VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team survived a scare down the stretch to lock up an 83-81 win over Fort Valley State at the Gulf South Conference/Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Crossover on Saturday in Pensacola, Fla.
Fort Valley State's production in the paint proved to be problematic for the Blazers throughout the night, as the Wildcats put up 40 points on the inside. Valdosta State used a solid effort off the bench, however, to help even things out. Led by Clay Guillozet's 10-point performance, Valdosta State benefited from 26 points off the bench.
By halftime, the Blazers were well in control of the contest with a 48-32 lead. In that first period, VSU shot 63.0 percent from the field and connected on 9-of-17 from beyond the arc for a sizzling 52.9 percent three-point shooting percentage. Meanwhile, the Blazer defense held FVSU to just a 36.4 shooting percentage from the field prior to the half.
The second half was a bit of a different story, as the Blazers cooled off from the field while the Wildcats racked up 19 field goals on 38 tries for a 50 percent second-half shooting effort. The offensive performance helped Fort Valley string together a 10-2 run in the final two minutes of the game, but the Wildcats misfired on a last second shot to allow VSU to escape with the win.
Overall, the Blazers outshot the Wildcats by over 10 percentage points from the field, and a 25-point performance by Preseason All-GSC selection Beau Justice helped lead the way. Justice finished 7-of-10 overall and 5-of-7 from the three point line, while both KJ James and Winston Morgan each added 12.
For the Wildcats, Tyler Edwards did a majority of the offensive damage with 21 points, while three other players reached double-digit figures in the scoring column. Valdosta State picked up the win despite being outrebounded 41-32 on the night.
Next up for VSU, it's another matchup against a SIAC opponent, as the Blazers take on Albany State in a neutral 3:00 p.m. EST showdown with in-state rival Albany State on Sunday. Look for coverage of the game via links available at www.vstateblazers.com.
