Box Score VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team hit an all-time record 23 three-pointers in their 119-87 win over Clark Atlanta at The Complex on Saturday night. Valdosta State improves to 2-0 while Clark Atlanta dropped to 1-1. The Blazers improved to 4-2 all-time versus the Panthers.
 
On just 36 attempts, VSU was able to drill 23 threes en-route to another dominating performance from the Blazers. Valdosta State's 23 makes from distance was the most by any GSC team since Christian Brothers hit 24 versus Auburn Montgomery in 2018. For the Blazers, seven players hit multiple from beyond the arc with senior Braxton Williams leading the way with five on ten attempts.
 
Individually, Braxton Williams scored a game-high 25 points while also hauling in seven rebounds and recording two steals. Junior Drew Mills had another strong performance, as the two-time Maryland Juco player of the year drilled four threes on just five attempts. Senior Carlos Hart showed out for a second straight night as he did a little bit of everything with 14 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and four steals on three of four from the floor.  
 
The Valdosta State defense was relentless yet again, as the red and black forced 23 turnovers after forcing 25 last night versus Fort Valley State. Of those 23 forced turnovers, the Blazers turned that into 26 points and scored 35 fast break points. The perimeter defense has also been on lock early on, as VSU held Fort Valley State and Clark Atlanta a combined 6-34 from distance while recording a combined 29 steals thanks to head coach Mike Helfer's full court press.
Saturday night's performance almost replicated Friday night's performance as VSU came out of the gates scorching hot, with them scoring the first eight points of the game in just over two minutes of play, forcing a quick timeout from Clark Atlanta. Out of the break, a layup from CAU's Kharye Cayne broke stopped the run for the time being. The Blazers relentless press was affecting the Panthers early, as a steal led to a wide-open three from junior MJ Jones, who knocked it down with no hesitation to bring the crowd back.
 
A five man substitution brought in new faces for Valdosta State as they picked up right where the others left off with a and-one layup from junior Ethan Pires, who would complete the three point play for three of his 16 points for the night off the bench. Clark Atlanta would go on a 6-2 run to make it a seven point game before a layup from MJ Jones gave VSU a 19-10 lead with 13:42 left in the first half.
 
Braxton Williams lived at the line in the first half, as the Thomasville, Ala. native went seven for eight in the first half as he was bullying his way inside. Another slew of turnover from the Panthers resulted in an avalanche of Blazer points as juniors Lucas Brown and Maalik Leitch drilled back to back threes to make it a 37-18 VSU lead in the blink of an eye. Ethan Pires drilled another three pointer to send the Blazers into the under eight timeout leading 44-22.
 
You could tell rolling the Blazers way as whenever the Panthers tried to go on a run, the Blazers punched them right back in the mouth. With 6:18 remaining, Drew Mills drilled a three which quickly resulted in a dunk on the other end by the Panthers. Junior Peter McKey took offense to this, as he splashed a three on the other end followed by another one from Drew Mills to make it 50-25 in favor of Valdosta State. Both teams would trade baskets the rest of the first half as VSU led 67-40 heading into the locker room.
 
In the first half, VSU shot 20-33 from the floor while lighting it up from deep, as they went 12-17 from distance. The Blazers were aggressive inside with VSU shooting 17 free throws and making 15 of them.
 
Clark Atlanta opened the second half with a layup from Dez'Mond Perkins. VSU would quickly grow their led on a 14-2 run on four triples and a dunk from Drew Mills. The run was capped off by a three pointer from Braxton Williams in the face of a Panther defender. Another layup from Perkins sent VSU to the under 16 timeout leading 81-46.
 
VSU continued to dominate, and you could hear the mumbling of a potential record-breaking performance from the legendary Mike Chason on the radio. As the Blazers hit their 21^st triple of the night from junior Tony Green Jr. on the left wing courtesy of Peter McKey. The next possession down the floor, Maalik Leitch tossed the ball from left wing to Peter McKey on the right wing to let it fly in the defender's face where he drilled it, tying the record. With just under two minutes on the clock, Maalik Leitch drilled the Blazer's 23^rd three of the night to break the record as the Valdosta State bench went wild as if they knew what that meant in a blowout game. The Valdosta State Blazers would avenge their 2023 loss by thumping the Clark Atlanta Panthers in a 119-87 victory.
 
VSU stays in Titletown for a little bit longer as they host Morehouse College on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. ET.