VALDOSTA, Ga. - The No. 16-ranked Valdosta State men's basketball team will take on West Georgia with a pair of games this weekend set for Friday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. in The Complex.
 
Due to the pandemic, there will be no paper programs at the games this season, please click on the link to the right of this story and each home game preview throughout the season.  There also will be sheets at the entrances of the P.E. Complex each gameday with the QR code for the game program.
 
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be limited occupancy for home games (1,100 maximum attendance) and face coverings will be required at all times for all guests over the age of 2.
 
VSU (8-2, 8-2 GSC) returns home with a pair of wins after defeating Shorter in Rome, Ga. by scores of 95-85 on Friday and 97-73 on Saturday. The Blazers were led in scoring by GSC Player of the Week Imoras Agee who went 14 for 25 (.560) for an average of 19.5 points to go with his 6.5 rebounds per game. Agee wasn't the only Blazer to earn GSC honors as Ricky Brown received Freshman of the Week after recording career bests in points (16), minutes (12), field goals made/ attempted (five for nine), three-point FG made/ attempted (four for seven), and free throws made/ attempted (two for two) during Saturdays win.
 
Valdosta State handled Shorter easily with help from big halftime leads where they headed into the locker room up 15 on Friday and 21 on Saturday. The Blazers were lights out from three during Saturday's game, sinking 16 shots from deep for a .444 shooting percentage.
 
The pair of wins gave the Blazers a three-spot jump on the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II rankings from 19 to 16 and remain at 20 in the Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA) rankings. In the NABC rankings, Alabama Huntsville is ahead of VSU at 12 while Lee found itself on the poll at 24. Alabama Huntsville sits at eight in the D2SIDA poll while Lee sits at 16.
 
West Georgia enters the week with a 2-5 record overall, defeating West Florida and Shorter on the year. The Wolves are led by Deng Nhial who averages 17.7 ppg, going 43 for 93 (.462) from the field with 13 threes. Junior Michael Zabetakis leads the team in rebounds per game with 6.4 to go with his 14.6 ppg.
 
The Blazers faced the Wolves during its season opener on Saturday, Dec. 12 in Carrollton, Ga. Valdosta State squeaked out a 62-60 win behind 26 points and five rebounds from Agee, the only Blazer to score double digit points. The Blazers struggled offensively, shooting 23 for 62 (.371) from the field and just five for 20 (.250) from deep. The Wolves struggled as well, shooting 77 shots from the field and only making 22 (.306).
 
Led by third year head coach Dave Moore, the Wolves are shooting .410 from the field while going .301 from deep to average 71.0 ppg, a -1.9 scoring margin to its opponents. The Wolves struggle on the glass, averaging 34.3 rpg while giving up 38.0 for a -3.7 margin. West Georgia ranks second to last in the GSC in field goal percentage, just .003 away from the bottom spot as for the Blazers rank second with a .483 shooting parentage. On the contrary, the Wolves have the second best field goal percentage defense, allowing its opponents to shoot just .435 from the field.
 
The Blazers are currently riding a four-game win streak against the Wolves, dating back to a 91-80 win on Feb. 7, 2019, in Carrollton, Ga. During that span, the Blazers have outscored the Wolves 356 (89 ppg) - 316 (79 ppg). Valdosta is 8-3 when playing inside The Complex over the past 22 games. In its last 10 matchups, the Blazers have only dropped one match after an 87-86 loss Jan. 17, 2019 at home. The team's largest margin of victory came in February of 2014 after handling the Wolves 88-55 and the Blazers longest losing streak was three games which spanned during the 2011-12 to 2012-2013 season.
 
Agee, the Blazers leading scorer, ranks first on the GSC leaderboard in total points scored with 183 and sixth in average points per game with 18.3. Agee also ranks first in field goals made with 67 and minutes on the floor with 326. Behind Agee is redshirt junior Cam Hamilton with 153 total points which is good for second among all GSC players while senior Burke Putnam is close behind, sitting at number four with 137 points, four points from cracking the top three.
 
Season tickets are on sale now. Please call 229-333-SEAT for more information on purchasing tickets. Check back with vstateblazers.com for updates on all things Blazer basketball and on all VSU's 12 intercollegiate athletic programs.