VALDOSTA, Ga. – Coming off two thrilling, come-from-behind victories on the road, the Valdosta State women's basketball team opens the 2023 home slate with Gulf South Conference matchups versus Alabama Huntsville and West Alabama at The Complex.
 
The Lady Blazers and Chargers are set for a 6 p.m. tip on Thursday, Jan. 5, while West Alabama visits on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 2 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 TALK 92.1 WDDQ FM with Mike Chason having the call.
 
VSU enters winners of ten-straight games dating back to an 81-44 victory over Shorter on Nov. 19, 2022.  The ten-straight victories by the Lady Blazers puts them tied for the sixth longest current streak in NCAA Division II as Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) and Ashland (Ohio) lead the nation each winning 14-straight games.  The ten-game streak by the Lady Blazers also is the longest of head coach Deandra Schirmer's career at VSU as nine was her previous high set last season.  
 
The Lady Blazers had strong second halves in the two road wins at Auburn Montgomery and Montevallo last weekend.  VSU closed the third quarter on a 15-6 run after AUM had pulled within 42-38 with five minutes and change left in the frame.  VSU then scored nine of the first eleven points of the fourth quarter to eventually pull away for the 75-56 victory.  Four Lady Blazers were in double figures led by 16 points off the bench from sophomore Taylor Searcey as she was 4 of 11 from the field and a team-high 8 of 10 from the line.  
 
Against Montevallo, Searcey put up a career-high 24 points and ten rebounds for her second double-double of the season as the Lady Blazers battled back in the second half, outscoring the Falcons 44-29 for the final two quarters and a 79-67 victory.  Searcey was all over the court leading three players in double figures as she was a perfect 10 of 10 from the free throw line, 6 of 12 from the field and 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, while recording four assists and four steals.  Searcey earned her first career Gulf South Conference Player of the Week honor for her efforts last weekend.
 
As a team, the Lady Blazers shot over 50 percent for the second-straight game, fourth time in the last five and fifth time overall this season.  In addition, VSU went a perfect 17 of 17 from the free throw line for the first perfect game from the stripe this season.  The last time VSU was perfect from the line with double-digit attempts was versus Saint Martin's (Wash.) on Nov. 25, 2017, in an 89-73 victory.
 
This season, the Lady Blazers are tops in the GSC and 23^rd nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 56.2 points per game.  The team is third in the league in scoring margin at 9.2 per game, while the offense is averaging 65.3 points per game.  VSU is second in the GSC in free throws attempted per game at 19.33, while it is fourth in free throw percentage at a 72.4 clip on 168 of 232 from the line.  VSU is averaging 14.0 made free throws per game for second in the league.  The Lady Blazers are 35^th nationally and third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at a 35.7 clip on 82 of 230 from distance, while the team is fourth in the league in made 3-pointers per game at a 6.8 clip.  
 
Individually, Searcey sits third in the GSC and 28^th nationally in steals with 34, while she is second in the league and 27^th nationally in steals per game at a 2.83 clip.  She is fourth in the GSC in free throw percentage at an 85.2 clip for 59^th nationally, while her 46 made free throws, in 59 attempts, places her fourth in the GSC and 66^th nationally.  Junior Emma Martin is 12^th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at a 49.0 clip and leads the GSC on 24 of 49 from distance.  She and junior Tamiya Francis each have 24 triples to lead the team for seventh in the GSC.  
 
Alabama Huntsville enters with a 3-11 record overall and a 3-7 mark in the GSC.  The Chargers have dropped their last five games, including losses at home to Christian Brothers (84-63) and Union (85-47) last weekend.  Leading the way for UAH this season is Haley Nichols who averages a team-high 12.2 points per game on 57 of 106 from the field for a 53.8 clip.  She is 4 of 10 from deep and a team-best 41 of 49 from the line for an 83.7 average.  Nichols is averaging a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game.  
 
As a team, the Chargers are shooting at a 37.7 average on 269 of 713 from the field, while knocking down 54 3-pointers for a 27.3 average and are 170 of 241 from the line for a 70.5 clip.  UAH is averaging 54.4 points per game and allowing 66.1 points per game.  The opposition is shooting at a 40.8 clip from the field and 33.5 average from beyond the arc.  UAH averages 33.6 rebounds per game and surrenders 36.2 rebounds per contest.  Head coach Andrea Lemmond is in her ninth season at the helm of the Chargers and she is 95-126.  She is 2-9 against VSU.
 
VSU lead the all-time series 40-15 against UAH and has won the last two meetings, including a 62-59 victory in Valdosta on Feb. 3, 2022.  The Lady Blazers have won eight of the past ten in the series and six of seven.  VSU is 24-3 all-time in Valdosta, but UAH won 64-58 on Dec. 15, 2019, in The Complex, snapping an 18-game losing skid in Titletown.   Schirmer is 2-1 against UAH.  
 
West Alabama, who was picked seventh in the GSC preseason poll, is 9-5 on the year and 6-4 in GSC play.  The Tigers have dropped their past two games with a 58-53 loss to Union and a 66-60 setback to Christian Brothers last weekend.  Head coach Rusty Cram is in is 25^th season overall and enters the week with a 336-358 record, while he is 97-128 at West Alabama in nine seasons.  Cram is 4-10 against Valdosta State at the helm of the Tigers.  
 
VSU has won three-straight in the series with UWA and five of the last six.  The Lady Blazers won all three meetings last season, including a 72-41 decision on "Super Tuesday" in the first round of the conference tournament in Valdosta.  Overall, VSU has won 17 of the past 24 meetings in the series dating back to 2010.  Schirmer is 4-1 against UWA.  
 
The Tigers are led by preseason all-GSC selection Bria Dent who has ten double-doubles for the season and is 111 of 222 from the field (.500).  She is 30 of 55 from the line, while averaging 18.1 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game.  Dent has 29 assists and 26 steals this season.  Maryanne Logsdon is second in scoring at 11.6 points per game.  She is 56 of 138 from the field (.406) and a team-best 29 of 67 from distance (.433), while going 22 of 31 from the line.  Jaia Williams leads the team with 87 assists and is third in scoring at 10.5 points per game.  She is a team-best 41 of 58 from the line (.707) and fourth in made field goals with 51.  Zoe Watts is fourth in scoring at 10.4 points per game and third in made field goals with 55. 
 
As a team, the Tigers are shooting at a 42.3 clip on 340 of 803 from the field, while they are 63 of 192 from distance (.328) and 148 of 232 from the line (.638).  UWA is averaging 63.6 points per game and allowing 57.3, while pulling down 39.5 rebounds per game and allowing 31.8 per game. 
 
Following the two games, the Lady Blazers return to the road next week at Shorter (Jan. 12) and at Lee (Jan. 14) to open the second half of the conference slate.  VSU then returns home for Hall of Fame Weekend Jan. 19-21 versus Mississippi College and Delta State.