VALDOSTA, Ga. – Mississippi College connected on 17 of its first 23 field goal attempts and raced out to a 20-point first half lead and withstood a second-half comeback bid by Valdosta State as the Choctaws defeated the Blazers 87-77 in Gulf South Conference men's basketball action at The Complex Thursday evening.
 
Mississippi College (9-9, 7-9) never trailed as it scored the first four points of the game and converted on seven of its first nine attempts to race out to a 15-8 lead just over five minutes into the game.
 
Valdosta State (9-13, 4-12) closed to within three over the next 90 seconds as the Choctaws missed their next three attempts, but got no closer as MC proceeded to make nine out of its next 10 attempts to build a 37-19 advantage with 7:18 to play in the half.
 
The Choctaw lead reached as much as 41-21 with just over five minutes to play in the frame before settling at 47-28 at the intermission.
 
Mississippi College shot 57.6 percent in the first half as the Choctaws made 19 of their 33 attempts in the frame while Valdosta State made 13-of-32 to shoot 40.6 percent. The MC defense caused havoc for the Blazer offense throughout the frame as Mississippi College had seven steals on nine VSU turnovers in the half.
 
Valdosta State clawed back into the game early in the second half as it opened the frame on a 20-6 run. The Blazers used the long ball to make the run as they connected on four three pointers, including two by Blake Justice, one by Josh Lemons and another by Jacob Obande. Justice also added a three-point play while MC made just two of its first 13 field goal attempts of the frame. Colin Cook pulled VSU to within five points with a jumper in the lane that made it 53-48 with 13:26 to go in the game.
 
The Valdosta State deficit remained in single digits for the next three minutes before Mississippi College used a quick 6-0 run to push its lead back into double digits.
 
Valdosta State put together one last charge as the Blazers closed to within 80-77 with 50 seconds remaining when Lemons made converted a three-point play, but the Choctaws scored the final seven points of the game to seal the victory.
 
Justice led four Blazers in double figures as he finished with 17 points. James Spencer added 13 points while Jeff Nibo had 12 and Lemons 11. The Blazers shot 47.6 percent from the field as they made 30 of their 63 attempts, including 17-of-31 in the second half, but committed 19 turnovers.
 
Tory Rice scored 16 points to lead Mississippi College in scoring while Johnny Rucker added 13, Jay Case 10 and Giancarlo Santiago and Tristan Moore 10 each. The Choctaws also made 30 of their 63 field goal attempts, but just 11-of-30 in the second half, and out-scored VSU 20-8 at the free throw stripe.
 
Valdosta State returns to action Saturday, February 7 at 8:00 p.m. when it hosts Delta State in The Complex in Gulf South Conference action.