VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team continues its homestand as it hosts West Florida and West Alabama this week at The Complex.  The Lady Blazers are 8-4 overall and 2-2 in Gulf South Conference play.  VSU will face West Florida Thursday at 6 p.m. and West Alabama Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Fans can access links to live stats, streaming and ticket information on vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page.  The games will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ with Mike Chason having the call.  Check back with vstateblazers.com following the games for a complete recap and stats. 
 
VSU is coming off a 61-43 win over Thomas University to close out the 2018 portion of the schedule. The Lady Blazers had three players in double figures led by 11 points off the bench from senior Shon Kitchens on 4 of 5 from the field with one triple and two free throws.  Both senior Sonya Franklin and junior Nari Garner had 10 points, while sophomore Kayla Bonilla paced the team with six assists.  

The Lady Blazers used a 15-6 spurt in the third quarter to blow open a close game as VSU shot 41.4 percent for the game from the field (24-58), while draining seven triples and dominating the glass, 46-29, including 16-7 on the offensive end.  VSU led 35-25 at halftime before the run in the third quarter.
 
West Florida enters as the No. 27^thteam in the latest D2SIDA Top 25, released Jan. 1, 2019 while the Argos are not ranked or receiving votes in the latest WBCA Top 25.  UWF is 9-2 on the year with its losses being at North Georgia (77-71) and to top-ranked Union 81-62.  Since the loss to Union, UWF has rattled off four-straight wins.  
 
The Argos haven't played since the 76-70 win at Lee on Dec. 17 as the team is 3-1 in conference play, tied with Lee, Delta State and Montevallo for second in the league standings.  Union is a perfect 4-0 in conference play and 12-0 overall.  
 
For the season, Halee Nieman leads the Argos in scoring at 19.1 points per game in 11 starts.  She is one of three players in double figures as she is 68 of 128 from the field for a .531 clip, while going 16 of 36 (.444) from beyond the arc for second on the team and 58 of 81 from the line (.716) to lead the team.  
 
Toni Brewer averages a double-double for the Argos and is just seven rebounds shy of breaking the all-time career rebounding record of 1,005 as Brewer has 999 rebounds for her storied career.  Brewer averages 17.5 points per game and a team-best 12.1 rebounds per game as she is 75 of 153 from the field (.490) and 42 of 63 from the line (.667).  Belle Bistrow is third in scoring at 13.2 points per game and leads the team in triples with 35 made 3's in 72 attempts (.486).  Anna Hall, fourth in scoring at 8.9 points per game, leads the team with 82 assists and 23 steals.
 
As a team, the Argos are shooting .461 from the field on 293 of 636, while going 81 of 205 from beyond the arc (.395) and 171 of 252 from the line (.679).  UWF is averaging 45.3 rebounds per game, along with recording 198 assists, 202 turnovers, 12 blocks and 76 steals.  The Argos are averaging 76.2 points per game and allowing 62.8.  
 
West Alabama enters with a 5-6 record overall and a 2-2 mark in the conference.  The Tigers have not played since a 59-56 loss to West Georgia on Dec. 17.  UWA is averaging 68.4 points per game, while shooting .397 from the field on 274 of 690. The Tigers are 55 of 187 from beyond the arc (.294), while going 149 of 271 from the line (.550).  UWA is averaging 43.5 rebounds per game, along with 128 assists, 230 turnovers, 21 blocks and 88 steals.
 
Individually, Chloe Culpepper is the lone Tiger in double figures at 11.1 points per game.  She is 43 of 84 from the field (.512) and tied for the team-lead in made free throws at 25 of 47 (.532), while ranking second on the team in rebounding at 6.1 per game.  J'Nyiah Daniels is second in scoring at 9.6 points per game, while Tazsa Garrett-Hammett is third in scoring at 8.8 points and leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 per game.  
 
This season, senior Crystal Townsend leads three Lady Blazers in double figures as she averages 10.9 points per game.  Townsend is 48 of 104 from the field (.462), while going 11 of 23 from beyond the arc for second on team (.478) and 24 of 31 from the line (.774).  Townsend leads the team averaging 7.7 rebounds per game.  Both Franklin and Bonilla average 10.3 points per game as Franklin leads the team in made field goals with 49.  Bonilla is a team-best 31 of 41 from the line (.756) and has a team-high 33 assists, while Franklin leads the team with 19 steals.
 
As a team, the Lady Blazers are shooting at a .377 clip on 278 of 737, while going 60 of 206 from beyond the arc (.291) and 158 of 257 from the line (.615).  VSU is averaging 43.8 rebounds per game and allowing 33.2, while scoring 64.5 points per game and allowing 56.9.  
 
Following the two games, the Lady Blazers return to the road at Mississippi College and at Delta State Jan. 10-12, before returning home for West Georgia and Shorter on Jan. 17-19.