VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State Lady Blazer basketball team opened play at The Complex with a 75-59 win over Brewton-Parker Monday evening. Valdosta State was clicking on all cylinders with four players in double-digits onn the night as VSU improved to 2-1 on the season.
 
VSU senior Emma Martin had a team-high 16 points, going 7 of 13 on the night, including shooting 2 of 8 from beyond the arc. Junior Taylor Searcey also had a big night, recording a double-double with 14 points on 6 of 11 shooting from the field and 2 of 2 from the free throw line with 14 total rebounds.  Meanwhile, junior Victoria Ikenasio had a big game on the defensive end, tallying a team-high in both blocks and steals with two of each, while grabbing six rebounds. 
 
As a whole, the Lady Blazers shot 48.2 percent from the field (30 of 62), 26.3 percent from three-point range (5 of 19) and 83.3 percent from the line (10 of 12). The Barons shot 32.8 percent from the field (19 of 58), 34.6 percent from deep (9 of 26) and 70.6 percent from the free throw line (12 of 17). A major factor in the contest proved to be rebounding as VSU held a 49-24 lead on the glass in the contest. 
 
The Lady Blazers and Barons began trading shots to open the contest until a pair of free throws from Junior Kalifa Ford gave VSU the early 7-5 advantage. The Lady Blazers and Barons then dealt back-to-back buckets as Valdosta State held a 9-7 advantage. Valdosta State responded with a small four-point run on layups from junior Taylor Searcey and senior Emma Martin to go up by six, 13-7, with 5:19 to go in the first quarter.
 
Later in the frame, Brewton-Parker cut into the VSU lead with a three-pointer from Micah Bess to make the game a three-point affair, 15-12. However, the Lady Blazers responded on eight-straight points to give VSU a double-digit lead, 23-12 with 0:19 left in the quarter. A buzzer-beater three from Brewton-Parker made the contest a little closer at 23-15 by the end of the first quarter.
 
After a few defensive stands by both teams, the Barons scored two from the charity stripe to bring the deficit within six, 23-17. Martin responded with a shot from downtown which the Barons quickly responded to with a three of their own as VSU led, 26-20 with 7:29 left to play in the half. The Lady Blazers then went on a massive run, outscoring the Barons 8-0 down the stretch at 34-20 with 4:15 left in the quarter. 
 
Brewton-Parker responded with a 5-0 run of its own to cut the lead to nine, 34-25 with 3:24 left to play in the second. The Lady Blazers struck back, scoring five-straight points, capped off by a deep three from senior Lily Long to build the VSU lead to 14 at 39-25 with 2:10 left in the half. The Barons ended the half off on a 7-2 run trimming the deficit to a nine-point affair at halftime, 41-32.
 
For the half, the Lady Blazers shot an impressive 50 percent from the field (17 of 34), 27.3 percent from beyond the arc (3 of 11), and a perfect four of four from the line while the Barons were at a 31.3 clip from the field (10 of 32), 35.7 percent from deep (5 of 14), and 87.5 percent from the free throw line (7 of 8). The big difference maker in the first half proved to be rebounds as VSU out-rebounded Brewton-Parker 26-13.
 
Valdosta State looked to pick up where they left off in the first half, rushing out for five uncontested points to go up 46-32 early with 8:33 left to play in the quarter. Bess responded with a shot from deep to make it an 11-point game, 46-35, with 7:40 remaining in the third.
 
Later in the quarter, junior Jacey Justice grabbed her own rebound before laying it up to put VSU up 55-39 with 3:20 left in the frame. Brewton-Parker closed out the quarter on an 8-4 run, capped off by a three-pointer by Keonya Mincey to bring the Barons within 12 entering the fourth quarter, 59-47.
 
Ford kicked off the fourth and final quarter with a corner pocket three to give the Lady Blazers a 15-point lead, 62-47, with 9:15 left to play. Around the half-way mark of the frame, senior Tamiya Francis threaded the needle, hitting Martin under the basket to put Valdosta State up 66-49 before Madison Evans of the Barons, hit a shot from deep to make the game a 14-point contest with 5:23 left to play, 66-52. Valdosta State closed the book on the game with a 9-7 run, taking the home opener against Brewton-Parker, 75-59.
 
The Lady Blazers will return to action at The Complex next week when they host Clayton State on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. For more information on Lady Blazer basketball, visit vstateblazers.com.