CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Valdosta State Blazers swept the Lee Flames for the first time since the 2017-18 season in a 75-64 win on Thursday night. Valdosta State improved to 18-3 overall and 13-2 in the GSC while Lee dropped to 9-11 overall and 5-11 in GSC play. With tonight's win, VSU clinched a spot in the GSC Tournament next month.
 
Junior guard Maalik Leitch led all scorers with 23 points on 8-12 from the floor and 3-4 from distance as the guard is averaging 21.0 PPG in his last three games played off the bench. As a team, Valdosta State scored their second lowest point total of the year as they scored 78 against Lee earlier this season and are 2-0 in games where they score less than 80 points. The Blazers dominated the glass, as they hauled in 46 rebounds to Lee's 31. 20 of those 46 rebounds came on the offensive glass, as VSU scored 21 points thanks to a strong second effort inside.
 
Valdosta State will now play in their biggest road game of the year, as they travel to Nashville to play Trevecca Nazarene for the first time in the Music City. The Trojans are currently sitting in third place in the conference pending tonight's results.
 
Senior Braxton Williams opened the game with a swat on the right block before hitting a triple on the left wing off a few offensive rebounds to give the Blazers a quick 3-0 lead. Following a pair of free throws from senior Cobey Harraway, junior MJ Jones jumped the passing lane where he finished a right handed layup on the other end as it was 7-0 within a minute and a half. After another stop on defense, Williams got loose in transition and drilled his second triple on the right wing and forced a timeout from Lee head coach Bubba Smith as Valdosta State led 10-0 with 17:14 left in the first half.
 
The Flames and Blazers were battling out of the 16:00 minute timeout, as VSU led 16-7 after graduate student JC Clausi finished strong inside on the drive. After recording their third steal of the first half, junior Drew Mills would up fake the Lee defender on the right block before finishing with his right hand as Valdosta State kept the Flames silent on a 6-0 run across a 3:07 stretch as the Blazers held a 20-7 lead with 10:56 left in the first half.
 
Following a triple from Lee, MJ Jones threw a perfect pass to Braxton Williams in the left corner for his third three-pointer of the half as it was 23-10 with 8:44 left. Junior Maalik Leitch would grab his own rebound and lay one in with his left hand to grow the lead to 25-10 with 7:17 remaining in the first half. The VSU defense was holding strong, as they had held Lee to 3-18 from the floor just over halfway through.
 
Both teams would trade baskets as the Blazers were able to hold a 11-15 point lead as the Flames couldn't put together consecutive baskets against the pesky VSU defense. MJ Jones would hit a three pointer on the left wing following good ball movement around the wing as Valdosta State had doubled up Lee, leading 40-18 with just under two minutes remaining. Cobey Harraway would finish his third layup of the first half as the Blazers headed to the locker room with a 42-21 lead.
 
Defense was the name of game in the first 20 minutes, as the Blazers held the Flames to the 8-31 from the floor and 2-9 from distance. VSU shot 16-38 from the field and 6-15 from three and held a 30-16 advantage on the glass. 14 of the rebounds came on the offense glass that resulted in 15 second chance points as those extra efforts were vital in the first half. Maalik Leitch led all scorers with ten points on 4-5 from the field in just seven minutes of action.
 
Noah Boler-Kyle started the second half with a dunk followed by two straight layups and then another slam for Lee as they he single-handedly went on an 8-0 run which forced a timeout from head coach Mike Helfer as Valdosta State led 42-29 two minutes into the second half. Valdosta State would get their first field goal of the second half as Carlos Hart secured an offensive rebound and laid one it as it was 45-31 heading to the under 16 media break.
 
Following a block from Carlos Hart, Maalik Leitch would have an easy layup in transition as it was 49-33. Lee would get one to go inside on the other end as VSU still held a 14 point lead with just over 12 minutes remaining. The Flames would come out of the under 12 break, as they went on a quick 7-0 run to make it a nine-point game. Leitch would silence the run on a mid-range jumper to build the lead back to 11. Both teams were battling, as they were trading baskets as Valdosta State held a 55-46 lead with 7:51 left in the game.
 
Each team continued to trade blows coming out of the break, as VSU was able to hold the lead at nine following yet another second chance basket from Maalik Leitch. Leitch would grow the lead back to double digits with 5:38 remaining.
 
Braxton Williams came out of the final media timeout with a euro step in transition following a strong defensive possession as Valdosta State grew their lead back to 13. Following a triple from Lee to cut it to ten, Leitch was left open on the right wing where he buried a three to end the Flames comeback hopes.