VSU vs. UNA GAME NOTES
LADY BLAZER GAME CENTRAL
VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Lady Blazer basketball team is geared up for a return to the friendly confines of The Complex, with a highly anticipated Gulf South Conference showdown against the rival Lions of North Alabama on Saturday afternoon in TitleTown, USA.
Head Coach
Carley Kuhns' squad delivered a strong start to their conference schedule prior to the holiday break, kicking off with a 2-1 record. The two wins were amplified by the fact that both came on the road and the second came against the nationally ranked Union Lady Bulldogs.
The Lady Blazers (5-4, 2-1) aim to carry that momentum into Saturday's New Year's Eve contest, which looks to be a tall task, considering North Alabama's (9-0, 3-0 GSC) perfect start to the 2016-17 season.
Historically, the Lady Blazers hold an edge over North Alabama with an all-time record of 36-32. In order to further that success, Valdosta State will need to find an answer for Ivy Wallen. Wallen, one-third of a triplet contingent new to the UNA squad this season, has been a force to be reckoned with thus far. She currently represents the second-best scorer in the league with an average of 21.6 points per game. The Anderson, Ala. native has already landed four Freshman of the Week honors this season, and she earned her first career Player of the Week honor on December 20
th. She has scored 20 or more points in seven of UNA's nine games this season.
Valdosta State's ability to close out games and perform well down the stretch has been a key factor in the team's success this season, particularly in conference play. On average, the Lady Blazers have scored 21.3 points in the fourth quarter, whereas they have held their opponents to an average of 17.8 points in the final frame. The most recent example of the team's ability to finish strong came against CBU, where VSU claimed a six point victory with 22 fourth-quarter points, 11 of which were scored by
Kenya Samone' Dixon alone.
Saturday's game will tip off at 1:00 p.m.
