VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team looks to get back on the winning track as it travels to West Georgia and Shorter for a pair of Gulf South Conference games this week.  VSU battles West Georgia at 5:30 p.m., Thursday evening and then plays at Shorter on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming on vstateblazers.com on the women'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 Lady Blazers have dropped their last two games in a 77-64 loss to Mississippi College and a 66-59 loss to Delta State.  VSU struggled shooting at just a 37.7 clip, while MC and DSU shot at a combined 45.3 average and went 12 of 27 from beyond the arc for the week.  VSU was 20 of 56 from range, but the big discrepancy was at the charity stripe, as VSU was 17 of 28 (.607) and the opposition was 25 of 34 (.735).  
 
Senior Cheray Saunders paced the team averaging 18.5 points in the two games on 13 of 33 from the field with three triples and 8 of 12 from the line.  She averaged a team-high 8.0 rebounds per game with four assists and three steals.  Junior Kayla Bonilla averaged 13.0 points and drained six triples, while junior Delaney Bernard hit seven treys in the two games to lead the team. 
 
VSU stands at 12-4 overall and 4-4 in GSC play under first year head coach Deandra Schirmer.  Lee and Union each are 7-1 in conference lead the league, while Delta State and Montevallo sit a half game back at 6-1 in conference play.  The Lady Blazers are tied with Alabama Huntsville and Mississippi College at 4-4, while West Georgia is 3-3.  
 
In the polls this week, VSU sits seventh in the D2SIDA Region Top Ten and West Georgia is receiving votes.  Lee, Delta State, Union, Montevallo and Tampa make up the top five in the region poll.  In the WBCA Top 25, Lee sits ninth as the only GSC team ranked, while Delta State and Union are receiving votes.
 
West Georgia is 10-4 overall this season.  The Wolves also have dropped their past two games, with losses at Delta State (82-61) and at home to Lee (75-59).  UWG is led by Edley Drawhorn and Taylor Brown who each are averaging 13.6 points per game.  Brown is 64 of 120 from the field for a .533 clip to lead the team, while Drawhorn is 62 of 128 for a .484 clip and is tied for third in made 3-pointers with 16.  
 
Drawhorn leads the team with 24 steals for the season.  Ashley Lee leads the team in rebounding at 8.7 per game, as she is averaging 13.1 points per game for third on the team.  She leads the team with 19 made 3-pointers and is second in assists with 23, while leading the team in free throw shooting at 47 of 54 for an .870 clip for first in the GSC and 31^st nationally.    
 
As a team, the Wolves are shooting .385 from the field on 393 of 1020, while going 122 of 448 from range (.272) and 219 of 306 (.716) from the line.  The team is averaging 80.5 points per game and allowing 73.5 points per contest, while pulling down 46.6 rebounds per game and allowing 44.9.  
 
Nationally speaking, UWG is tenth in defensive rebounds for second in the league at 31.0, while it is eighth overall in rebounding at 46.6 per game for second in the conference.  The 80.5 points per game is good for 18^th nationally and second in the league, while UWG leads the league in both 3-point field goals attempted (448) for ninth nationally and 3-point field goals made (122) for 35^th nationally.  UWG averages 8.7 treys made per game for 22^nd nationally and first in the conference.  The Wolves for 20 turnovers per game for second in the league.  
 
The Wolves have won the past two in the series, including a 45-41 victory last season in Carrollton.  The Blazers and the Wolves have split the past ten meetings in the series.  Since 2011, VSU has won just twice in Carrollton (2-7), with the last win there cooing in a 70-67 decision on Feb. 8, 2018.    
 
Shorter enters the week with a 0-12 record overall and a 0-7 record in league play.  The Hawks will host West Florida, Thursday, before the Lady Blazers visit Saturday afternoon.  SU dropped an 83-76 decision at Auburn Montgomery the last time out and had hits closest chance at a victory with an 84-83 loss at home to Montevallo on Dec. 21.  
 
The Hawks are led by Jasmine Gaines, who averages 20.5 points per game for second in the league and 14^thnationally.  She is 33^rd nationally and second in the league in free throw attempts, while she is 14^th nationally and first in the league in free throws made (75).  Her 86.2 free throw percentage is good for 41^st nationally and second in the GSC.  Gaines is third in the league in steals per game at 2.82 for 22^nd nationally, while she has 31 thefts to lead the team.  
 
Gaines and Tatum Ragsdale lead the team in rebounding at 6.8 per game, each, while Gaines is a team-best 70 of 158 from the field (.443).  Ragsdale, who is second in scoring at 11.6 points per game, leads the team with 18 triples.  
 
VSU leads the all-time series 11-3 against Shorter and has won the last five meetings, including a 66-59 win in Rome, Ga., last season.  The Lady Blazers are 4-3 in Rome and have won the last two meetings there.  
 
Following the two games, VSU returns home to host Auburn Montgomery for Hall of Fame Weekend on Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. at The Complex.