VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 15 Valdosta State women's basketball team used a 21-13 spurt in the third quarter for a 72-64 victory over visiting Auburn Montgomery Monday evening at The Complex.  Graduate students Nicole Heyn and Kwajelin Farrar each had 15 points and freshman India Jordan added ten points off the bench in the victory.  
 
The Lady Blazers (9-2, 4-1 GSC) shot 28 of 57 from the field for 45.6 percent, while going 8 of 22 from beyond the arc for 36.4 percent, but continued to struggle from the line on just 12 of 21 for a 57.1 clip.  VSU held a 33-26 lead in rebounding and a 14-5 advantage on the offensive end.  VSU forced AUM into 26 turnovers and held a 25-17 lead in points off turnovers.  Farrar finished 7 of 10 from the field and 1 of 2 from the line, while Heyn was 4 of 6 from the field, 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and 3 of 6 from the stripe.  She had four steals, while Jordan had five thefts and was 3 of 5 from the field with a triple and 3 of 4 from the line.
 
The Warhawks fell to 4-5 on the year and 0-4 in GSC play as Caitlin Clark had a game-high 20 points on 6 of 7 from the field and 8 of 10 from the line.  AUM opened the game shooting 70 percent from the field, but cooled off to 48.8 percent for the game on 21 of 43.  The Warhawks were 6 of 17 from beyond the arc and 16 of 19 from the line.
 
A triple from Heyn off an assist from sophomore Lili Long pulled VSU within 6-5 with six minutes left in the first quarter and then graduate student Delaney Bernard tied the game at eight with a deep trey moments later. Off an offensive rebound, Heyn buried her second trey of the frame and the first VSU lead at 11-8 with just under five minutes remaining in the opening stanza.  Out of a timeout, Jordan hit a trey in transition for a 14-8 lead.  Freshman Taylor Searcey gathered an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and put back for a 19-10 lead with 2:32 left in the quarter and a timeout by the Warhawks.  
 
Since it was 8-5 in favor of AUM, VSU outscored AUM 14-2.  A steal and layup from Jordan gave her five points for the frame and a 22-12 VSU lead with 1:12 left in the opening quarter.  A "hoop and harm" foul on the Lady Blazers gave Jamya Tyus the old fashion 3-point play for a 22-18 VSU lead at the end of the first.  AUM finished the frame on a 6-0 run.
 
Both teams shot well on the opening stanza as VSU was 8 of 15 from the field and 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, while going 2 of 4 from the line.  AUM was 7 of 10 from the field and 1 of 2 from range, while going 3 of 3 from the line.  VSU forced seven turnovers in the opening quarter by the Warhawks.
 
Heyn buried a triple with 9:15 left in the half for a 25-20 lead as she ended an 8-0 spurt by the Warhawks.  Farrar put VSU up 30-28 with 5:25 left in the half as teams were stuck on 28-22 for a bit.  Following a triple from AUM, Bernard answered at the other end for a 33-25 lead with 4:17 left in the half.  VSU took a 37-31 lead into half.  
 
For the half, VSU shot 14 of 27 from the field for 51.9 percent and was 6 of 11 from beyond the arc, but continued to struggle from the line, going just 3 of 8.  Heyn led the way with 11 points on 3 of 4 from range with two free throws as the only player on either side in double figures.  
 
The Warhawks shot just 4 of 14 from the field in the second quarter and were 11 of 24 from the field for the half, while going 2 of 10 from range and a perfect 7 of 7 from the line.  Tyus had a team-high seven points, while VSU held a 16-13 lead in rebounding.  
 
Through the first five minutes of the second half, VSU stretch the lead to ten scoring nine of the first 14 points for a 46-36 advantage.  AUM's Jordan Brewster hit a triple for a 46-39 VSU lead with 4:56 left in the quarter.  A steal and one of two free throws from Heyn pushed the lead back to ten at 49-39 with less than three minutes left in the third.  Another miscue by the Warhawks and a steal and two free throws from Jordan pushed the lead to a game-high 12 points at 53-41 with 1:46 left in the quarter.  Sophomore Kendall Bollmer hit a trey just before the buzzer in the third quarter for a 58-44 lead and the largest of the game heading into the fourth quarter.  It was the eighth trey of the game by VSU and Bollmer became the fourth different player with a triple.  VSU outscored AUM 21-13 for the largest margin by either team in a quarter in the game.
 
One of two free throws from Jordan, giving her ten points on the night, swelled the VSU lead to 64-47 with 4:48 left in the contest as VSU opened the final quarter scoring six of the first nine points.  An offensive rebound and put back from graduate student Mallory Odell pushed the lead to 68-53 with just over two minutes remaining.  Farrar scored inside on a great pass from Tamiya Francis for a 70-57 lead with 90 seconds left.  
 
A bucket from Caitlin Carter for her 17^th point of the game cut the VSU lead to 70-61 with 40 seconds left, but Bernard scored at the other end for her eighth point of the season and a 72-61 lead with 27.9 seconds remaining.  VSU went on for the 72-64 victory.
 
Following the Christmas break, VSU returns to action on Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 at Alabama Huntsville and West Alabama, respectively.  The Lady Blazers return home on Jan. 13 versus Delta State at 6 p.m., at The Complex.