VALDOSTA, Ga. – Currently riding a five-game winning streak, the No. 19 Valdosta State Blazers (11-2, 6-1 GSC) play host to Union (7-6, 3-4 GSC) on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. followed by Christian Brothers (6-7, 2-5 GSC) on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m.
 
Since 2012-13, Valdosta State has played Union 20 times, where VSU holds the slight edge as they are 11-9 versus UU. As for all-time series versus Christian Brothers, the schools have squared off since 2004, where Valdosta State currently leads the series 13-12 across their 25 matchups.
 
Valdosta State swept their weekend road trip, as they defeated Mississippi College and Delta State last weekend to open the 2025 calander year on a high note. Valdosta State senior Braxton Williams scored a season high 26 points on Thursday night in a win at Mississippi College. Williams shot an efficient 9-12 from the floor and connected on a career-high six threes on seven attempts. On Saturday's win, Williams recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds on 6-11 from the floor and 2-6 from deep while also tallying three steals and a block. For the weekend, Williams help lead the ranked Blazers to two victories on the road while averaging 20 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2 APG, 0.5 BPG, and 2 SPG while committing a total of two turnovers on 25.9 minutes per game. As a team, Valdosta State is ranked seventh in the nation in points per game at 93.7 a night, which is first in the GSC. They are shooting .459 from the floor, .367 from distance, and .768 from the charity stripe on 18.8 attempts per game, which is ranked 12^th across DII. As for the defense, Valdosta State is holding teams to 81.6 PPG on .454 from the floor, .301 from distance, and .689 at the charity stripe. Head coach Mike Helfer's full-court press has been causing problems all season, as his defense is forcing 19.23 turnovers per game, which has resulted in 26.31 fastbreak points a night that is ranked second nationwide.
 
On Thursday night, the Blazers will host the Bulldogs of Union University, who enter the Peach State on a four-game losing streak following losses to Auburn Montgomery, Montevallo, Alabama Huntsville, and West Alabama. This past week, Union swept the weekly GSC awards as Parker Applegate was named Player of the Week and Judson Bjornstad was tabbed Freshman of the Week. Last week, Applegate averaged 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on an incredible 14-17 from the floor, 8-9 from three, and 9-10 from the line. For Bjornstad, he averaged 5.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 5-11 shooting. Union is led by head coach David Niven, who is in his 16^th year at the helm of the Bulldogs where he has accumulated an overall record of 265-192. Niven's squad is lethal from the line, as they are shooting .793 from the charity stripe which is 12th in the nation and first in the GSC. The Bulldogs are averaging 76.8 points per game on .449 from the floor and .338 from three as they are holding their foes to 75.1 points on .432 from the floor, .314 from distance, and .702 from the line. Individually, graduate student CJ Jackson leads the squad in scoring, as the Atlanta native is averaging 18.0 points per game on a .479/.385/.787 shooting split. Parker Applegate is aggressive on the boards, as the 6'8 sophomore is hauling in 8.7 boards a night, which is third in the GSC and 41^st in the nation.
 
Following Thursday's matchup, Valdosta State will conclude the weekend with Christian Brothers, who split the weekend after they defeated West Alabama and fell to No. 6 Alabama Huntsville in Memphis, Tenn. The Bucs are led by longtime head coach John Reily, who is in his sixth season in Memphis and 32^nd overall. During his time with CBU, he has accumulated an overall record of 52-84 while he is 526-391 during his career with head coaching stops at Gannon and Brescia before Christian Brothers. Reily's team is averaging 72.3 PPG on .469 from the field, .386 from deep, and .664 from the charity stripe while holding the opposition to 73.4 PPG on .445 from the floor, .374 from deep, and .723 from the line. CBU is one of the top rebounding teams in the nation, as the Bucs are bringing in 39.92 a night for a margin of 11.3, which is second across Division II. Individually, Iman Kheirati has been giving teams fits, as the 6'5 guard from Iran is averaging 12.2 PPG and 10.8 RPG which is ninth in nation and first in the GSC.
 
The Blazers will hit the road at the conclusion of these games, as they take on Montevallo on Thursday, Jan. 16 followed by Auburn Montgomery on Saturday, Jan. 18 before the Blazers return to The Complex to host Hall of Fame Weekend.