The game will be broadcast on 94.3 WJEM FM Fox Sports Valdosta with Jaylan Scott having the call and will be broadcast online at
www.foxsportsvaldosta.com. The game will be streamed on the Peach Belt Conference Sports Network.
VSU enters 2-0 after a pair of convincing wins in the South Regional Crossover this past weekend in Valdosta. The Blazers posted an 85-70 win over Edward Waters and won 108-75 on Sunday versus Florida Tech. For the week, VSU shot 47.7 percent from the field on 71 of 149 from the floor, while going 18 of 47 from distance (.383) and 33 of 48 from the line for a 68.8 clip. The Blazers averaged 45.0 rebounds per game and 96.5 points per contest.
Blazer junior transfer
Blaise Wallace averaged a double-double at 14.0 points and 15.5 rebounds per game as he tallied 18 points and 19 rebounds in his first game at VSU in the win over Edward Waters. Wallace went 8 of 16 from the field, while he was 12 of 18 from the line and registered 31 rebounds, including 14 on the offensive end in the two games. He had three assists and a team high four steals, while averaging 26.5 minutes per game.
Senior
Drew Mills averaged 16.0 points on a team-best 13 of 27 from the field (.481), while he was 3 of 6 from distance and 3 of 4 from the line and averaged 5.0 rebounds per game. In all four of the Blazers' five starters for both games averaged in double figures.
VSU head coach
Mike Helfer is in his 21st season at the helm of the program after going 25-7 last season and 18-4 in Gulf South Conference play. Helfer's squad was picked third in the Preseason Gulf South Conference Coaches Poll, which was announced last month. Defending league champion, The University of Alabama at Huntsville, was tabbed as the league favorite, followed by Montevallo, with West Alabama and Lee rounding out the top five in the preseason poll. Helfer is 388-198 at VSU, while he is 574-281 in 29 seasons of coaching basketball.
Mills was named the Preseason All-GSC Team as he earned first team all-league honors last season with an outstanding Junior campaign. Mills played in 32 games with 29 starts logging 800 minutes and 25 minutes per game. He went 192 of 368 from the field for a .522 average, while draining 34 triples in 82 attempts (.415) and was 36 of 49 from the line for a .735 clip. He averaged 14.2 points per game to tie for second on the team, while he averaged 5.8 rebounds per game which was good for second on the team. Mills had 23 steals and 20 blocks as he was one of two Blazers with over 20 steals and blocks last season. He had 25 games in double figures and had two double-doubles last season. His leadership and consistency were pivotal to VSU's success, and his return gives the Blazers a proven star to build around this season.
The Knights are 1-1 on the year in their first full season of participation in NCAA Division II after moving up from NAIA. MGA dropped a 74-64 decision at Young Harris and downed Shorter 93-91 in overtime last weekend with two free throws by Joshua Robertson with two remaining after Shorter tied the game at 91 with 15 seconds remaining. Shorter had a five-point cushion midway through the overtime period, before MGA finished the game on an 11-4 run over the final 2:50.
For the weekend, Krishen Atwal led the way averaging 23.5 points per game on 14 of 32 from the field (.438), while he was 9 of 18 from deep and 10 of 10 from the line. Greg Jones finished averaging 14 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Jones was 12 of 25 from the field and had two triples and two made free throws. OT Delancy was third in scoring at 11.0 points per game. As a team, MGA averaged 78.5 points per game and allowed 82.5 in the two games last week, while it shot .405 from the field on 53 of 131 from the floor and went 17 of 59 from distance (.288), while it was 34 of 50 from the line (.680). MGA averaged 33.5 rebounds per game. The opponents shot .491 from the field on 55 of 112, while they were 14 of 39 from deep (.359) and 41 of 61 from the line (.672). The Knights, who are not eligible for the postseason, were picked 11th in the league preseason standings.
VSU leads the all-time series with Middle Georgia 1-0 after a 94-75 win last season on Nov. 18, 2024, in Valdosta. The game counted for VSU, but was an exhibition for MG. In that game, Mills finished with 23 points leading the returners for the Blazers on 11 of 13 from the field with one triple and six rebounds. The Blazers forced MG into 24 turnovers as VSU held a 31-17 lead in points off turnovers as the Blazers had ten miscues.
Head coach Scott Moe was hired in 2000 and has coached the Knight in both men's and women's basketball during his time at the school. He is 375-292 at MG as the men's coach, going 222-146 when MG was a junior college from 2001-2014, and 153-146 since MG moved to NAIA before this season as D2.
Following the game on Wednesday, the Blazers will have the rest of the week to practice and will host Middle Georgia Nov. 24, at 7 p.m., at The Complex, completing the home-and-home series for the year.
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