VALDOSTA, Ga. – Coming off a pair of huge Gulf South Conference wins on the road last weekend, the Valdosta State women's basketball team returns home to host rival West Georgia and Shorter this week at The Complex. VSU and West Georgia tip Thursday at 6 p.m., while Shorter comes to town Saturday for a 2 p.m. start.  
 
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more on vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page.  The games this weekend also will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ FM with Mike Chason having the call of the games.  
 
The first 500 students who attend women's and men's basketball doubleheader Thursday versus West Georgia will receive a free t-shirt.  
 
The Lady Blazers won a 58-54 thriller at Mississippi College last Thursday and then posted a 69-60 win at Delta State on Saturday to improve to 11-5 overall and 5-3 in GSC play. Against Mississippi College, VSU held a 42-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter and held MC to just 5 of 19 shooting in the final stanza as VSU went 5 of 10 from the field with four triples in the fourth for the four-point win.  VSU held MC to just 28.6 percent shooting for the game, while the Lady Blazers tied their game-high with nine made triples.  Sophomore Kayla Bonilla paced the team with 17 points and six assists on 5 of 8 from the field with three triples and 4 of 6 from the line.  
 
Against Delta State, VSU shot 52 percent from the field for the game on 26 of 50 and held Delta State to just 22 of 55 from the field and 0 of 9 from beyond the arc.  VSU led by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter, before a DSU rally cut the deficit to a final margin of nine.  Bonilla added 13 points and another six assists, while senior Kendra Green had 16 points off the bench for VSU.
 
Bonilla leads the team in scoring this season at 11.1 points per game.  She is 58 of 150 from the field (.387), while going 14 of 41 from beyond the arc (.341) and leads the team at 47 of 63 (.746) from the line. She is averaging 4.2 rebounds per game, while recording 51 assists and 27 steals to lead the team.  Senior Crystal Townsend is second in scoring at 10.8 points per game.  She is 62 of 136 from the field (.456) to lead the team in made field goals, while ranking second in made free throws at 35 of 48 (.729).  Townsend leads the team in rebounding at 7.3 per game, while recording 19 steals.  Senior Sonya Franklin is third in scoring at 9.9 points per game, as she is second in made field goals with 61 on 61 of 133 for a .459 clip.  Franklin is second in steals with 23.  Junior Nari Garner leads the team with 31 made triples on the year.
 
As a team, VSU is shooting .358 from the field on 365 of 949, while going 87 of 278 from beyond the arc (.313) and is 202 of 332 from the line (.620).  VSU is averaging 42.2 rebounds per game, while recording 170 assists, 264 turnovers, 40 blocks and 145 steals.  The Lady Blazers are averaging 63.9 points per game. Conversely, the opposition is shooting .381 from the field on 336 of 883, while going 77 of 278 from beyond the arc (.277) and 173 of 264 from the line (.655).  Teams are averaging 34.9 rebounds against VSU, while recording 171 assists, 295 turnovers, 35 blocks and 109 steals.  VSU is holding teams to 57.6 points per game.  
 
Nationally speaking, VSU is 30^thnationally and second in the GSC in free throw attempts with 332, while ranking third in the GSC in made free throws with 206.  The Lady Blazers are 31^stin rebounding margin at 7.3 for second in the conference, while ranking 13^thnationally and first in the league in rebounds with 675.  VSU's 42.2 rebounding average is 43^rdnationally and third in the league, while the Lady Blazers are holding teams to 57.6 points per game for 32^ndnationally and fourth in the league.  VSU is 54^thnationally and second in the conference in steals with 145.  Individually, Townsend leads the GSC in offensive rebounds per game at 3.0, while Garner is third in the league in 3-point field goal attempts (920 and fourth in 3-point field goals made (31).  
 
Heading into the week, Union and Lee sit atop the league standings at 7-1, while Montevallo is second at 5-2.  There is a three-way tie for fourth at 5-3 with VSU, Delta State and West Florida. West Georgia sits seventh at 4-3. West Alabama and Alabama Huntsville each are 4-4.  
 
The Lady Blazers also moved back into the D2SIDA South Region Top 10 as the team sits ninth this week after the two wins last week.  Florida Southern leads this week's rankings, followed by Union, Lee, Eckerd and Lynn rounds out the top five.  West Florida sits sixth, followed by Benedict, Delta State, VSU and Rollins. Embry-Riddle and Miles are receiving votes.   
 
West Georgia (9-4, 4-3 GSC) had a five-game winning streak snapped in a 66-49 loss at Lee last Thursday and the Wolves had a bye on Saturday.  The Wolves are 3-3 on the road this season and are led by Aysha Harris who leads the team averaging 11.3 points per game.  Harris is 42 of 98 from the field (.429), while going 7 of 22 from beyond the arc and a team-best 44 of 72 from the line (.611).  She is second in rebounding at 4.2 per game, while recording 35 assists to lead the team and second in steals with 21.  Edley Drawhorn is second in scoring at 9.5 points per game, while leading the team in field goal shooting at 45 of 94 (.479).  She is a team-best 15 of 34 from beyond the arc (.441).  
 
As a team, the Wolves are shooting .408 from the field on 295 of 723, while going 63 of 200 from beyond the arc (.315) and 154 of 239 (.644) from the line.  UWG is averaging 36.9 rebounds per game, while recording 150 assists, 215 turnovers, 37 blocks and 125 steals.  UWG is averaging 62.1 points per game, while allowing 56.5. Defensively, UWG is holding teams to a .356 average from the field (267-749), while teams are 68 of 230 from beyond the arc (.296) and 133 of 229 from the line (.581).  The opposition is averaging 39.2 rebounds per game, while recording 130 assists, 238 turnovers, 28 blocks and 107 steals.
 
The Wolves rank 19^thnationally and first in the GSC in fewest fouls at 201, while the team ranks third in the GSC and 31^stnationally in field goal percentage defense at a .356 clip.  UWG is 26^thnationally and third in the league in scoring defense at 56.5 points per game, while the Wolves are third in the league and 67^thnationally in steals per game at 9.6.  
 
Shorter (1-13, 0-7 GSC) will play at West Florida before heading to Valdosta for Saturday's matchup. The Hawks have lost 10-straight games dating back to a 65-64 win over Trevecca Nazarene on Nov. 24.  
 
For the Hawks, Raven Fair leads the team averaging 14.3 points per game as she is 74 of 211 from the field (.351), while going a team-best 27 of 40 from the line (.675). Tatum Ragsdale leads the team with 28 made 3-pointers and is 57 of 159 from the field (.358).  She is averaging 10.9 points per game and a team-best 5.3 rebounds per contest.  Jasmine Gaines is third in scoring at 10.1 points per game and second in rebounding at 5.0 per contest.
 
As a team, the Hawks are shooting .340 from the field on 256 of 752, while the opposition is at a .434 clip on 344 of 792.  SU has made 68 triples in 257 attempts (.265), while allowing 92 longballs in 258 attempts (.357).  The Hawks are shooting .587 from the line on 98 of 167, while allowing teams to shoot .617 from the charity stripe on 145 of 235.  SU is averaging 32.9 rebounds per game, while scoring 48.4 points per game. Teams are averaging 34.9 rebounds per game against Shorter and scoring 66.1 points per game.
 
Following the games this weekend, VSU returns to the road, beginning a string of four of five away from home.  Valdosta State travels to Montevallo and Auburn Montgomery next week, followed by a home game against Montevallo on Jan. 31, and road games at West Georgia and Shorter to open the month of February.  
 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for complete coverage of all 12 VSU sports and complete recaps and stats of every basketball game this season.