wednesday. "I don't think it's a big secret that I like to play that way, where we push the ball offensively. We're going to pick up defensively in the full court, and make the game very up-tempo. Hopefully that pace will be hard for teams to keep up with."

The Blazers and Fort Valley State last faced the Wildcats in 2012-13, when the two teams squared off twice and Valdosta State won both contest. VSU holds a 12-1 all-time record over FVSU, and hope to add to that advantage on Friday night in front of a big crowd.

"Obviously, it's a great rivalry game because of the proximity of the schools," added Helfer. "We're excited about it, and we're looking forward to it. Everybody starts the season with a fresh optimism, so I think the game will be highly competitive and will be played extremely hard. We'll be ready."

Friday's matchup is scheduled to tip off at 8pm, with live audio and statistics coverage available right here at www.vstateblazers.com.