VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team opens the 2020 portion of the schedule with a pair of key Gulf South Conference matchups this week. The Blazers host rival West Florida Thursday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m., at The Complex and then will travel to West Alabama for a 3 p.m. ET tip on Saturday, Jan. 4.  
 
The games will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ with Mike Chason having the call of Thursday's game and Spencer Van Horn will be calling Saturday's contest.  Fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming of the games at vstateblazers.com.
 
VSU enters 2020 with a 10-2 record overall and a 2-2 mark in the GSC, while West Florida is 4-8 overall and 0-4 in league play.  West Alabama is 6-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play.  
 
The Lady Blazers closed out a busy final week before the Christmas Holiday break, going 3-1 in their final four games, including a thrilling 74-68 victory over then-No. 5 Lee University, handing the Flames their first loss of the season on Dec. 17. 
 
In the game against Lee, VSU shot 44.1 percent for the game, while holding the Flames to just 37.1 percent from the field.  Junior Kayla Bonilla had a team-high 21 points leading four Lady Blazers in double figures, while the team had 11 steals and forced 18 miscues by Lee.  VSU shot a season-best 16 of 26 from the field in the first half, including a blistering 8 of 11 in the second quarter alone en route to a 38-27 lead at intermission.  Lee outscored VSU 41-36 in the second half, but VSU hung tough and pulled out the victory.  
 
This season, Bonilla leads the team averaging 19.1 points per game on 68 of 137 from the field (.496).  She is 15 of 49 from range (.306) for third on the team, while she is 40 of 49 from the line for a .816 average for second on the team.  Bonilla has 37 assists to lead the team and has 24 steals for second on the team.  Senior Cheray Saunders is second in scoring at 15.8 points per game.  She is 70 of 140 from the field (.500) to lead the squad, while she is 45 of 63 from the line (.714) and leads the team in rebounding at 6.0 per game.  Saunders has 27 assists and a team-high 32 steals. Senior Nari Garner is third in scoring at 10.4 points per game.  Garner is 42 of 103 from the field, but leads the team with 23 triples.  She is third in steals with 18.  
 
As a team, VSU is shooting .430 from the field on 315 of 733.  The team is 81 of 246 from beyond the arc (.329) and is 165 of 232 from the line for a .711 clip.  VSU is averaging 38.3 rebounds per game, while recording 13.0 assists, 10.0 steals and 2.8 blocks per game.  The Lady Blazers are averaging 73.0 points per game and allowing 60.9 per contest.
 
Nationally speaking, VSU is second in the league in steals with 120 for 44^th nationally, while the team is third in the GSC in assists with 156.  VSU is fourth in the GSC in field goal percentage (.430), while it is third in both free throws made and attempted in the league.  Individually, Saunders is second in the league in free throws made (45) and third in free throws attempted (63).  Bonilla is third in the league in scoring at 19.1 points per game for 36^th nationally.  Saunders leads the GSC in steals with 32 for 24^th nationally.  
 
UWF is led by Danielle Norquest this season as she leads the team averaging 14.1 points per game.  Norquest is 63 of 151 (.417) from the field, while going 34 of 57 from the line, leading the team in free throws made and attempts. She is averaging 11.5 rebounds per game and leads the nation in double-doubles with nine on the year.  Charlotte Ellmore is second in scoring at 8.1 points per game on 34 of 120 from the field.  She has 12 triples and is 17 of 25 from the line.  Fanny Hulmi is second in rebounding at 5.6 per game, while Rachel McCree leads the team with 13 treys.  
 
Norquest is 21^st nationally in defensive rebounds per game at 7.4 for third the league.  She is 18^th nationally in offensive rebounds per game at 4.1 for second in the conference, while she is sixth nationally in total rebounds with 138 for second in the league and her 11.5 rebounds per game average puts her 10^th nationally and second in the league.  
 
The Argos are shooting .336 from the field on 236 of 702, while going 45 of 223 from beyond the arc for a .202 clip and 125 of 192 from the line (.651).  The team is averaging 41.0 rebounds per game, while scoring 53.5 points per game and allowing 61.5 points per contest.  
 
Thursday's game marks the third game this season UWF has played at The Complex, as the Argos defeated Albany State and lost to Fort Valley State the first weekend of the season in the GSC/SIAC Regional Challenge. 
 
West Alabama has three players in double figures led by Tazsa Garrett-Hammett who leads the team averaging 15.3 points per game.  She is 54 of 101 from the field (.535) to lead the team.  Garrett-Hammett is averaging 7.9 rebounds per game for second on the team.  Bria Dent leads the team in rebounding at 11.1 per game and is second in scoring at 12.3 points per game.  Dent is 43 of 88 from the field (.489) and 12 of 13 from the line.  She is second on the team in steals with 13.  Naelyn Rios is third in scoring at 11.9 points per game, while Genesis Del Toro leads the team with 28 assists and Jada Golden has a team-high 18 steals.  Zoe Watts leads the team with 16 blocks for the season.
 
As a team, the Tigers are shooting .431 from the field on 258 of 598, while going 41 of 154 from beyond the arc (.366) and 128 of 195 (.656) from the line.  UWA is averaging a staggering 48.1 rebounds per game and allowing 38.2 per contest, while scoring 76.1 points per game and allowing 53.1.  
 
Nationally speaking, UWA is second nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding teams to a .311 clip, while the team is eighth in scoring margin at 23.0.  The Tigers are sixth in defensive rebounds per game at 31.9 for second in the league, while they are 14^th nationally in blocks per game at 5.1 to lead the GSC.  The Tigers are third in the GSC and 10^th nationally in rebounding at 48.1, while they are 17^th nationally and tops in the league in scoring defense at 53.1 points allowed per game.  UWA is holding teams to a .256 clip from beyond the arc for 20^th nationally and second in the league.  Del Toro is 27^th in assist/turnover ratio at 2.33 to lead the league, while Dent is fourth in the GSC and 27^thnationally in double-doubles with five.  Dent is fourth in the league in rebounding at 11.1 per contest. 
 
Following the two games, VSU returns home to host Mississippi College and Delta State on Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, respectively, at The Complex.