CARROLLTON, Ga. – With the game tied at 47 heading into the fourth quarter, the No. 7 Valdosta State women's basketball team dug deep and outscored West Georgia 24-17 in the final frame for a 71-64 victory Saturday afternoon. VSU graduate student Kwajelin Farrar tallied her seventh double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. 
 
VSU went a game-high 9 of 16 from the field in the fourth quarter (56.3 percent), including draining five treys in the frame (5-8) to pull away for the victory.  Senior Delaney Bernard hit two big 3's in the quarter as four different players drained triples in the frame.
 
Bernard got things started in the frame with her first triple of the quarter for a 50-47 lead and Farrar followed with a bucket for a 5-0 spurt, but the Wolves wouldn't go quietly, however, as Lanee Edwards' second trey of the game and a bucket from Siera Carter tied the game for the fifth time at 52 with 7:41 left.
 
Back-to-back treys from freshman Alexandria Smith and sophomore Jirah Ards began a 12-2 run for a 64-54 lead with 4:49 left.  UWG (5-7, 5-7 GSC) pulled within eight, but another spurt by the Lady Blazers pushed the lead to 13 with 2:48 left at 69-56.  Two late 3's by UWG helped cut the score to the final deficit of seven. 
 
For the game, Farrar was massive for the Lady Blazers inside with her 16 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end.  She finished 7 of 15 from the field with a VSU career-best six assists and three steals earning Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors.  Smith had a game-high 16 points on 6 of 12 from the field with three triples and eight rebounds.  Bernard added 12 points and nine rebounds with three treys, while Nelson had a VSU career-high 13 points off the bench on 5 of 8 from the field and she knocked down a caree-best three from distance.
 
VSU improved to 12-1 on the year and 12-1 in Gulf South Conference play with the victory.  Despite shooting under 40 percent for the game, the rebounding and 3-pointers proved to be the big difference as the Lady Blazers outrebounded UWG 49-35 and 21-10 on the offensive end.  VSU finished 27 of 68 from the floor, while draining 11 treys, but was just 6 of 13 from the line. 
 
UWG had five players in double figures, including four starters in the upset bid.  Nijeria Jordan had a team-high 14 points off the bench on 6 of 10 from the field and 2 of 3 from range, while. Zaria Bankston and a team-high seven rebounds.  The Wolves shot 40 percent for the game on 24 of 60, while going 7 of 24 from range and 9 of 12 from the line.  VSU turned the ball over 13 times, but UWG held a 19-9 lead in points off turnovers to stay within striking distance.
 
The Wolves had the upper hand much of the first quarter and built an 18-12 lead on the old fashion three-point play from Carter with 1:48 left in the frame.  Ards buried a jumper for the final bucket of the quarter and an 18-15 deficit.
 
Nelson connected on a trey to open the second quarter as VSU rattled off a 12-0 run for a 24-18 lead with 7:01 left in the half.  Later in the quarter, Jordan hit a trey pulling the Wolves within 30-26.  VSU led 31-26 at the break.
 
Smith hit a trey beginning an 11-2 run for a 44-33 lead for the visitors with 3:21 left in the third quarter.  UWG regained the momentum with a 12-0 run, but Bernard drained a huge triple giving VSU the lead late in the frame at 47-45.  Bankston, however, tied the game at 47 with a layup at the buzzer.
 
VSU head coach Deandra Schirmer won her 30^th game at the helm of the program as she improved to 30-12 in her second season.  VSU won its fifth-straight game and heads to Pensacola, Fla., for a matchup with West Florida on Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET. 
 
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page.  The game Tuesday will be broadcast on 94.3 WJEM FM with Mike Chason having the call.  It also will be broadcast online at foxsportsvaldosta.com.