MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team battled back following a 23-9 first quarter deficit, but came up just short in a 67-62 loss at Auburn Montgomery Saturday afternoon.  The Lady Blazers fell to 10-7 overall and 5-6 in Gulf South Conference play, while AUM improved to 6-10 overall and 4-7 in league play.
 
Lady Blazer junior Mary McMorris finished with 17 points off the bench to lead the team on 5 of 11 from the field, one triple and 6 of 7 from the line, while junior Aryana Hicks added 12 points on 6 of 9 from the field. VSU shot 25 of 58 from the field for 43.1 percent, while it was 4 of 17 from distance and 8 of 9 from the line. 
 
AUM had a game-high 28 points from Allasha Dudley on 12 of 20 from the field, 3 of 7 from deep and 1 of 2 from the line.  Samya Brooks added 14 points for the Warhawks and Carrington Jones chipped in ten.  The Warhawks shot 28 of 60 from the field for 46.7 percent, while they were 4 of 13 from deep and 7 of 8 from the line in a game that saw five ties and six lead changes. 
 
VSU trailed by 11 with 5:15 left in the third at 43-32 and finished the frame on a 17-6 run to tie the contest at 49 through 30 minutes.  Hicks hit a jumper on the first possession of the fourth quarter for the first lead for VSU since it was 4-2 in the first quarter. 
 
The Warhawks answered with an 8-0 run for a 57-51 score with 5:46 to play.  Buckets from Hicks and freshman Amaya Broadus pulled VSU within two and McMorris hit one from range for a 58-57 lead with 3:41 to go.  Dudley scored inside and then a triple from Andie Flatgard pushed AUM's lead to four with 2:14 to go.  Broadus scored inside with 1:49 to play.  Two free throws from senior Kiersten Nelson cut the deficit to three at 65-62 with 40 seconds remaining.  Dudley scored with 18 seconds to play for the final margin. 
 
AUM opened the game with a 23-9 first quarter and used a 19-5 run following a 4-4 tie early.  VSU kept chipping away and found its stride in the second quarter pulling within one on a layup from Hicks with 3:08 to play in the half, courtesy of a 13-0 run.  AUM stretched the lead to five, but buckets from Morris and Hicks cut the deficit back to one, before AUM's Trinity Hambright hit a bucket at the buzzer for a 31-28 score at intermission.
 
AUM opened the third with a 12-4 run capped with a bucket from Brooks with 5:15 to play in the quarter at 43-32 before the Lady Blazers answered with its run to close the frame.
 
VSU returns home to begin the second half of conference play next Thursday and Saturday at The Complex versus Alabama Huntsville and West Alabama, respectively.   The weekend also is the 50^th Anniversary celebration of women's basketball at VSU and the 28^th induction into the VSU Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for more information on the 50^th Anniversary celebration for the Lady Blazers this week and click here to purchase tickets for the VSU Athletic Hall of Fame Brunch on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 10 a.m. in the VSU Student Union Ballroom.