MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The No. 2-ranked Valdosta State women's basketball team ran its winning streak to 20 games with a 72-44 victory at Montevallo on Thursday evening.  The victory improved VSU to 23-2 overall and 20-1 in Gulf South Conference play.  The win matched VSU's most wins in a season in conference play set last year as the 2022-23 squad went 20-4 in league play. 
 
A strong defensive performance throughout, but especially in the second half was crucial to the victory as VSU outscored Montevallo (13-12, 11-11 GSC) 32-17 in the final two frames for the victory.  The Lady Blazers held UM to just 14 of 46 from the field for the game (30.4%), while the Lady Falcons were just 5 of 23 from the field in the second half. 
 
Montevallo finished 6 of 19 from beyond the arc and 10 of 14 from the line.  The Lady Blazers forced UM into 24 turnovers leading to a 26-11 advantage in points off miscues. VSU was 29 of 68 from the floor, while going 10 of 29 from distance and 4 of 4 from the line.  The Lady Blazers did not attempt a free throw in the second half and had 15 turnovers in the contest.
 
Bench points were big for the Lady Blazers in the game (40-10) as seniors Tamiya Francis and Aleisha Curry each finished with 13 points.  Both were 5 of 8 from the field, while Francis was 3 of 6 from distance and Curry was 2 of 2 from the line.  Senior Lili Long had ten points with two triples, while junior Victoria Ikenasio had eight points and eight rebounds.  Junior India Jordan finished with eight points as well.  Montevallo had 11 points from Cali Smallwood and ten from Marisa Snodgrass.
 
VSU opened the game scoring seven of the first nine points for a 7-2 lead with 6:50 remaining capped on a triple from Long as the early momentum continued stretching the start to 11-4 on a pair of tosses from Curry.  Triples from Snodgrass for UM, and Francis for the red and black made the score 14-7 in favor of the Lady Blazers with 3:34 left.  VSU went on for a 25-12 lead through the first ten minutes.
 
Montevallo started the second quarter, scoring nine of the first 12 points trimming the Lady Blazer advantage to 28-21 with 5:38 to play in the half.  VSU regained the momentum with a triple from senior Emma Martin and an "and one" from Curry for a 34-21 lead with 3:58 to play and a 6-0 run.  A big offensive rebound and put back from Curry stretched the lead to 36-23.   VSU would push the lead to 15 at 40-25 late in the frame and settled for a 40-27 lead at the break.
 
For the half, VSU shot 15 of 36 from the field for 41.7 percent, while it was 6 of 17 from deep and 4 of 4 from the line.  UM was 9 of 23 from the floor for 39.1 percent, while it was 3 of 7 from distance and 6 of 8 from the line.  VSU led for 19:34 seconds in the first 20 minutes and led by as many as 15, while turning Montevallo over 14 times and for a 14-6 lead in points off turnovers.  VSU had just six miscues in the half.   Individually, Long and Francis each had eight points to lead the team as Long was 3 of 6 from the field and 2 of 5 from distance.  Montevallo had eight points from Snodgrass on 3 of 4 from the field and 2 of 3 from range. 
 
Both teams struggled offensively through the first five minutes and change of the third quarter scoring a combined six points for a 44-29 VSU lead with 4:37 left in the frame.  Long collected her fourth rebound and third offensive board and a score for a 46-29 lead with 3:39 left in the quarter for the largest lead of the game to that point. 
 
A steal from Snodgrass and triple from Anna Katherine Eastman pulled UM within 48-35, Ikenasio answered at the other end, followed by a bucket from senior Taylor Searcey, pushing the lead to 19 at 54-35 with 56 seconds left in the quarter and a 6-0 run to end the frame.  The Lady Blazer "D" held UM to just 2 of 11 from the field in the third, while VSU was 7 of 17, but VSU committed six turnovers in the period matching the turnovers for the first two quarters combined.
 
Curry pushed the lead to 56-36 with 7:44 left in the fourth and layup off a steal from Francis swelled the lead to 58-39 with 6:49 to play.  Francis, with the hot hand, then dialed long distance for her 13^th point of the game and a 61-41 lead with 4:53 remaining.  Continuing the theme from long range, junior Tyasia Reed gathered her own offensive rebound and nailed a long shot for a 66-41 lead, followed by Curry's 13^th point of the game and a 66-41 advantage with 3:19 to play, extending the run to 8-0 since the 5:58 mark.  Junior India Jordan then extended the run to 10-0 with a bucket, followed by Smallwood ending the spurt with a triple and a 69-44 score with 1:38 remaining.  Jordan then got the 3-point bug with a triple for a 72-44 score in the final minute. 
 
The Lady Blazers head to Auburn Montgomery for a key matchup Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET, pitting two of the hottest teams in the conference.  A victory on Saturday would tie the VSU's longest winning streak in program history at 21 games set during the 1983-84 season.  AUM improved to 18-8 overall and 16-6 in league play sitting tied for third in the league standings with Lee, behind VSU (20-1) and Union (19-2) following a 76-63 victory over West Florida Thursday evening.  The Warhawks have won 11 of their last 12 since a 65-43 loss at VSU on Jan. 6.
 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats, audio/video streaming and the game will be broadcast in Valdosta on FOX 94.3 WJEM FM and foxsportsvaldosta.com.