PENSACOLA, Fla. – Behind four starters in double figures and a double-double from sophomore Erin Whalen, the Valdosta State women's basketball team rallied in overtime for a 76-69 victory at West Florida to split the season series Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lady Blazers improved to 12-8 overall and 7-7 in Gulf South Conference play, while UWF fell to 14-6 overall and 10-4 in league play.  Whalen finished with a team-high 20 points on 8 of 17 from the field, 3 of 6 from deep and added one free throw, registering her sixth double-double of the season.  Junior Aryana Hicks added 19 points on 7 of 10 from the field with one triple and 4 of 4 from the line along with five assists, while senior India Jordan chipped in 14 points and senior Kiersten Nelson added 13.
 
UWF had a game-high 27 points from Haidyn Pitsch on 10 of 20 from the field, 5 of 11 from distance and 2 of 2 from the line, while Delaney Trushel added 14 points and Rylie Stephens had 11.  The game saw seven ties and eight lead changes.
 
Trailing 33-30 at halftime, the Lady Blazers exploded for a 24-12 third quarter going 10 of 15 from the field for the frame and 3 of 7 from distance as they used a 15-4 run for a 47-41 lead with 3:33 to play in the quarter capped by a jumper from Hicks.  A triple from Whalen and a jumper in the final minute pushed the lead to nine at 52-43 as VSU closed the quarter with a 54-45 lead. 
 
Whalen then hit a triple for a 57-47 lead with 8:50 to play in the fourth, giving VSU its first double-digit lead of the game and she later put VSU up 61-51 with 3:13 to go in the quarter.  UWF rallied, scoring the final ten points of the game for a 61-61 score through 40 minutes.  VSU senior Jacey Justice had a look at a 3-pointer with four seconds to go but wouldn't go down as the game went to overtime. 
 
Playing their fifth overtime game of the season, UWF scored the first four points of the extra period with a triple from Pitsch and a free throw from Kamille Clark.  Hicks quickly answered at the other end and Nelson scored in the paint for a 67-65 VSU lead with 2:05 to play.  Two free throws from UWF tied the game at 67, but a jumper from Whalen and a huge steal from Whalen and fastbreak layup from junior Mary McMorris gave VSU a 71-67 lead with 37 ticks left. 
 
UWF would cut the deficit to four, but VSU was up to the challenge at the line salting the game away in the final minute.  The Lady Blazers went 4 of 5 from the field in the overtime period and were 6 of 8 from the line, while UWF was 2 of 5 from the field with one triple and 3 of 4 from the stripe for overtime.
 
For the game, VSU shot 29 of 67 from the field for 43.3 percent, while it was 8 of 27 from distance (29.6) and 9 of 15 from the line.  VSU tallied 42 rebounds and 14 on the offensive end. UWF shot 42.4 percent on 25 of 59 from the field, while it was 7 of 20 from distance and 12 of 26 from the line.  The Argos had 34 rebounds with six on the offensive end.
 
VSU continues on the road next week as it visits Lee on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET and then at Trevecca Nazarene next Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.