VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team returns home to host Shorter and West Georgia this week at The Complex, in a pair of key Gulf South Conference games.  
 
The Lady Blazers battle Shorter on Thursday at 6 p.m. and will face West Georgia Saturday at 2 p.m. for the annual "Play for Kay Pink Game."  Fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page.  The games will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ FM with Mike Chason having the call.  
 
On Sat., Feb. 8, VSU women's basketball will host its annual "Play for Kay Day."  The event, spearheaded by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), is named in honor of legendary North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow, wo was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987.  She passed away on January 24, 2009, after facing her third bout with the disease.  
 
The Kay Yow Fund, in partnership with the WBCA, at The V Foundation, is a charitable organization committed to being part of finding an answer in the fight against women's cancers through raising money for scientific research, assisting the underserved and unifying people for a common cause.  The Lady Blazers have partnered with Southern OB/GYN, who will provide 100 pink t-shirts for fans at Saturday's game to help promote the initiative.  Donations can be made to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund online at www.kayyow.com.  There will be additional information on how to donate at the game on Saturday.
 
VSU enters with a 14-6 record overall and a 6-6 mark in Gulf South Conference play.  The Lady Blazers dropped a 90-67 decision last Saturday at Montevallo and won 77-51 at home versus Auburn Montgomery on Jan. 25 in their last two outings.
 
In the polls this week, VSU sits tenth in the D2SIDA South Region Top Ten, while Lee leads the region rankings.  Union is third, followed by Montevallo, who is tied for fourth with Benedict and Delta State is seventh.  Alabama Huntsville is receiving votes.  In the D2SIDA Top 25, Lee is fourth and Union is 24^th as the only teams ranked in the poll.  In the WBCA Top 25, Lee is sixth with its only loss being to the Lady Blazers this season.  The first NCAA South Region anticipated to be released on Feb. 19.  
 
The Lady Blazers are tied for seventh in the GSC standings with West Georgia right now.  Lee leads the standings with a 12-1 record, while Union is 12-2 and Montevallo is 10-2.  Delta State and Alabama Huntsville each are 8-5, while Christian Brothers is 7-7.  West Alabama (5-8) and Mississippi College (5-9) are sitting behind VSU and UWG.  
 
Shorter enters with a 1-17 record overall and a 1-12 mark in GSC play.  The Hawks are led by Jasmine Gaines, who leads the team averaging 21.1 points per game.  Gaines is 117 of 264 from the field (.443) with 16 triples and is 108 of 126 (.857) from the line.  She is averaging a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game, while leading the team with 54 assists and 42 steals.  Tatum Ragsdale is second in scoring at 10.4 points per game, while she is third in treys with 25.  Christian Bolden leads the team with 27 made triples this season.  
 
As a team, the Hawks are second in the GSC in free throw percentage at a .737 clip for 73^rd nationally.  Individually, Gaines is 27^th nationally in free throws attempted for second in the league (126), while she is 15^th nationally and first in the league in free throws made (108).  Gaines is third in the league and 38^th nationally in free throw percentage (.857), while she is sixth nationally in minutes played at 38.2 per contest for second in the league.  Her 21.1 points per game is good for second in the league and 13^th nationally. 
 
Last time out versus Shorter, the Blazers posted a 97-74 win on Jan. 18 in Rome, Ga.  Four Lady Blazers were in double figures led by 17 points from junior Delaney Bernard.  She was 4 of 7 from the field with three triples and 6 of 6 from the line.  Junior Germani Abram was 6 of 7 from the field and 4 of 4 from the line for a season-high 16 points.  Sophomore Abby Rouse added 14 points off the bench for a season-high and junior Kayla Bonilla chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds to lead the team.  Gaines had a team-high 21 points for Shorter.
 
West Georgia enters the week with a 13-7 record overall and a 6-6 mark in league play.  The Wolves will play at West Florida, before heading to Valdosta for Saturday's contest.  UWG has dropped its past two contests and three of four, while going 3-3 over the last six games, since it won against VSU 78-69 in Carrollton, Ga., on Jan. 16. 
 
The Wolves are led by Taylor Brown, who leads the team averaging 13.0 points per game leading three players in double figures. Brown is 86 of 172 from the field (.500) with 19 triples and is 56 of 81 from the line.  Edley Drawhorn is second in scoring at 12.7 points per game and leads the team with 40 steals, while Ashley Lee is third in scoring at 12.6 points and leads the team in rebounding at 8.4 per game.  Lee's .881 average from the line is good for 23^rd nationally and second in the league as she is a team-best 59 of 67 from the stripe.  Kylah Mize leads the team with 31 made triples, while Zaria Bankston has a team-high 48 assists.  
 
UWG is shooting at an .380 clip this season on 536 of 1410, while they are 186 of 644 from range (.289) and 305 of 417 from the line (.731).  UWG is averaging 78.2 points per game and 44.1 rebounds per game.  Conversely, the opposition is shooting .413 from the field (558-1352), while draining 119 triples and are 237 of 345 from the line.  The opponents are averaging 73.6 points per game and 44.5 rebounds per game.
 
Nationally speaking, the Wolves are fourth nationally in 3-point field goals attempted (644), while they are 22^nd in made 3-pointers with 186 and 15^th in made 3-pointers per game at 9.3.  UWG is second in the league in and 21^stnationally in scoring offense at 78.2 points per game, while they are 41^st nationally in free throws made (305) and 57^thin free throws attempted (417). 
 
Turnovers and free throws were the difference in the first meeting between VSU and UWG as the Wolves won 78-69.  UWG used a 29-15 second quarter for a 46-32 lead at halftime, to see VSU roar back in the third, outscoring the Wolves 18-9 for a 55-50 deficit.  UWG used an 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter en route to the victory.  VSU senior Cheray Saunders had a career-high 16 rebounds and 21 points, while Bonilla chipped in 22 points in the game.  UWG had five players in double figures led by 19 points from Brown.  UWG capitalized on 28 miscues by VSU for a 28-10 lead in points off turnovers, while UWG was 26 of 35 from the line and VSU was 13 of 25.  
 
For the season, VSU is third in the league in field goal percentage at a .437 clip on 522 of 1195 for 55^th nationally.  The Lady Blazers are 30^th nationally and second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at a .357 clip on 150 of 420.  Bonilla is third in the GSC in scoring at 18.6 points per game to lead the team for 41^st nationally.  Saunders is seventh in the league in field goal percentage at a .478 clip, while she is fifth in the league in field goals made (118).  Bonilla is eighth in the league in made field goals with 116.