VALDOSTA, Ga. – Behind 21 points and 12 rebounds from graduate student Nicole Heyn, the Valdosta State women's basketball team defeated Shorter on Saturday afternoon 77-35 for Senior Day.  Heyn was one of four Lady Blazers in double figures in the contest.
 
VSU improved to 21-4 on the year and 16-2 in Gulf South Conference play and won its seventh-straight game, matching its longest winning streak of the season.  Prior to the game, VSU honored four graduate students playing in their final regular season home game including Heyn, graduate student Kwajelin Farrar, graduate student Mallory Odell and graduate student Delaney Bernard.  These four graduate students have been a key part to the Lady Blazers' success this season and over the last three years and have helped lead VSU to a 57-19 record and a 42-14 mark in GSC play during that span.
 
Along with Heyn, Farrar finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore Tamiya Francis added 13 points, six assists and four steals and Odell added 11 points off the bench. Bernard finished with five points and one triple.  Farrar eclipsed 2,000 career points in stops at South Carolina Aiken and VSU.  Her first bucket of the game Saturday gave her 2,000 points and she now has scored 2,012 points. 
 
As a team, VSU shot 46.7 percent for the game on 28 of 60 from the floor, while it was 8 of 24 from beyond the arc and 13 of 16 from the line.  The Lady Blazers dominated the glass to a 44-29 margin and forced Shorter into 26 turnovers, leading to a 28-6 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Shorter went 9 of 41 from the field for the game and 7 of 18 from beyond the arc as the long ball was dropping early.  The Hawks were 10 of 16 from the line.  Lindsay Bowman had 12 points off the bench, while Ansley Barge chipped in 11 points.  Leading scorer Jasmine Gaines played the first six minutes, but went out and didn't return.  Gaines entered averaging over 18 points per game.
 
VSU raced out to an 11-0 lead through the first 4:46 of the game capped with a layup from Heyn.  Barge got Shorter on the board with a triple, sparking the Hawks to a 10-5 run through the rest of the quarter as VSU led 16-10 after one frame.
 
A 3-pointer from Bowman and two free throws from Tiara Lewis, pulled Shorter within 16-15 with 7:46 left in the half.  Heyn continued with the hot hand from range with a trey, sparking a 22-3 run the rest of the half for a 38-18 lead at the break.  

VSU built the lead to 28 on two occasions in the third quarter and then Francis scored midway through the fourth for a 70-30 lead.  Odell's bucket at the end gave VSU a 77-35 lead for the largest margin of the game. 
 
The Lady Blazers close out the 2021-22 regular season slate on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. at West Georgia.  Spencer Van Horn will have the call of the game on 92.1 WDDQ FM and fans can access links to live stats and audio/video streaming at vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page. 
 
VSU also has clinched a home game for the Mar. 1 "Super Tuesday" Quarterfinal round of the GSC Championship. Tickets are on sale now for the Mar. 1 game.  Click here for more information on the game.