VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State University men's basketball team is set to take on the West Florida Argonauts on January 8 at 5 p.m. ET in Pensacola, Florida. The Blazers enter the game with a 7-6 record and a 3-3 mark in the Gulf South Conference.

Junior guard Jacolbey Owens currently sits ninth in the GSC in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game, while junior forward Michael Cole sits eighth in the league in rebounding, averaging 6.8 per game. Cam Hamilton currently has the ninth-best three-point percentage in the GSC (.368), making 28 of 76 shots beyond the arc this season.

Loss to West Alabama

The Blazers shot 49% from the field in its 84-74 road loss to the West Alabama Tigers on January 2. Owens finished his 17th-straight game in double figures. Jeremy Golson ended the game with a career-high 12 points and five rebounds and also recorded a steal while Maurice Gordon finished the game with 14 points, one steal and five rebounds. The Blazers put up 38 points in the paint for the game and had 13 points off turnovers, two fast-break points, and four second-chance points. The Blazers' bench recorded 23 points, and the team recorded a 56.3 free throw percentage going nine of 16 from the line.

Big Wins vs Montevallo and AUM

The Blazers picked up two big conference wins against Montevallo, 79-53 on December 18, and Auburn Montgomery, 84-78 on December 20.

Against Montevallo, the Blazers shot 30 of 59 from the field (50.8%) and 12 of 23 (52.2%) from outside the arc. Mohamed Fofana recorded a double-double during the game, picking up 15 points and 10 rebounds. In the game against AUM, four Blazers finished scoring in double-figures, while freshman guard Ricky Brown recorded a career-high 26 points and went 10 of 14 from the field and three of four outside the arc. The Valdosta, Ga. product also went three of four from the free-throw line and picked up two rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal. The Blazers shot 30 of 62 from the field for a 48.4 shooting percentage and went 17 of 23 from the free-throw line for a 73.9 free throw percentage.

vs. West Florida

The Blazers are facing off against the Tigers for the 24th time since 2011. West Florida is averaging 75.8 points per game and 39.1 rebounds per game. As a team UWF has a 46.1 field goal percentage and has the fifth highest scoring offense in the conference. Daniel Sofield is the Argos' leading scorer, averaging 16.9 points per game and has a team high 40 three pointers. Darrin Jenkins and Sofield each have a team high 16 steals this season. The Argonauts are riding a two-game losing streak, picking up losses against West Alabama on December 31, 74-68 and Alabama Huntsville on January 4, 95-74.

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