VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 23 Valdosta State women's basketball team gave a great defensive effort in a 65-43 victory over visiting Auburn Montgomery Saturday afternoon for the Lady Blazers' eighth-straight victory.  Senior Lili Long finished with a season-high 17 points leading three players in double figures.
 
VSU improved to 11-2 overall and 8-1 in Gulf South Conference play, while AUM fell to 7-7 overall and 5-5 in GSC play.  The Warhawks came out with the intensity through the first quarter leading 20-18, but the Lady Blazers clamped down defensively allowing just 23 points over the final three quarters as the Warhawks opened the game 8 of 17 from the field in the first quarter went just 10 of 39 from the field for the final three stanzas.  VSU forced AUM into 20 turnovers, including numerous shot clock violations and held a 19-9 lead in points off turnovers with just 12 miscues by the Lady Blazers.  The Warhawks were 18 of 56 from the field for the game (32.1%), 3 of 21 from distance and 4 of 6 from the line.  Tian Addison finished with a team-high 11 points for AUM all in the first half.    
 
Long finished 5 of 6 from the field, 4 of 5 from distance and 3 of 3 from the line for 17 points, while junior Victoria Ikenasio was 5 of 8 from the field with five rebounds and ten points.  Senior Aleisha Curry added 12 points off the bench on 5 of 7 from the field and 2 of 2 from the line with a team-high seven rebounds.  VSU shot 46.4 percent for the game on 26 of 56 from the field, while it was 8 of 23 from beyond the arc and a perfect 5 of 5 from the line.  
 
AUM opened scoring 12 of the first 17 points and made five of its first seven shots and two of two from distance for a 12-5 lead with 6:47 left in the quarter.  Long buried her second triple of the early going pulling VSU within 15-10 with 4:56 left in the first quarter.
 
Two free throws and a bucket inside from Curry pulled the Lady Blazers within 17-14 with just over three minutes left in the opening quarter.  Following a shot clock violation on the Warhawks, Curry scored her sixth point inside for a 17-16 deficit with 1:51 remaining in the frame.  Senior Tamiya Francis buried a jumper from the free throw line at the buzzer for a 20-18 deficit through one frame.  
 
AUM began 8 of 17 from the field for 47.1 percent, while VSU 7 of 15 from the field for 46.7 percent.  The Warhawks were 3 of 6 from deep and VSU was 2 for 4 for the first quarter.   AUM opened the second quarter with two buckets.  Senior Kalifa Ford pulled VSU within 24-20 with 7:04 left in the half for her second bucket of the game.  A triple from senior Emma Martin and a bucket from Curry pulled VSU within 26-25 with just over four minutes left in the half.  A steal and layup from Ikenasio gave VSU its first lead of the game at 27-26 and a 7-0 run with three minutes left in the half.  AUM held a 28-27 lead at the break.
 
For the half, VSU shot 11 of 27 from the field for 40.7 percent, while it was 3 of 9 from deep and 2 of 2 from the line.  AUM was 12 of 31 from the field for 38.7 percent, while it was 3 of 11 from distance and 1 of 2 from the line.  AUM held a 17-14 lead in rebounding and VSU held an 8-7 lead in points off turnovers forcing the Warhawks into ten miscues, while VSU had nine turnovers.  Addison had a team-high 11 points for AUM, while Curry had a team-high eight points off the bench for VSU on 3 of 5 from the field and 2 of 2 from the line.  She also had a team-high six rebounds in the opening half.  
 
Long got things going for VSU early in the second half off an assist by senior Taylor Searcey for VSU's second lead of the game at 29-28 and 9:45 to play in the third.  VSU forced the third shot clock violation on the Warhawks at the other end and Long drew the three foul shots, making all three for a 32-28 lead with 8:36 to play in the quarter.  Following a bucket from AUM, Ikenasio pulled down an offensive rebound score for a 34-30 lead.  A big rebound from Ford and triple from Searcey stretched the lead to 37-30 as VSU opened the second half on a 10-2 run with 6:09 left in the frame.  
 
VSU began the second half 3 of 6 from the field with a triple and 3 of 3 from the line, while AUM was just 1 of 8 from the field and 0 of 2 from distance.  Ikenasio scored inside for a 39-30 lead with 5:30 to play, stretching the run to 12-2.  Ikenasio scored her eighth point of the game for a 14-2 run.  Brianna Sanchez hit two free throws with 3:50 to play in the quarter, pulling AUM within 41-32 with 3:40 to play.  Two buckets from Curry pushed the lead to 45-32 with 1:32 left in the quarter giving Curry 12 points for the game.  Freshman Erin Whalen scored in the final minute of the quarter for a 47-32 lead, stretching the run to 20-4 for the frame as AUM finished the quarter just 1 of 11 from the field, while VSU was 8 of 14 from the field.  AUM had not scored a field goal since Danielle Luckey's bucket with 8:21 remaining in the frame.  
 
Martin drained a triple in transition for a 50-32 lead with 8:02 to play in the game and the first points of the final quarter.  Ikenasio pushed the lead to 20 with a driving bucket and a 52-32 lead with seven minutes remaining.  AUM's Jamya Tyus scored a layup with 7:01 left for just the second field goal of the second half for the Warhawks and the first made field goal in over 11 minutes of game time.   Long then drained her third trey of the game and 14^th point for a 57-34 lead with 6:12 remaining off the third assist of the game from Francis.  Long and Francis would each hit triples pushing the lead to 27 at 63-36 with 3:50 to go.  The 43 points marked the fewest points allowed so far this season by VSU with 44 being the previous mark in a 73-44 victory over Mississippi College on Dec. 3 at The Complex. 
 
The Lady Blazers will be back in action on Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. at The Complex versus Montevallo to close the opening home stand of the 2024 portion of the schedule.