VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 22 Valdosta State women's basketball team continues on the road this week as it travels to Christian Brothers and No. 20 Union for a pair of key Gulf South Conference contests.  The Lady Blazers and Lady Bucs are set for a 6 p.m. ET tip on Thursday and VSU then heads to Jackson, Tenn., for a matchup with Union on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.  
 
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 the radio on 92.1 WDDQ FM and www.talk921.com with Spencer Van Horn having the call.
 
The Lady Blazers opened the three-game road trip with a 57-48 victory at West Georgia on Saturday.  VSU used a 17-10 third quarter to pull away from the upset-minded Wolves and outscored UWG 32-25 in the second half after leading 25-23 at halftime.  Junior Aleisha Curry had a team-high 12 points off the bench in 17 minutes of action, while senior Jirah Ards added 11 points.  Despite shooting just 37 percent for the game, VSU went 12 of 16 from the line and forced UWG into 18 turnovers leading to a 19-10 advantage in points off turnovers.  The Wolves stayed in the game, however, on 9 of 23 from beyond the arc, while they were just 15 of 48 from the field for 31 percent shooting.  The game saw four ties and eight lead changes.
 
UWG still leads the Second Red Clay Rivalry Series 4.5 to 2.5 as the basketball teams split the two games on Saturday.  Heading into the spring portion of the schedule, the teams will battle in baseball, softball, women's tennis and men's golf.  
 
Heading into the week, the Lady Blazers are tied for the GSC lead with a 15-2 record in conference play and a 16-3 mark overall.  Lee also is 15-2 in league play and 17-4 overall.  West Florida is 14-3 and sits a game back for third in the standings, while Union is fourth at 13-3.  Montevallo rounds out the top five in the standings at 9-9.  The Argos have won a current-league best ten games dating back to a 60-56 loss to VSU in Pensacola, Fla., on Dec. 18.  Following the two games this week for both VSU and UWF in Tennessee, the teams will be on Feb. 11 in Valdosta for a 2 p.m. tip.  
 
In the D2SIDA South Region Poll, VSU moved up from fifth to third this week and returned to the top 25 this week at No. 22 after receiving votes last week.  Tampa is fourth in the D2SIDA Top 25, followed by Eckerd at ninth, VSU at 22^nd, while Lee and Nova Southeastern are among others receiving votes for teams from the South Region.  VSU defeated Georgia Southwestern earlier this season who checks in at tenth this week.  In the D2SIDA South Region poll, Tampa remained in the top spot with 60 points and all six first-place votes, while Eckerd held steady at second.  Both Lee and Nova Southeastern lost games last week as Lee drops to fourth, followed by Nova Southeastern.  Union remained sixth, followed by West Florida, Tuskegee, Florida Southern and Savannah State was tenth.  In the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25, VSU is the second team among others receiving votes.  In that poll, Tampa is third, while Eckerd is eighth, Union is tied for 20^th, while Lee, Nova Southeastern and Tuskegee also are receiving votes among teams from the South Region.  Georgia Southwestern is 11^th in the WBCA rankings.
 
Christian Brothers enters with a 10-10 record overall and a 7-9 mark in the conference.  CBU lost 80-67 at Union on Jan. 26 in its last outing after winning the previous three games and six of eight.  The Lady Bucs are led by Jeremia Montgomery who averages 14.6 points per game and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game.  Montgomery is 101 of 213 from the field (.474), while she is 19 of 60 from beyond the arc for third on the team and 71 of 98 (.724) from the line for second on the team.  She has a team-high 42 steals and 24 blocks.  Emily Jones is second in scoring at 12.8 points per game, while Yaya Colman is third in scoring at 12.1 points per game.  Coleman is second on the team in made field goals with 85, while she also has 19 made triples.  Chloe Crawford leads the team from beyond the arc on 27 of 50 from distance.
 
As a team, the Lady Bucs are shooting .416 from the field on 496 of 1191, while they are 132 of 431 from beyond the arc (.306) and 272 of 378 from the line (.720).  CBU averages 37.0 rebounds per game and 69.8 points per game.  Conversely, CBU is holding teams to .382 from the field, .307 from beyond the arc and .674 from the line.  Teams are scoring 65.8 points against CBU and average 38.6 rebounds per game.
 
In the first meeting this season, the Lady Bucs jumped out to a 24-16 lead through the first quarter, but VSU responded with an 18-4 second quarter and a 30-16 third frame to take command in a 79-61 victory.  Lady Blazer sophomore Kate Tanner had a career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds on 11 of 13 from the field leading four starters in double figures.  CBU was led by 14 points from Coleman off the bench.  Jones added 13 points also from the bench, while Montgomery had 11 points.  CBU head coach jessie Carmack is in her fourth season at the helm of the Lady Bucs.  She is 35-49 for her tenure.  
 
VSU leads the series with Christian Brothers 12-7 and has won the last four in the series and six of seven.  VSU has won seven of nine meetings in Memphis, and won there 101-62 on Jan. 20, 2022.  CBU won 94-89 on Jan. 13, 2018, for its last win in the series and last victory at home.  Since then, VSU is 2-0 at home and 2-0 in Memphis against CBU.  
 
Union enters the week with a 15-3 record overall and a 13-3 mark in GSC play.  The Lady Bulldogs will host West Florida Thursday, before VSU visits on Saturday.  Union has won four-straight games and are led this season by Shanique Lucas who leads the team in scoring at 14.4 points per game.  Lucas is 99 of 195 from the field (.508), while she is 26 of 64 from beyond the arc and 36 of 40 from the line.  Lucas averages a team-high 4.6 rebounds per game with 53 assist and 50 steals.  Samariah Thompson is second in scoring at 11.4 points per game on 73 of 143 from the field (.510).  Bethany Dillard leads the team from beyond the arc on 39 of 86 and Leah Cauble is 51 of 59 from the line to lead the team.  
 
As a team, the Lady Bulldogs are shooting at a .457 clip on 492 of 1076, while they are 190 of 509 (.373) from beyond the arc and 227 of 327 from the line.  Union is averaging 77.8 points per game and 34.0 rebounds per game.  Conversely, the team is allowing 56.8 points per game and 31.8 rebounds per game.  Head coach Mark Campbell is in his 24^th season at the helm of the program and is 701-111 (.853).  
 
Nationally speaking, Union is 11^th in the nation in field goal percentage to lead the GSC (.457), while it is sixth nationally in scoring margin (21.0), 14^th in scoring offense (77.8) and 25^th in scoring defense at 56.8 points per game just behind VSU (53.5).    Union is sixth nationally in 3-point field goals attempted (28.3), ninth in 3-point field goal percentage (.373) and third in 3-point field goals made per game (10.6).  Union is 12^th nationally in turnover margin at 7.1 per game, while it is 13^th in turnovers forced per game (22.8).  Lucas is second in the GSC in field goal percentage (.508), while she is second in the GSC in steals (50) for 37^th nationally.  Dillard is tenth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.456), while she leads the league in 3-pointers per game (2.57).  Cauble is third in the GSC in free throw percentage (.864).  
 
The Lady Blazers won the first meeting this season in Valdosta, 60-53, on Dec. 11, as Union entered fifth nationally.  VSU opened the game with a 16-9 lead for the first quarter as Union roared back for a 26-25 lead at halftime.  VSU used a 16-10 third quarter and shot 8 of 9 from the field in the frame for a 41-36 lead through three quarters.  Coming down the stretch, Union cut the deficit to 55-54 with 1:13 to play as junior Lili Long made two free throws for a 57-54 score as the charity stripe proved important for VSU in the win as it was 13 of 19 from the line in the fourth quarter alone and 20 of 29 for the game, while Union was 9 of 16 from the line.
 
VSU has won the last two meetings in the series with Union as the teams have split the last six.  The Lady Blazers won the NCAA South Region Championship in Jackson, Tenn., last season to qualify for the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, 66-58.  It was the first road win for VSU since a 61-57 victory on Dec. 17, 2016.  Schirmer is 2-3 against Union.  
 
This season, the Lady Blazers are third in the GSC in field goal percentage at a .431 clip, while they are fifth nationally in scoring defense at 53.5 points allowed per game to lead the conference.  VSU is 38^th nationally and third in the league in scoring margin at 11.2 per game, while they are third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.334), and second in turnovers forced per game (20.4).  Sophomore Taylor Searcey, who leads the team averaging 11.9 points per game, is second in the GSC in free throw percentage at an .865 clip on 77 of 89 from the line.  She is fifth in the league in steals with 46.  
 
Following the two games this weekend, VSU returns home to host West Florida beginning a three-game home stretch on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.  VSU then will host Montevallo on Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. for the annual "Play for Kay" Pink Game and then conclude the regular season home slate on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. versus Auburn Montgomery for Senior Day.