LIVINGSTON, Ala. – For the second time in 2022, the No. 22 Valdosta State women's basketball team used a strong second half to pull away from West Alabama for a 64-51 victory Sunday afternoon as it ran its winning streak to four games and improved to 11-2 overall and 6-1 in Gulf South Conference play.  VSU had three starters in double figures led by 16 points and eight rebounds from graduate student Kwajelin Farrar.
 
Just as in Friday's contest at Alabama Huntsville, VSU led by two at the break on Sunday at 30-28, before outscoring the Tigers 23-14 in the third quarter and 11-9 in the fourth for a 34-23 advantage in the second half.  VSU led Friday's game 35-33 before exploding with a 27-9 score in the third quarter en route to an 82-61 victory.  On Sunday, Farrar finished 7 of 13 from the field with two free throws, eight rebounds, one assist and one block in 30 minutes.  Graduate student Nicole Heyn was 5 of 11 from the field and 3 of 5 from deep for 14 points and graduate student Delaney Bernard added 11 points on 4 of 8 shooting and 3 of 7 from range. 
 
The Tigers (10-4, 4-2 GSC) had a game-high double-double from Bria Dent with 18 points and 14 rebounds on 8 of 11 shooting and 2 of 3 from the line leading two players in double figures as Zoe Watts chipped in 13 points.  VSU led from the get go and never trailed in the contest and there were no ties.
 
VSU shot an even 50 percent from the field on 25 of 50 from the floor, while it was 8 of 18 from range and 6 of 9 from the line.  The Lady Blazer "D" held UWA to 18 of 44 shooting and just 2 of 13 from deep, while the Tigers stayed relatively close going 13 of 17 from the line, including 7 of 11 from the stripe in the second half.  VSU didn't attempt a free throw in the first half as all 15 attempts came in the final two periods.
 
The Lady Blazers put the pressure on the Tigers early in the second half as Farrar scored on the first possession and she added a hoop-and-harm in for a 35-28 lead with 9:16 left in the frame to set the tone early.  Sophomore Lili Long buried a trey for a 38-29 lead followed by a trey from Heyn for a 41-30 lead with 8:03 left as VSU raced out to an 11-2 run to start the half.  Dent hit UWA's first field goal of the half in the paint at the 5:50 mark pulling the Tigers within 44-34, but Bernard pushed the lead to 16 at 52-36 with 2:03 left with a triple for a 22-8 start to the quarter.  The Tigers clawed to within 53-42 to conclude the frame. 
 
The momentum continued for VSU into the fourth as it scored the first six points of the quarter for a 59-42 lead capped with a layup from freshman Taylor Searcey with 7:10 to play, marking the largest lead of the game as UWA never got under double-digits the rest of the way. 
 
The Lady Blazers continue the pivotal road trip next Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at West Florida, before returning home on Jan. 13 and Jan. 15 versus Delta State and Mississippi College, respectively, for Hall of Fame Weekend. 
 
Click on the link to the right for information on the 25^th Annual Hall of Fame and to purchase tickets.  The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2022, at 10 a.m. at the VSU Student Union Ballroom.