FLORENCE, Ala. - The Valdosta State men's basketball team scored another thrilling Gulf South Conference victory with a 77-74 win over the North Alabama Lions in Florence, Ala. on Saturday evening.
"I am so proud of my guys for sticking together in two very hostile environments on this road trip," said Head Coach
Mike Helfer following the road trip sweep.
The slugfest produced 18 lead changes over the course of the night, 12 of which came in the second half. North Alabama overcame a 41-31 halftime deficit with a 51.9 percent shooting effort from the field and a 46.7 percent display from beyond the arc in the second half. The sharpshooting performance helped the Lions close the gap and overtake the Blazers for a 50-48 lead less than five minutes into the second period.
The two teams went blow for blow over the next 13 minutes, leading up to a Dimario Jackson three, which put the Lions up 73-71 at the 2:13 mark. The Blazers tied the game up at 73-73 when
Saadiq Muhammad backed down his defender for a close-range bucket inside the final minute of regulation, but UNA fired right back with a Jeff Hodge free throw to reclaim a 74-73 lead with 19 seconds to play.
Trailing by one, Helfer called on senior guard
Josh Lemons, who delivered with a left handed layup with six seconds to play for two of his 16 points on the night. The Cincinnatti native didn't stop there, however. as the Lions' attempt at a game winner was denied when Lemons took a charge with just two seconds remaining on the game clock. Two Lemons free throws followed, and the Blazers escaped with the narrow win.
"Josh made a winning play by taking a charge on UNA's last possession," stated Helfer. "Plays like that don't always make the papers, but it's worth talking about. He has taken more charges than any player I've ever coached."
Lemons led the way offensively, while
Jeremiah Hill,
Beau Justice, and Muhammad each delivered 14 points in the game. Meanwhile,
Carlos Beverly gave VSU a boost on the boards with a team-high eight rebounds.
"The unselfishness of this group continues to amaze me," added Helfer. "They really do not care who scores or who gets shots, as long as it's in the offense and we win. That's all that matters to these guys and that's what makes them so much fun to coach."
Valdosta State will return home for a pair of home games, beginning with an 8:00 p.m. matchup against the visiting Shorter Hawks on Thursday night at The Complex.
