VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State University men's basketball team is set to take on the Clayton State Lakers for the second time this year on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Morrow, Georgia. The Blazers enter the game with a 4-3 record, suffering its third loss of the season on Saturday against the West Georgia Wolves.

Cam Hamilton leads the team and sits in ninth in the GSC in points this year with 110 points, while Michael Cole leads the team and the GSC in rebounds with 63 and averages nine per game, while Cam Selders is currently ninth in the GSC in assists with 23.

GSC Opener

The Blazers fell 86-79 to the West Georgia Wolves on Saturday to open GSC play. Junior guard Jacolbey Owens and sophomore guard DJ Mitchell led the Blazers' offense with 16 points each. Junior forward Mohamed Fofana led VSU in rebounds with eight while also recording ten points on the night, one assist, and one steal. Owens recorded four assists, one block, and one steal while Mitchell grabbed seven rebounds.

The Blazers met the Wolves for the first time of the year, as last season they faced off against UWG five times, and ultimately falling to the Wolves 79-75 in the NCAA South Regional Tournament.

vs. Clayton State

The Blazers faced off against the Lakers in the home opener this year and walked away with a 92-79 win. Junior forward Michael Cole recorded a season-high 29 points, while the team shot 50% from the field and 29% outside the arc.

The Lakers are entering the game, riding a three-game win streak, picking up wins against Tuskegee, West Georgia, and Savannah State University. The team held Savannah State to a 23-point second half on Saturday to win 75-56. Jalen Shaw is second on the team with 15 points a game while averaging 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.6 blocks. Ricardo Saams Jr. is adding 12.1 points per game while shooting 73.9% from the field, recording a team and conference-best.

From Head Coach Mike Helfer

"Playing a team the second time is always tough for both teams," Helfer said on facing Clayton State again. "There is a familiarity with each other and it will come down to execution and who makes plays that will win the game. We won't do a lot differently, we will just try to do what we have been working on and do it well."

"Whenever you go on the road to play, you have to be ready to face adversity. Things don't typically go the way you plan them to when you are playing on someone else court," Helfer said about playing the Lakers on the road. "The home team almost always plays with a higher confidence level at home and you have to counter that in some way. We will try to do simple things but do them as best we can to compete with Clayton State at their place."