ROME, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team outscored Shorter 53-44 in the second half for a 92-79 victory Saturday afternoon. The Blazers improved to 14-3 overall and won their seventh-straight game, while improving to 8-2 in Gulf South Conference play.
VSU shot 54.8 percent in the second half on 17 of 31 from the field and 15 of 18 from the line en route to the win, after going 5 of 8 from the line in the first half. Sophomore
Imoras Agee had a season-high 22 points to lead the team on 7 of 13 from the field with one triple and 7 of 10 from the line. Senior
Bryce Smith finished with 20 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Senior
Darrell Jones added 16 points with team-high four steals and senior
Tyler Edwards added 14 points for four starters in double figures.
Shorter (3-16, 0-8 GSC) had five players in double figures led by Ricky Knight, Jr., as he was 5 of 15 from the floor, 3 of 9 from range and 6 of 7 from the line. Ja'Cori Wilson had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Blazers, who never trailed in the game, jumped out to an 13-5 lead with a dunk from Edwards and a jumper for Agee for a 13-5 lead with 14:51 left in the first. Shorter pulled with in 15-12 with a fast break layup from Kelan Walker with 13:07 left, but the Blazers had the answer, stretching the lead to ten at 23-13 with 10:08 remaining in the half.
The Hawks kept chipping away and pulled to within two at 29-27 with 6:12 left and Walker later tied the game at 33 with 3:01 remaining, but a layup from Jones gave VSU the lead back at the other end as the Blazers pushed the lead to six and settled for a 39-35 lead at intermission.
Knight, Jr., pulled Shorter within 48-47 with 16:29 left with a trey, but the Blazers never broke as they went on a 7-0 run for a 54-46 lead with 14:59 left on a "hoop and harm" for Smith. Five quick points from Agee pushed the lead to 63-51 with 12:51 left for the largest lead of the game to that point.
Wilson's trey pulled Shorter within 77-70 with 4:15 left but the "and one" from Jones put the lead at ten with 3:44 remaining as the lead never got under ten the rest of the way. VSU went a perfect 6 for 6 in the final 33 seconds from the line for the 92-79 win.
The Blazers return home to host Auburn Montgomery Saturday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. at The Complex for Hall of Fame Weekend. To purchase tickets for the Hall of Fame Brunch, set for 10 a.m. Saturday morning, please click on the link at the top of the page.
