VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team opens the 2023 home slate with a pair of key Gulf South Conference contests at The Complex this week. The Blazers welcome Alabama Huntsville Thursday evening at 8 p.m., followed by a visit from West Alabama on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the men's basketball schedule page. The games also will be broadcast on TALK 92.1 WDDQ FM with Mike Chason having the call.
The Blazers improved to 10-6 overall and 6-4 in GSC play with a pair of road wins at Auburn Montgomery (77-71) and at Montevallo (110-103) last weekend. Senior
Cam Hamilton led the way for the weekend averaging 19.5 points per game in the two victories. He went 13 of 27 from the field (.481), while going 7 of 15 from beyond the arc (.467) and 6 of 8 from the line. Hamilton finished with two assists and a team-high eight steals. He set the school record for career steals against Auburn Montgomery as he registered three thefts, surpassing former Blazer Marlon Jones' record of 176 steals (1982-87). Hamilton now has 183 steals for his career at VSU. Hamilton scored a season-high 27 points on 9 of 17 from the field, 5 of 9 from deep and 4 of 5 from the line, while he had five steals in the thrilling 110-103 victory at Montevallo on Monday. He led five Blazers in double figures and each of the five players combined for 89 of the 110 points scored in the game.
VSU enters the week with a 6-4 record in league play and sits sixth in the league standings. West Alabama, Lee and Alabama Huntsville all are 8-2 in league play to lead the league, while Union and West Georgia are tied for third each at 7-3. Following the Blazers are Mississippi College and Auburn Montgomery as each are 5-6 to round out the top eight. UAH is 13-3 overall this season, while West Alabama is 12-2. UAH has won its last four games, while UWA has won its previous six contests, heading into the matchup at West Florida Thursday evening, before visiting Valdosta State Saturday afternoon.
Nationally speaking, the Blazers are 19
th in NCAA Division II in scoring offense at 86.2 points per game to lead the GSC. VSU is 20
th nationally in steals per game for second in the league at 9.8 per contest, while it is 33
rd nationally in turnover margin for third in the league at 3.5 per game, while leading the league in turnovers forced at 16.62 for 44
thnationally. The Blazers lead the GSC in assists per game at 16.2 for 45
th nationally, while they are 24
th nationally in blocks per game at 4.4 for second in the league and third in the league in field goal percentage at a 48.2 clip for 47
thnationally. VSU is 27
th in free throw attempts per game at 22.9 for second in the league, while it is 40
th nationally and third in the GSC in free throws made per game at a 15.8 clip.
Individually, senior
Jacolbey Owens leads the nation in assists with 100 for the season, while he is ninth nationally in assists per game at a 6.2 clip for second in the league. Owens is 38
th nationally and fourth in the GSC in field goal attempts (180), while he is third nationally in free throw attempts (117) to lead the league and fourth in free throws made (80). Owens lead the team averaging 15.4 points per game and has scored 247 points for the season for 34
thnationally and fifth in the league. Hamilton is third nationally in steals with 35 to lead the GSC, while he is second in the GSC in steals per game at a 2.19 clip for 32
nd nationally. Graduate student
Ryan Black has been deadly from downtown as he is 14
th nationally in 3-point field goal attempts (103) for third in the league, while he is third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (39.8) and 15
th nationally in 3-point field goals made (41) for third in the league. Senior
Maurice Gordon is 18
th nationally and second in the league in blocked shots (24), while senior
Mohamed Fofana is 89 of 155 from the field for a 57.4 clip to lead the team. He is second in the GSC in field goal percentage and fifth in made field goals.
Head coach
Mike Helfer is in his 26
th season of coaching overall and is 527-251, while he is in his 18
th season at VSU with a 341-168 record. UAH head coach John Shulman is in his fourth season at UAH and is 77-23 there, while he is in his 13
th season of coaching with a 222-169 record, including nine seasons at Chattanooga. UWA head coach Nick Woodruff is in his third season and is 44-15.
The Chargers enter with a 13-3 record overall and an 8-2 mark in the GSC. UAH has won four-straight games and are 3-2 on the road this season. Chaney Johnson leads the team averaging 16.3 points per game as he is 96 of 188 from the field (.511), while going a team-best 57 of 77 from the line (.740). Johnson averages a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game and leads the team with eight blocks. Luke Burnett is second in scoring at 12.7 points per game on 66 of 12 from the floor, while leading the team from beyond the arc at 47 of 122 (.385). As a team, the Chargers are shooting at a .448 clip on 424 of 946 from the field, while they are 161 of 458 from beyond the arc (.352) and 197 of 265 from the line for a .743 average. UAH averages 75.4 points per game and allows 73.3 per contest, while averaging 32.9 rebounds per game and allowing 36.0 per game.
VSU leads the all-time series with UAH 32-28 and have won two of the last three and five of the last seven in the series, including an 87-71 victory on Feb. 3, 2022, in Valdosta. The Blazers are 19-10 all-time against UAH in Valdosta and have won the last two meetings there.
The Tigers enter at 12-2 overall and 8-2 in GSC play and are led by Terry Durham who leads the team averaging 14.1 points per game. Durham is 70 of 124 from the field for a .565 average, while he is 57 of 97 from the line. Durham averages 8.2 rebounds per game to lead the team and has a team-high 16 steals and five blocks. Shadarrion Allen is second in scoring at 14.0 points per game on a team-best 81 of 163 from the floor. He is second on the team in assists with 27 and second in steals with 15. Kuran Garner averages 11.7 points per game, while Justin Allison averages 11.6 points per game and leads the team from distance on 23 of 73 for a .315 clip.
UWA is averaging 75.1 points per game and allowing 58.8 points per game. The Tigers are shooting at a .455 clip on 370 of 814 from the field, while they have drained 75 triples and are 236 of 328 from the line for a .720 average. UWA is averaging 40.1 rebounds per game and allowing just 28.4 per game.
VSU leads the all-time series with UWA 52-31 as the Tigers have won the last two in the series. The Blazers have won nine of 12 dating back to an 80-78 overtime loss in Valdosta for the Blazers on Jan. 11, 2016. UWA won 59-57 in Valdosta in the last meeting on Feb. 5, 2022.
Following the two games, the Blazers return to the road to begin the second half of conference play at Shorter on Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m. and then at Lee on Jan. 14 at 4 p.m.
