VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State men's basketball team is set to face two Gulf South Conference opponents in West Alabama and Alabama Huntsville in the final games of the 2022-23 regular season. The Blazers will face West Alabama on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET before traveling to Alabama Huntsville to battle the Chargers on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. ET.
Valdosta State enter at 18-10 overall and 14-8 in Gulf South Conference play while West Alabama comes into the week 21-5 overall and 17-5 in league play. Alabama Huntsville currently sit at 22-6 overall and 17-5 in conference play. 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 the radio on 92.1 WDDQ FM in Valdosta and at www.talk921.com with Spencer Van Horn having the call.
The Blazers are currently fifth in the league standings at a 14-8 mark as Lee, West Georgia, Alabama Huntsville, and West Alabama sit atop the league standings. VSU has already clinched a berth in the GSC Championship along with the four teams above them as well as Union and Auburn Montgomery, who currently sit below the Blazers.
VSU is coming of a loss to Montevallo and a win over Auburn Montgomery last week, Against UM, five Blazers were in double-digits in scoring, led by 20 points from redshirt senior Cam Hamilton, while senior Jacolbey Owens had a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists. The Blazers trailed by 10 in the first half 45-35. However, VSU fought back to outscore UM 54-49 in the second half, but the Blazers came up short 94-89 by the final buzzer. On Senior Day, junior Jay Rucker dropped a career-high 25 points on a perfect 10 of 10 from the field, 2 of 2 from distance and 3 of 3 from the line, leading a total of six Blazers in double-digit scoring. VSU used a 49-35 half time lead to pull away for a 106-88 victory over AUM.
The Blazers enter the week first in offensive scoring in the GSC, averaging 87 points per game for 10th nationally. VSU is also first in team field goal percentage in the conference, shooting 48.7 percent for 25th nationally. Valdosta State is second in three-point field goal percentage in the GSC, shooting 37.7 on the year. VSU is second in the GSC in a turnover margin at a 3.79 clip for 19th nationally.
Individually, Owens is 10th in the GSC in scoring, averaging 15.8 points per game while also being second in assists per game at a 6.3 clip for 11thnationally. Owens currently sits at 177 assists and is six away from the school record for assists in a season. He is also second in the GSC in steals per game with 1.8 a game while Hamilton is fourth with 1.7 a clip. Head Coach Mike Helfer is in his 18th season at the helm of the Blazers and is 349-172 at VSU, while he is in his 26th season of coaching overall and is 535-255 all-time.
VSU defeated both UWA and UAH at The Complex the first week of January as the Blazers posted a 96-84 victory over the Tigers and defeated the Chargers 99-77. Sophomore Caden Boser posted a career-high 24 points, leading five total blazers in double digit scoring against UWA and as a team shot an impressive 58.3 percent from the field. In the matchup with the Chargers, senior Mohamed Fofana posted a game-high 23 points along with four other Blazers in double digit scoring. VSU was able to take advantage of the UAH miscues in the game with the Blazers gaining 28 points off Charger turnovers in the contest.
The Blazers have won 18 of the last 26 games against UWA and have won three of the last five. VSU has won seven of the last 11 in Livingston, Ala., winning the last matchup there 84-74 on Jan. 2, 2022. VSU holds a 33-28 edge over UAH in the last 61 meetings and has won three of the last five. The Blazers lost their last contest in Huntsville, 77-73, on Feb. 22, 2022.
