CARROLLTON, GA.- The Valdosta State men's basketball team fell at West Georgia, 86-66, in the quarterfinal round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament Tuesday evening.
The loss dropped VSU to 18-13 overall, while UWG improved to 19-8 and will advance to the GSC Championship Semifinals to face Alabama Huntsville on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.
The Blazers were led by 13 from junior Mike Isler on 6 of 8 shooting from the field. Senior Jacolbey Owens, redshirt senior Cam Hamilton and junior Caden Boser each chipped in 11 points apiece as a total of four Blazers were in double-digits. Boser led the team in rebounding, pulling down ten to earn his first double-double of the season.
West Georgia was led in scoring by Jalen Sasser, who scored 20 points for the Wolves and had a game-high 14 rebounds. Michael Zabetakis pitched in 13 points and Zawdie Jackson chipped in 11. The Wolves' had two main difference makers in the game including winning the turnover battle, 16-6, and shooting better at the free-throw line. The Wolves converted 16 of 19 at the line while the Blazers converted 10 of 19.
The Wolves kicked off the game with a hot start, outscoring VSU 8-0 by the 18:10 mark. Valdosta State fought right back to get in the game behind an "and one" by senior Mohamed Fofana to bring the Blazers within two at 10-8 with 16:50 left to play in the half. The Wolves then went on a 9-2 run to build a 19-10 lead with 11:56 left in the first half. VSU continued to not break under pressure and outscored the Wolves within the next few minutes of the half, 15-7, to bring the Blazers within one at 26-25 with 6:42 left in the half. Late in the half, the Blazers and Wolves continued to clash, trading buckets back and forth until junior Jay Rucker made a layup to give VSU its first lead of the game at 33-32. With 2:42 remaining. Isler made another shot to put the Blazers up 35-32, but a pair of UWG free throws brought the Wolves within one, 35-34, heading into the half.
West Georgia came out of the half with a quick bucket to go up 36-35, but Rucker made a quick response with a layup of his on to go back on top 37-36 with 19:37 remaining in the game. Both teams continued to trade shots back and forth as there was a total of 10 lead changes in the game and two ties. The momentum change came in the waning minutes of the game as the Wolves began to pull away on an 11-0 run, going up 70-60 with 3:42 remaining in the game. The Blazers fought hard but were only able to score six points compared to UWG's 16 in the final minutes of the game as VSU fell in Carrollton, 86-66.
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