VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers welcomed the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans to the Gulf South Conference in style, as VSU came out with the 90-84 win on Thursday night at The Complex. Valdosta State improved to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in GSC play while Trevecca Nazarene dropped to 7-4 overall and 2-3 in GSC play.
 
TNU's Jalen Page led all scorers with a season-high 32 points and 12 rebounds on 10-26 from the floor and 10-11 from the charity stripe. For VSU, juniors Drew Mills and Maalik Leitch led the team in scoring with 18 points apiece as Leitch scored a season-high for the 2024 campaign coming off the bench for head coach Mike Helfer.  Senior Braxton Williams was right behind them at 17 points as the guard hit clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
 
The Blazers forced 19 Trojan turnovers with 13 of them being steals which resulted in 17 fast break points. VSU was active around the rim, as they recorded eight block shots with junior LaDarrius Chigano keeping TNU grounded as he tallied three blocks in 17 minutes of action.
 
Both teams started out battling, as a layup from Jalen Page gave the Trojans an 8-4 lead six minutes into the game. Maalik Leitch was quick to retaliate with a three pointer of his own as the lefty would finish the night with four made threes. A pair of free throws followed by a layup off a turnover gave Trevecca Nazarene a five point cushion heading into the under 12 media timeout.
 
Coming out of the break, VSU catapulted to a two point lead on a quick 7-0 capitalized by a tipin from Drew Mills. TNU would convert on a jumper that was quickly negated by a triple from Braxton Williams, who would finish the night shoot 2-4 from deep after he previously shot 1-8 from distance on Sunday evening. The Blazers continued to pour it on as they were able to continue their run to make it 13-0 on a pair of free throws from Mills that lasted nearly three minutes as VSU led 27-16 8:16 left in the first half.
 
Senior Carlos Hart would get things going on a tough finish inside to keep the Trojans as bay as they attempted to battle their way back into this matchup. Hart would finish the night with ten points and a game-high five steals. Trevecca Nazarene was able to cut the lead to nine with 1:38 left in the first half that ended at 13 as junior MJ Jones would hit a tough left wing jumper to give Valdosta State a 46-33 lead at halftime.
 
Drew Mills picked up where he left off with a jumper to grow the lead to 15, which was the Blazers largest of the evening. Jalen Page continued to do his thing with a three pointer to cut it back to 12. The Trojans were able to make it a two-possession game with a layup from Mateo Esmerlado as the Blazers led 54-46 with 15:40 left in the contest.
 
Junior Peter McKey came fresh off the bench and immediately made an impact with a triple of his own to make it a 11 point lead. TNU continued to battle as both teams were trading baskets for the majority of the second half. The Blazers ballooned the lead to 13 on a layup from Braxton Williams that was negated by yet another layup from Jalen Page. Both team went cold down the stretch until a pair of free throws from TNU's Jikari Johnson ignited the Trojans as they went on a quick 6-0 run to bring it to six with just over two minutes remaining, forcing a timeout from head coach Mike Helfer. A steal from senior Cobey Harraway gave the Blazers a much needed boost as he would knock down a free throw to give them a seven point lead as VSU hung on for a 90-84 win.
 
The Blazers will stay in town as they host the Flames of Lee University in the battle of the Embers on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. before holiday break.