VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team continues on the road to close out the 2022 portion of the schedule and open the 2023 slate with games at Auburn Montgomery on Dec. 31 and at Montevallo on Jan. 2.

Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page. The games also will be broadcast on TALK 92.1 WDDQ FM with Spencer Van Horn having the call and on www.talk921.com.

The Lady Blazers enter riding an eight-game winning streak heading into the road trip as VSU and AUM are schedule for a 3 p.m. ET tip on Saturday, Dec. 31, while the game at Montevallo also is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 2.  VSU enters the games with an 8-2 record overall and a 7-1 mark in Gulf South Conference play.  AUM is 4-9 overall and 3-6 in conference play, while Montevallo is 4-9 overall and 4-5 in league play.  VSU sits second in the GSC standings behind league-leader Lee at 9-0, while Union and West Alabama each are 6-2 in conference play.  AUM will play at Georgia College on Dec. 29, before entertaining VSU on Dec. 31.
 
VSU leads the all-time series with AUM 12-0 and won last season in Montgomery, Ala., on Feb. 10, 2022, with a 59-46 victory, while winning in Valdosta last season 72-64 on Dec. 20, 2021. In the last meeting in Montgomery, VSU used a 17-1 run in the third quarter to pull away for the 59-46 victory.  Current sophomore Taylor Searcey had 12 points on 6 of 10 from the field and five rebounds in the victory.  VSU has won nine of the last 11 meetings against Montevallo, including the last two.  VSU won 74-42 in Montevallo on Feb. 12, 2022, and 77-68 in Valdosta on Dec. 18, 2021. 
 
The Lady Blazers stretched their winning streak to eight games with a 60-56 victory on Dec. 18 at West Florida as fourth-year head coach Deandra Schirmer won her 70^th game at VSU and 50^th game in Gulf South Conference play.  She is 70-23 overall and 50-15 in GSC play.  Against the Argos, Searcey led the way with a career-high 20 points as she was a season-best 8 of 13 from the field, 4 of 5 from the line, three assists and a team-high five steals.  Senior Jirah Ards posted her third double-double of her VSU career with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
 
UWF battled back to tie the game at 46 with 5:06 to play as the Argos held a slim 49-48 lead with 4:09 to go.  From there, junior Aleisha Curry scored on the ensuing possession to put VSU up for good as UWF would cut the deficit to one, twice more, including with 46 seconds to play, but a big "and one' for Searcey pushed the lead to 56-52.  Ards connected on three of four free throws late for a 60-54 score and then UWF had a bucket at the buzzer for the final margin. 
 
Nationally speaking, the Lady Blazers are 14^th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 55.1 points per game to lead the Gulf South Conference.  VSU is 40^th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at a .350 clip for third in the GSC, while it is 45^th nationally in turnovers forced per game at a 20.9 clip for second in the league. VSU is third in the GSC in rebounding margin at a 2.3 average, while the team is third in the league in scoring margin at 7.9 and third in the league in free throw attempts per game at an 18.8 clip. 
 
For the season, VSU averages 63.0 points per game, while it is shooting at a .413 clip on 215 of 520 from the field.  VSU is 69 of 197 from deep (.350) and 131 of 188 from the line for a .697 average.  Conversely, teams are shooting .404 from the field on 194 of 480, while they are 56 of 165 from deep (.339) and 107 of 162 from the line (.660).  Ards is third in the GSC in assist/turnover ratio at a 1.91 clip, while she is fourth in minutes played (34.38).  Searcey leads the league in steals per game at a 2.80 clip for 28^th nationally, while her 28 steals are good for third in the league in 40^th nationally.  She is fifth in the GS in free throw percentage at a .824 clip on 28 of 34.  Francis is second in the GSC in 3-point field goal percentage at a .404 clip 21 of 52.    Francis leads three Lady Blazers in scoring at 10.6 points per game, while Searcey averages 10.5 points per game and sophomore Kate Tanner is third at 10.4 points per game.
 
The Warhawks enter the week after Christmas looking to snap a two-game skid with a 79-71 loss at Christian Brothers and an 88-63 loss at Union prior to the holiday break.  AUM lost 64-49 at Georgia College on Thursday.  Prior to Thursday's contest, Allasha Dudley leads the team averaging 12.6 points per game on 51 of 125 from the field.  She is second on the team in 3-pointers at 18 of 51 (.353) and leads the team from the line on 31 of 40 for a .775 clip.  Jeremiah Moore leads the team at 8.1 rebounds per game and second in scoring at 10.8 points per game.  She is 54 of 144 from the field.  Kamya Hollingshed leads the team from deep at 28 of 78 from beyond the arc for a .359 clip. 
 
AUM is under the direction of interim head coach Steve Kenner who was an assistant for former head coach Sean Page. Prior to AUM, Kenner was from Pratt Community College (Kan.) where he was the head coach in 2020-21.   In his first year as the top spot for the Warhawks, Kenner is 4-8 overall and 3-6 in GSC play.
 
Monteveallo enters with a 4-9 record overall and a 4-5 mark in GSC play following a 74-70 victory at Christian Brothers on Dec. 18.  The Falcons will host West Florida before welcoming the Lady Blazers on Jan. 2.  Head coach Gary Van Atta is in his second stint at the helm of the Falcons as he is 236-153 at UM and 557-395 overall in 33 years of coaching. 
 
The Falcons lead the GSC in free throw percentage at a .744 clip on 174 of 234 for the season, while they average 13.38 made free throws per game for third in the league.  UM is second in the league in steals per game at 10.6 for 50^th nationally, while they are second in the league in 3-point field goal attempts per game at 26.4 for 21^st nationally.  UM is 113 of 343 from beyond the arc.   UM's 113 triples made are good for second in the league in 3-pointers per game (8.7) for 21^st nationally.  
 
Individually, Marisa Snodgrass leads the GSC in steals with 35 for 12^th nationally, while she is third in the league in steals per game at 2.69.  She also is second in the league in 3-point attempts with 73 for 56^th nationally and leads the league in 3-pointers made with 28 for 38^th nationally.  Her .384 average from distance is good for third in the GSC.  Snodgrass leads the team averaging 12.3 points per game as the only Falcon averaging double figures.
 
Following the two road games, VSU returns home to host Alabama Huntsville on Jan. 5 and West Alabama on Jan. 7 at The Complex.