VALDOSTA, Ga. – In a game that saw 12 lead changes and three ties, visiting Union came away with an 81-78 victory over Valdosta State Sunday afternoon in Gulf South Conference play.
The Blazers fell to 6-5 on the year and 3-3 in GSC play, while Union improved to 6-4 overall and 5-1 in league play. VSU senior Jacolbey Owens had a game-high 23 points on 7 of 15 from the field to go along with 9 of 12 from the line, six rebounds, two assists and five steals. Junior Lee Flenor, playing in his first game as a Blazer, finished with 14 points off the bench on 6 of 8 from the field, 2 of 4 from the line, six rebounds, three assists and one steal.
VSU shot 27 of 56 from the field for 48.2 percent, while it was 5 of 19 from deep and 19 of 32 from the line. The Blazers were 17 of 28 from the line in the second half after going just 2 for 4 from the stripe in the first half. Missed free throws proved to be costly down the stretch as Union went 18 of 23 from the line for the game and 16 of 21 in the second half.
Union was led by 22 points from Tylandrius Parks on 7 of 11 from the field, 8 of 8 from the line, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal. Bo Nguidjol had a double-double with ten points and 11 rebounds, while Jalen Johnson and Ivan Prug each had ten points. The Bulldogs went 27 of 52 from the field, 9 of 23 from deep, while VSU held a slim 32-31 lead in rebounding. The Blazers forced 18 miscues by Union and held a 20-8 lead in points off turnovers.
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 8-2 lead capped with a triple from Jalen Johnson, but the Blazers answered at the under end with a longball from graduate student Maurice Gordon and, following a turnover, senior Mohamed Fofana scored inside for an 8-7 deficit. Later, Flenor gave VSU its first lead of the game with a layup with 14:13 left in the first half at 11-10. Flenor then scored his second bucket of the game for a 16-12 VSU lead moments later and junior Jay Rucker stretched the lead to 22-17 with a layup with 8:18 left. Union would have the answer, however, as back-to-back triples gave Union a 23-22 lead with 7:26 to play.
Flenor scored his eighth point of the half for a 25-24 deficit with 4:19 left in the half and Johnson scored for Union for a 27-24 score with 3:24 to go. Out of the final media timeout of the first half, junior Cam Selders scored on a hook shot pulling VSU within 27-26. Junior Albany, Ga., native, Mike Isler, who also was playing in his first game of the season, scored a layup giving VSU the lead at 28-27 with 2:31 left in the half. Flenor made two free throws for a 30-27 score. Owens scored on a driving layup for a 32-31 score and 40 seconds remaining in the half for the ninth lead change of the game to that point. VSU held the 32-21 lead at the break.
For the half, VSU shot 14 of 28 from the field, while it was 2 of 9 from deep and 2 of 4 from the line. Union was 12 of 32 from the field, 5 of 15 from range and 2 of 2 from the line. VSU held a 19-16 lead in rebounding, while neither team held more than a six-point advantage in the game. VSU had nine turnovers, while Union had eight miscues as VSU led 8-2 in points off turnovers.
Flenor had a game-high ten points in the half on 4 of 5 from the field and 2 of 2 from the line, while Johnson had seven points for the Bulldogs on 3 of 7 from the field and 1 of 5 from beyond the arc.
The teams went back and forth through the first seven minutes and change of the second half as Union held a 45-43 lead with 12:11 to play. Prug drained a triple for a 48-44 lead with 11:48 to play for the seventh one from distance for the Bulldogs in the game. VSU, however, had a score at the other end with an offensive rebound from Flenor and a put back for his 12th point and a 48-46 deficit with 10:59 remaining.
Blazer sophomore Caden Boser tied the game at 55, but two quick buckets from Union pushed the lead back to four at 59-55 with 6:24 to play. Parks pushed the lead to six at 61-55, but Owens earned the "and one" at the other end for a 61-58 score with 4:53 to go. Following a bucket from Union, Owens earned the hoop and harm again for a 63-61 deficit.
Senior Cam Hamilton drained a triple and then a steal and layup from Flenor tied the game at 67 with 2:52 left and timeout by Union. It was Flenor's 14th point of the game. Parks scored a bucket and then an offensive rebound on the "and one" led to a triple from JC Clausi as Union quickly scored five points for a 72-67 lead with 1:46 left. Parks made two free throws for a 74-67 score off a steal for a 7-0 run. Owens missed two key free throws, but made up for it with a steal and score with 1:26 to play and a 74-69 deficit.
With a full court press out of a timeout, VSU forced the turnover and foul. The Blazers made one of two free throws cutting the deficit to four at 74-70. Parks scored inside to push the lead to six and his 20th point of the game. Hamilton made one of two free throws for a 76-71 deficit and 37.1 seconds left. A steal by the Blazers and foul put Isler at the line who made one of two for a 76-72 score and 33.5 seconds left. A steal from Owens and score pulled VSU within 76-74 and 23.9 seconds left.
Out of a timeout by VSU, Parks was fouled with 18.1 seconds remaining as he made both. Owens was fouled with 14.4 seconds left. Owens made both for a two-point deficit, once again. VSU iced Johnson with a timeout and 12.4 seconds left. Johnson made both for an 80-76 score. Owens earned two shots at the line with 8.6 seconds remaining making two. Johnson was fouled before the ball was inbounded as he made one. Boser had a great look at a potential tying three, but wouldn't go down at the buzzer.
The Blazers look to snap the three-game skid Tuesday at 8 p.m. versus Christian Brothers and then will host Palm Beach Atlantic at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15 to close out the home stand.
