VALDOSTA, Ga. – Concluding a three-game home stand, the Valdosta State women's basketball team is scheduled to host No. 5-ranked Union on Sunday at 2 p.m., at The Complex and then host Christian Brothers on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.  
 
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 the radio in Valdosta on 92.1 WDDQ FM and www.talk921.com with Mike Chason having the call.  
 
In addition, VSU is offering a buy-one-get-one deal for all general admission tickets for Blazer men's and women's basketball home games the rest of December.  Tickets can be purchased at the door, or by visiting the VSU Athletic Ticket Office in The Complex from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Call 229-333-SEAT (7328) for more information on Blazer tickets.
 
The Blazers and Lady Blazers host Union University on Sunday, Dec. 11 beginning at 2 p.m. with the women's game, followed by the men's game at approximately 4 p.m.  On Tuesday, Dec. 13, the teams will host Christian Brothers at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively, while the men's team is scheduled to welcome to The Complex Palm Beach Atlantic on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.  The teams then travel to West Florida for a doubleheader on Sunday, Dec. 18 for the final games before the Christmas Holiday.
 
The Lady Blazers on Sunday will welcome back local youth who attended Lady Blazer Basketball Camps last summer. They will receive free admission to the women's game versus Union.  In addition, teams from Valdosta High School, Valdosta Middle School, Pine Grove Middle School, Lowndes High School, Irwin County High School and Middle School will be in attendance Sunday as they were among teams who competed in the Lady Blazer Basketball Team Camp last summer.  The teams and campers from last summer in attendance Sunday will participate in halftime entertainment, received a special shout out on the public address, a welcome message on the videoboard and autographs with the Lady Blazers following the game.
 
The Lady Blazers enter with a 5-2 record overall and a 4-1 mark in Gulf South Conference play, while the Blazers are 6-4 overall and 3-2 in GSC play.  Tickets for home games can be purchased at the door, or by visiting the VSU Athletic Ticket Office in The Complex from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Call 229-333-SEAT (7328) for more information on Blazer tickets.  
 
VSU women's basketball enters the week winners of five-straight games, including a 72-45 victory over West Georgia on Dec. 1.  In that game, VSU raced out to a 28-5 lead in the first quarter and never looked back.  Junior Emma Martin finished with a game-high 21 points on 7 of 9 from the field and all seven makes were from beyond the arc.  Sophomore Kate Tanner finished with 11 points, as did senior Kendall Bollmer.  VSU shot a season-best 55.3 percent from the field on 26 of 47 from the floor, while going a season-high 13 of 27 from beyond the arc.  VSU held UWG to 17 of 48 from the field and just 2 of 16 from beyond the arc.  The Lady Blazers were 7 of 11 from the line, while the Wolves were 9 of 18.  VSU improved to 5-2 on the year and 4-1 in Gulf South Conference play.
 
Lady Blazer head coach Deandra Schirmer is 67-23 in her fourth season at VSU, while she is 47-15 in GSC play.  Schirmer is 1-3 against Union and 2-0 against Christian Brothers.  Schirmer and the Lady Blazers downed top-ranked Union on its home court in the NCAA South Region Championship game last March to advance to the first Elite Eight for VSU since 1984.  The Lady Blazers defeated Union 66-58 to win the regional with four players in double figures, including 15 points off the bench from current sophomore Taylor Searcey and 11 points from current junior Tamiya Francis.  VSU never trailed in the game as it was the first victory over Union the last four meetings and just the second win in the last eight.  VSU had not won in Jackson, Tenn., since a 61-57 decision on Dec. 17, 2016, snapping a five-game skid there.  Conversely, in Valdosta, the Lady Blazers haven't won since a 75-59 decision on Feb. 9, 2017.  This will be just the second meeting in Titletown since the victory in 2017.  
 
VSU leads the all-time series with Christian Brothers 11-7 and has won the last three in the series and five of six.  VSU posted a 101-62 victory in Memphis on Jan. 20, 2022, while it won in Memphis on Nov. 23, 2019, 75-69, and in Valdosta on Dec. 1, 2018, 63-57.  In the last meeting, the Lady Blazers had five players in double figures as returning junior Lili Long had 13 points for VSU.  Emily Jones for CBU had a team-high 21 points in the game.  VSU outrebounded CBU 50-33 in the game, while recording eight blocks and five steals.   The Lady Blazers were 12 of 28 from deep and 36 of 73 from the field for a 49.3 clip, while CBU shot just over 34 percent from the field.
 
Looking at the league standings, Lee is a perfect 5-0 in league play and 6-2 overall to atop the standings, while Union is 4-0 in league play and will play at West Florida on Friday, before heading to VSU for Sunday's matchup.  The Lady Bulldogs are the only undefeated team in the league at 5-0 overall this season.  Christian Brothers is 1-3 overall and 3-4 in league play as both Union and Christian Brothers played in each of their last games with Union prevailing 63-53 in Memphis.  CBU also will play at West Florida on Dec. 11, before heading to Titletown for Tuesday's contest.
 
Union leads the D2SIDA South Region Top Ten this week, as Tampa sits second, followed by Eckerd and a tie for fourth between Nova Southeastern and Saint Leo.  Lee is sixth, followed by newcomer Savannah State at seventh, just ahead of the Lady Blazers.  West Alabama sits ninth, followed by Florida Southern.  Tuskegee, Miles, Lane and Palm Beach Atlantic all are among others receiving votes.  In the WBCA Top 25, Union is fifth as the only team from the GSC to be ranked in the top 25 of the poll or receiving votes.  From the South Region, Eckerd is ninth, followed by Tampa at tenth and Savannah State is 18^th.  Saint Leo is among others receiving votes.  Georgia Southwestern, who VSU defeated earlier this season, is 15th this week in the poll.  As for the D2SIDA Top 25, Union also is fifth in that poll, while Tampa is eighth, Eckerd 17^th and Saint Leo is among others receiving votes.
 
For the season, VSU is 18^th nationally and second in the GSC in scoring defense allowing just 54.3 points per game.  Union leads the league, allowing 52.2 points per contest.  The Lady Blazers are fourth in the league in offensive rebounds per game at 11.9 per contest, while they are second in the league in scoring margin (7.3), second in steals per game (10.0) and second in 3-point field goal percentage at a .357 clip on 55 of 154.  VSU is second in the league in turnover margin (3.57) and second in turnovers forced (20.9), while the team is third in 3-point attempts per game at a 22.0 clip and average 7.9 made triples per game for third in the league.
 
Individually, Martin leads the GSC in 3-pointers made with 18 for 58^th nationally, while she is second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at a .529 clip for 11^th nationally.  Searcey is fourth in the GSC in steals (19), while she is fourth in the conference in defensive rebounds per game at a 3.1 clip.  She is seventh in the GSC in rebounding at 7.0 per game.  She also is strong from the charity stripe, sitting fifth in the league in free throw percentage at a .840 clip on 21 of 25.  Senior Jirah Ards and Francis each are 34^th nationally and fourth in the league in assist/turnover ratio at a 3.00 clip.  
 
The Lady Bulldogs play at West Florida on Friday, before coming to VSU for Sunday's matchup.  Union, who was picked as league favorite in the GSC Preseason Poll, enters the week shooting .464 from the field on 140 of 302.  Union is 56 of 150 from beyond the arc (.373) and 61 of 91 from the line (.670).  The Lady Bulldogs are averaging 79.4 points per game and allowing 52.2, while averaging 35.0 rebounds per game and allowing 30.4.  Teams are shooting .381 against Union this season and just .172 from beyond the arc on just 10 of 58 while Union has forced 117 turnovers to just 78 for the Lady Bulldogs.  
 
Individually, Shanique Lucas leads the team averaging 12.4 points per game.  She is 23 of 40 from the field for a .575 average, while she is a perfect 11 of 11 from the line.  She leads the team with 11 steals.  Leah Cauble is second on the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game on 17 of 33 from the field for a .515 average.  She is 10 of 22 from deep and 8 of 10 from the line.  Ally Winnen leads the team averaging 4.8 rebounds per game. 
 
Nationally speaking, the Lady Bulldogs lead the GSC in field goal percentage at a .464 clip for 21^st nationally, while they are eighth nationally in scoring defense (52.2), fourth in scoring margin (27.2) and 20^th in scoring offense (79.4).  They are second nationally in 3-point field goal defense at a .172 clip and second nationally in 3-point field goals made (11.2 per game).  Union is 23^rd nationally in turnovers forced per game at a 23.4 clip, while it is one of just 14 teams in all of NCAA Division II women's basketball with an unblemished record.  Head coach Mark Campbell is in his 24^th season at Union with a 691-108 record (.865).  
 
CBU enters with a 3-4 record overall and a 1-3 mark in GSC play.  The Lady Bucs are under the direction of fourth-year head coach Jessie Carmack who is 28-43 at the helm.  CBU is coming off the 63-53 loss to Union on Dec 2 and will play at West Florida on Dec. 11 before coming to VSU.  CBU enters the week shooting at a .432 clip on 159 of 368 from the field.  CBU is 32 of 123 from deep and 96 of 136 from the line for a .706 average.  The Lady Bucs are averaging 63.7 points per game and 32.9 rebounds per game, while teams are shooting at a .395 clip on 168 of 425 from the floor.  The opposition is 45 of 158 from deep (.285) and 66 of 111 from the line for a .595 average.  CBU is allowing 63.9 points per game and 35.9 rebounds per game. 
 
Individually, Jeremia Montgomery leads the team averaging 17.1 points per game leading three players in double figures.  She is 44 of 76 from the field (.579) and 8 of 19 from deep.  Montgomery lead the team averaging 7.0 rebounds per game and has a team-high 12 steals.  Jones is second in scoring at 15.0 points per game on 32 of 79 from the floor.  She is 7 of 26 from beyond the arc and a team-high 34 of 39 from the line (.872).  Yaya Coleman is averaging 12.3 points per game and is third on the team from the line at 20 of 28 for a .714 clip.
 
Following the two games, VSU heads to rival West Florida for a Sunday matchup with the Argos at 3 p.m. ET before the Christmas break.  Following the Christmas break, the Lady Blazers play at Auburn Montgomery on New Year's Eve and at Montevallo on Jan. 2, before returning home to host Alabama Huntsville on Jan. 5, at The Complex.