VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team returns to the road this week as it travels to rivals West Georgia and Shorter.  The Blazers battle West Georgia Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m., and then will face Shorter at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming on vstateblazers.com on the men's basketball schedule page.  Spencer Van Horn will have the call of the games on 92.1 WDDQ FM.  Check back following the games for complete recaps and stats. 
 
The Blazers enter winners of five-straight games, tying the longest winning streak for the team this season.  VSU downed Mississippi College (99-81) and Delta State (103-80) last week.  The five-game winning streak is tied for the second-longest current streak in the Gulf South Conference with Montevallo.  Lee has won ten-straight games for the longest current winning streak in the league. Montevallo is the lone unbeaten team in GSC play at 7-0, while Lee is a half game back at 7-1.  The Blazers are third at 6-2 in conference play and are 12-3 overall.
 
VSU sits sixth in the latest D2SIDA South Region Poll.  Barry moved to the top spot this week, followed by Nova Southeastern, Lee, Florida Southern and Embry-Riddle round out the top five.  Montevallo is seventh, while Alabama Huntsville and West Alabama are tied for eighth.  Palm Beach Atlantic sits tenth.  UAH is the only GSC team ranked this week at No. 21 in the NABC Top 25, while Lee is receiving votes in the poll.  Lee is the only GSC team ranked in the D2SIDA Top 25 at 23rd this week.  
 
Last week, VSU averaged 101 points and shot .497 from the field on 79 of 159 in the wins over Missisisppi College and Delta State.  The Blazers were 19 of 44 from beyond the arc (.432) and 25 of 33 from the line (.758).  VSU averaged 37.5 rebounds per game with 38 assists – 21 turnovers, five blocks and 22 steals.  Senior Clay Guillozet paced the team averaging 17.0 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game as he led six Blazers in double figures for the week.  Guillozet was 13 of 22 from the field (.591) with two treys and 6 of 9 from the line.  He pulled down 10 offensive rebounds and five on the defensive end. Senior Bryce Smith went 14 of 25 from the field and averaged 15.5 points per game for the week. 
 
West Georgia enters with a 4-10 record overall and a 2-4 mark in conference play.  The Wolves have dropped their last two games and have not won at home this season as they are 0-6 in Carrollton.  UWG played Lee tough on Jan. 9 its last time out, falling 80-73 in Carrollton.  The Wolves led 41-32 at halftime, but Lee outscored UWG 48-32 in the second half and 40-23 over the final 15 minutes.  
 
This season, the Wolves are averaging 77.6 points per game and allowing 81.5, while shooting .441 from the field on 396 of 897 and .320 from beyond the arc on 108 of 337.  UWG is shooting from the charity stripe at a 68.5 clip and averaging 38.9 rebounds per game and allowing 40.1 per contest.  Conversely, teams are shooting .447 against the Wolves on 400 of 894, while teams are 105 of 309 from beyond the arc against UWG (.340) and 236 of 384 from the line (.678).  
 
Individually, Kovi Tate leads the team averaging 17.4 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per contest.  He is 98 of 171 (.573) from the field to lead the team, while going 48 of 76 from the line.  He leads the team with 14 blocks and second on the team in steals with 11.  Kadeim Jones is second in scoring at 15.6 points per game on 64 of 169 (.379).  He is second on the team in treys with 26 and leads the team in free throw shooting at a .803 clip on 49 of 61.  Seth Brown-Carter (14.6) and Oraonte' Anderson (10.9) each are in double figures for the Wolves this season.  Anderson leads the team with 83 assists and 22 steals.  
 
Nationally speaking, Tate is seventh nationally and first in the league in double-doubles with seven, while he is 42^ndnationally in field goal percentage (.573) for second in the league.  He is 40^th nationally in offensive rebounds (3.14) and leads the league in total field goals made (98).  Anderson is 24^th nationally and first in the league in assists per game at 5.9.  As a team, UWG is third in the league in defensive rebounds per game at 27.6, while it is third in offensive rebounds per game (11.14) and third in total rebounds per game at 38.8.  
 
VSU downed West Georgia 91-80 last season in Carrollton after an 87-86 loss in Valdosta in 2018-19.  VSU has won six of the last seven in the series and three-straight in Carrollton.  
 
Shorter enters the week with a 3-12 mark overall and a 0-7 record in GSC play.  The Hawks will host West Florida on Thursday, before entertaining the Blazers on Saturday.  SU has dropped its past six games, but did play Montevallo to an 86-85 overtime loss on Dec. 21.  
 
The Hawks are averaging 76.9 points per game and allowing 86.3.  The team is shooting .411 from the field on 395 of 960, while going 126 of 375 from beyond the arc (.336) and 237 of 322 from the line (.736).  SU is averaging 35.4 rebounds per game and allowing 38.9 as teams are shooting .473 against the Hawks on 484 of 1023, while going 137 of 358 (.383) from beyond the arc and 189 of 262 from the line (.721).
 
SU has three players averaging double figures led by Ja'Cori Wilson at 16.3 points per game in eight games.  Bryan Polanco is averaging 151 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game as he has started all 15 contests.  Polanco is shooting .435 from the field on 80 of 184 to leads the team, while he has drained ten triples and is a team-best 56 of 77 from the line (.727).  He leads the team with 36 assists, third in steals (12) and leads with 13 blocks.  Jay Shropshire is third in scoring at 13.5 points per game and leads the team with 40 made triples in 98 attempts for a .408 average.  
 
In the national rankings, Shorter is first in the GSC in free throws made (248) for 40^th nationally and 42^nd nationally in free throws attempted for second in the league at 341.  SU is third in the league in made 3-pointers with 134 and third in the conference in 3-point field goals attempted with 408.  Polanco is fourth in the league in free throw attempts (83) and fifth in free throws made (59), while Frenki Lilaj is second in the league in free throw percentage at a .845 clip.  Shropshire is fourth in the conference in 3-point field goals made per game (2.8), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.408) and fifth in 3-pointers made (42).  
 
VSU leads the all-time series with Shorter 9-5 and has won the last six in the series.  The Blazers posted a 110-75 win in Rome, Ga., on Feb. 9, 2019, in the last meeting.  VSU is 5-2 all-time on the road against the Hawks and have won the last four trips there. 
 
The Blazers enter the week leading the GSC in scoring offense at 88.6 points per game for 20^th nationally.  VSU is 20^thin offensive rebounds per game (13.67), while it is first in the league in total rebounding at 40.9 for 25^th nationally.  The Blazers are first in the GSC and in the top 35 nationally in steals per game (8.9), turnover margin (4.2), turnovers forced (16.3) and turnovers per game (12.1).  VSU is first in the GSC and 33^rd nationally in assist/turnover ratio at a 1.35 clip.  
 
Individually, Guillozet is 20^th nationally and first in the GSC in offensive rebounds per game at 3.47, while sophomore Cam Hamilton leads the conference in steals per game at 2.2 for 37^th nationally.  He also leads the league in total steals with 33.  Jones is fourth in the league in rebounding at 8.9 per game, while Guillozet is sixth in field goal shooting at .530.  He is second in the league in field goals made with 96.  
 
Following the two games, VSU returns home to host Auburn Montgomery for Hall of Fame Weekend on Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. at The Complex.