VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State University men's basketball team is set to host the 2021-2022 home opener Tuesday evening against the Clayton State Lakers at 7:30 p.m. inside the Complex.

The Blazers (1-1) are coming off the Gulf South Conference/ Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Challenge hosted by Fort Valley State University this past weekend. The Blazers went 1-1 over the weekend, picking up a loss against Clark Atlanta, 112-106, on Friday, and a win over Fort Valley State, 69-6, on Saturday. 

GSC/SIAC Challenge
The Blazers' fast-paced offense recorded 29 points off turnovers against CAU, 20 fast break points, racked up 24 turnovers, 21 assists, and four blocked shots. The team recorded 23 rebounds, 13 offensive, and ten on the defensive end. VSU finished 37 of 90 from the floor, 10 of 32 from beyond the arc and 22 of 38 from the line as free throws were a significant difference in the game.

In Saturday's win, the Blazers went 43.1% from the field, 12.5% outside the arc, recorded 40 rebounds and season highs with 23 free throws and eight blocked shots for the match.

Last year, the Blazers had a stellar season as it won its fifth-straight GSC regular-season title and its first-ever Gulf South Conference Tournament title. The Blazers qualified for the NCAA regional for the fifth-straight season under head coach Mike Helfer and finished the season with a 17-5 record overall and 14-4 in the GSC. VSU finished 24th nationally in the final D2 SIDA Top 25. VSU averaged 85.32 points per game, a .466 field goal percentage, and picked up 79 blocks, 177 steals and 866 rebounds. 

vs. Clayton State

The game marks the 12th meeting between the two teams. VSU is 8-3 all-time against the Lakers and 4-2 at home. In the PBC preseason coaches poll, Clayton State was picked to come in eighth in the Peach Belt Conference. The Lakers have a brand new look to the team as head coach Vince Alexander added 12 players, 10 of whom are transfers, to go along with four returning players from last season's roster. Ricardo Lynch leads the team this season with 37 points, while the team averages 77 points per game and 33 rebounds per game. 

New Players: Career Highs  

The Blazers have ten new players for this season. This past weekend, sophomore guard DJ Mitchell, a transfer from Florida International University, recorded a career-high 19 points on the evening in addition to seven rebounds and a block. Previously at FIU, Mitchell recorded 14 points against North Florida on 12/12/21. 

From head coach Mike Helfer

"It's always good to play at home in the Complex," Helfer said on Tuesday's home opener. "It's a special place to play no matter when you play here. This year we are not at home very often, so it will be nice when we are here, and we have students in the stands." 

"We always make adjustments after games," Helfer said on preparing for Clayton State. "At this time of the year, it's adjustments to ourselves. We need to be better in some basic areas, and those are what we need to look at after every game."

For live stats, live streaming, and information on Blazer hoops, visit vstateblazers.com or follow Blazer Athletics on social media.