MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Behind a Valdosta State career-high 20 points from junior Kalifa Ford, leading three players in double figures, the Lady Blazer women's basketball team won 73-65 at Christian Brothers Friday evening to improve to 8-2 overall and 5-1 in Gulf South Conference play. 

Ford finished the game with 20 points on 7 of 15 from the field, 2 of 2 from distance and 4 of 4 from the line, while pulling down three rebounds, along with three assists in 27 minutes of action.  Senior Lili Long went 4 of 5 from the field, a team-high 4 of 4 from beyond the arc and grabbed five rebounds for 12 points.  Senior Aleisha Curry added 12 points off the bench in nine minutes of action on 4 of 5 from the field and 4 of 6 from the line with five rebounds.

VSU shot 24 of 58 (.414) from the field and went a season-best 11 of 22 from beyond the arc, but were just 14 of 27 from the line.  The Lady Blazers grabbed 35 rebounds for the game and forced CBU into 19 turnovers, holding a 27-11 lead in points off turnovers, while VSU had just 12 miscues for the game. 

CBU (1-8, 1-4 GSC) finished 24 of 54 from the field for 44.4 percent, while the Lady Bucs were 9 of 22 from beyond the arc and 8 of 12 from the line.  Four starters were in double figures with 17 points from Chloe Crawford who was 6 of 11 from the field, 4 of 9 from distance and 1-2 at the stripe.  The game saw three ties and six lead changes.

The Lady Blazers raced out to an 11-6 lead just 2:29 into the game capped on a triple from senior Emma Martin and then held a 14-8 lead with 6:26 to play in the opening stanza.  From there, the upset-minded Lady Bucs finished the frame on a 12-5 run for a 20-19 lead capped with a triple from Ever Walker at the buzzer. 
Another trifecta from Long gave VSU a 26-22 lead with 8:13 remaining in the first half and junior India Jordan dialed long distance for a 29-23 lead and 6:38 to play. Later, junior Jacey Justice buried a long one for the first double-digit lead of the game at 37-27 with 2:57 to play in the half giving VSU a bit of breathing room.  Christian Brothers finished the half on a 7-0 run to close within 37-34 at the break.

Coming out of the break, the teams scored a barrage of points in the early going as a trey from Ford gave VSU a 42-38 lead, but Crawford answered right back with a triple.  VSU held a 44-43 lead for over two minutes before Curry scored inside and Ford scored off a turnover for a 48-43 lead with 5:47 left in the quarter.  Another bucket from Curry swelled the lead to seven at 50-43 moments later as VSU would push the lead to ten, once again late in the frame.  CBU shaved five points in the final minute trailing 55-50 with ten minutes to play.

The teams combined for just 6 of 24 from the field in the final stanza, but the Lady Blazers went 11 of 16 from the line in the frame to ice the game.  CBU tied the game on a triple from Crawford with 6:02 to go, but Ford answered at the other end with a layup and a triple from Long swelled the lead to five with 4:22 to play marking the Lady Blazers' final made field goal of the game.  VSU finished the contest going 9 of 12 from the stripe the rest of the way to seal the victory.  Walker drained one from deep with 18 seconds to play for the final margin of 73-65. 

The Lady Blazers now have won 14 of the last 20 against CBU and six-straight dating back to a 94-89 loss in Memphis on Jan. 13, 2018.  Lady Blazer head coach Deandra Schirmer improved to 92-30 all-time in her fifth season in Titletown and 68-19 all-time in GSC play. 

VSU heads to battle No. 4-ranked and undefeated Union on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET in Jackson, Tenn., in the final game prior to the Christmas holiday.  The Lady Blazers will open the 2024 portion of the schedule on Tues., Jan. 2 at 6 p.m. at The Complex versus rival West Florida.