Box Score

THE BASICS:
SCORE:
RECORDS: Exhibition for both
LOCATION: Tallahassee, Fla. (Donald L. Tucker Center)
LEAD: Led by a game-high 28 points from No. 11 Valdosta State junior Clay Guillozet, the Blazers hung tough with No. 15 Florida State in an exhibition game for both teams.  FSU won the game 99-77, but the Blazers had the deficit under ten points early in the second half.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Graduate Beau Justice scored all five of the Blazers' points early with a triple and a field goal from just outside the charity stripe for a 5-5 score with 17:33 left in the first half as both teams opened 2 for 5 from the field. 
• A turnover and a triple from the Seminoles pushed the deficit to 12-7, but a triple from senior Tyler Johnson ended a four minute drought by the Blazers.  Johnson buried his second triple of the game for a 14-13 deficit with 13:27 left in the half.
• A long triple from Wyatt Wilkes stretched the Seminole lead to 19-13 and, off the seventh miscue by the Blazers, a bucket in transition swelled the lead to 21-13 for a 7-0 run.
• Justice ended the drought with a long triple, his second of the game for a 21-16 score with 11:21 left in the half.
• A triple and a turnover and bucket on the break pushed the lead to 26-16 for Florida State and a timeout by the Blazers with 9:43 remaining in the first half.  It was the tenth turnover of the half by the Blazers and a 15-2 run for FSU.
• Off an offensive rebound, junior Clay Guillozet scored inside for a 29-18 score with nine minutes remaining in the half.  Johnson then buried his third triple of the half in transition as VSU quickly cut the deficit to six at 29-23 and a miscue by the Seminoles followed for the under eight stoppage.
• FSU scored six-straight for a 35-23 lead at the 5:57 mark and the second timeout by the Blazers in the half.  Senior Winston Morgan ended the run with a triple out of the timeout.  The Seminoles had the answer once again as they used a 10-0 run for a 45-26 lead with 1:39 left and a 16-3 run over the last 5:02. 
• Guillozet buried a triple to end the run for a 45-29 score with 90 seconds and a turnover and foul on the Seminoles gave VSU its fourth free throw attempt of the half.  After a missed triple, Guillozet buried another triple and a turnover on the Seminoles gave VSU the lead with under a minute at 45-32.  Guillozet then hit his third triple in the final two minutes of the half for a 47-35 score at halftime.
• Justice buried his third triple of the game for a 52-42 deficit with 17:10 left in the game as he got into double figures with 11 points.  Morgan banked in a triple for a 56-47 deficit with 14:59 left as VSU cut the deficit under ten for the first time since the 5:42 mark of the first half.
• Following a missed triple by Morgan, Guillozet took the ball away down low on the rebound and put it back for a 57-49 score with 14 minutes left.
• A pair of "and ones' by the Seminoles swelled the lead back to 62-49 and an alley-oop to Christ Koumadje pushed the lead to 64-49, followed by a dunk from Devin Vassell as FSU used a 9-0 run over the last 90 seconds for a 66-49 lead with 12:11 left. 
• VSU ended the run with an "and one" by junior Bryce Smith for a 66-52 score right before the under 12 timeout.
• An "and one" and a dunk from Mann in transition pushed the FSU lead to 79-56, but Guillozet answered with a triple and Justice scored in transition and a followed with a triple for an 81-64 score with 6:09 left.
• Zuppas, who was doing great work inside with nine rebounds, scored inside on a nice drive to the bucket for 81-66 score and a timeout by the Seminoles with 5:32 left.
• Two charity tosses from Guillozet and a triple from senior Desmond DeRamus, cut the deficit to 86-71 with 3:16 left.
• The game got a little out of hand late, but overall VSU gave a great showing for a 99-77 game.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• The theme of the first half was turnover as VSU committed 17 miscues and FSU capitalized on them for a 24-5 lead in points off turnovers as FSU had ten miscues.
• Despite that, the Blazers hung tough with the No. 15 team in the country with Guillozet leading all scorers with 15 points on 5 of 7 from the field and 3 of 4 from range with two free throws.
• VSU shot 12 of 32 from the field for 37.5 percent and was 9 of 23 from beyond the arc, while going 2 of 4 from the line.  The Blazers had 18 rebounds in the first half with a half-high six from senior Greg Zuppas who held his own down low.
• FSU shot 51.4 percent on 19 of 37 from the floor, while going 4 of 10 from range and 5 of 6 from the line.  The Seminoles had 19 rebounds and recorded eight steals as Trent Forrest led the way with nine points.  The Seminoles held a 28-6 lead in points in the paint in the first half, while leading 29-9 in bench points.   
• For the game Guillozet went 9 of 13 from the field, while going 5 of 7 from range and 5 of 7 from the line for 28 points.  Justice finished with 18 points on 6 of 18 from the field with four triples and two free throws.
• VSU shot 42.9 percent on 27 of 63, while going 15 of 37 from beyond the arc and 8 of 12 from the line.  The Blazers had 29 rebounds for the game.
• FSU had six players in double figures led by 15 points from Forrest as the Seminoles shot 61.5 percent for the game on 40 of 65 and a blistering 75 percent from the field in the second half.  The Seminoles were 7 of 16 from beyond the arc and 12 of 18 from the line, while recording 35 rebounds. 
• VSU really cut down the turnovers in the second half with just eight miscues. 

 
UP NEXT:

• The Blazers open the 2018-19 season Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at Albany State in the Gulf South Conference/Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Regional Challenge. 
• The 2018-19 home season begins Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. versus Tuskegee at The Complex.
• Tickets are on sale now for the men's basketball season at 229-333-SEAT.