DAVIE, Fla. – The Valdosta State Blazers fell to the Lynn in the first round of NCAA South Regional by a final of 86-74. VSU concluded the season with a record of 25-7 which is the most wins in a season since the 2019-20 season. 

Carlos Hart scored a game high 27 points on 11-21 from the field while also leading the game in steals with five. The duo of Leo Beath and Carson Smith went off for the Fighting Knights as the guard/forward pair had a combined 48 points while shooting 18-32 from the floor and 7-15 from distance. As a team, Lynn shot 10-29 from three while Valdosta State was 5-23. The Blazers won the turnover battle as they forced 18 miscues which was Lynn's season high while Valdosta State themselves committed 14 as a team.

Valdosta State set multiple records this season as they broke a single season for steals in a season, points in a season, field goals made, and points per game.


 HOW IT HAPPENED:

Lynn began the game scoring the first seven points, before junior Drew Mills buried a jumper for a 7-2 deficit two minutes into the contest.  The Fighting Knights opened the game 4 of 7 from the field and 2 of 3 from distance, while VSU was 2 of 7 from the field in the opening three minutes and change, trailing 10-4.  
 
Lynn made its third triple of the game for a 17-10 Fighting Knight lead, but junior Lucas Brown Jr. hit VSU's first triple of the game and Carlos Hart earned the "and one" for a 19-16 deficit with 12:52 remaining in the opening half.  
 
Blazer junior Peter McKey buried the second triple of the game for the Blazers tying the score at 21 with 8:33 left in the first half.  Following a turnover on the Fighting Knights, McKey then used a twisting layup and was hacked for the old fashion three-point play giving VSU its first lead of the game at 24-21 with 7:46 left in the first half for an 8-0 run over the last 2:46.  VSU forced Lynn into six early turnovers as the Fighting Knights entered the game sixth nationally in turnovers per game at just 9.7 per contest.  
 
An "and one" for Lynn ended the scoring drought of over four minutes for Cason Smith giving him 11 points early and tying the game at 24 with 6:07 to play in the first half.  Mills ended a three-minute scoring drought regaining the lead, but Lynn answered at the other end and then scored in transition for a 28-26 Lynn lead with 4:28 to play in the opening half.  

Lynn's John Roland made the old fashion three-point play pushing the lead to 31-26 with 3:48 remaining in the opening half.  A hard rebound and triple from Lynn's Leo Beath pushed the lead to eight and a 10-0 run at 34-26 as VSU had its second scoreless drought of over two minutes and change.  A goaltending call on the Blazers pushed the VSU deficit to double-digits at 36-26 and a 12-0 run by Lynn.  VSU ended the drought with a tough bucket from Hart for a 36-28 deficit with just over a minute to play.  Following a rebound, Hart stepped through the lane for a bucket and Hart got a steal and foul earning a 1 and 1, making one for a 36-31 deficit with 25 seconds left.  Lynn settled for the final shot with a triple from Smith for a 39-31 score at halftime.
 
For the half, VSU shot 34.2 percent from the field on 13 of 38, while it was just 2 of 9 from distance and 3 of 4 from the line, while Hart had a team-high ten points on 4 of 10 from the field and 2 of 3 from the line.  Lynn shot 44.4 percent from the field on 16 of 36 from the field 5 of 17 from distance and 2 of 2 from the line.  
 
Lynn held a 24-19 lead in rebounding and Smith had a game-high 14 points at the break on 5 of 8 from the field, while going 3 of 6 from distance and 1 of 1 from the line.  Lynn held a 13-7 lead in points off turnovers as both teams had eight turnovers in the half.
 
Senior Braxton Williams buried a triple in the corner early in the second half pulling VSU within 43-36 and junior Cobey Harroway forced a turnover and score and Hart scored off a missed shot by Lynn for a 7-0 run pulling within 43-40 with 17:02 to play in regulation.  Following a miss from Smith, transition bucket and harm for MJ Jones tied the game at 43 extending the run to 10-0 in the last 1:17.  Smith buried his fourth triple of the game for a 50-45 Lynn lead and following a missed shot by the Blazers, Braydon Iuli scored in transition for a 52-45 score and a timeout by the Blazers with 15:13 remaining.  
 
A triple from Osei Price pushed the Lynn lead to 57-45 and a 10-0 run in the last 2:18 with 13:10 to play for the largest lead of the game for the Fighting Knights. Two free throws from Lynn stretched the run to 12-0, but Hart ended the drought with a corner pocket triple at 59-48 with 12:51 to play.  Williams hit his second triple of the half out of a media timeout pulling VSU back within six at 59-53 and an 8-0 run by the Blazers.  An "and one" for Hart trimmed the Lynn lead to 61-58 with 10:18 to play.  Hart got an extra free throw on a lane violation on Smith as Hart missed the attempt but was granted the extra shot.  
 
Two quick buckets from Lynn pushed the lead back to 65-58 with 9:28 to play as every time VSU got close, Lynn would make push to stretch the lead back out. A big triple following a turnover on the Blazers from Beath pushed the Lynn lead to 68-60 out of the under eight timeout.  Beath pulled down a rebound and putback for a 71-63 lead.  
 
A scoop and score from Maalik Leitch pulled VSU within 74-71 and a 6-0 run by the Blazers, but Lynn's JP Baron buried a corner triple for a 77-71 score and Beath scored inside for a 79-71 score.  Leitch scored at the other end and a timeout by the Blazers with 2:44 to play trailing 79-73.  Smith drained another triple, his fifth of the game, for an 82-73 lead with 2:30 to play as it was the tenth triple made by the Fighting Knights in the game in 29 attempts.
 
VSU had to foul to extend the game trailing 82-74 with 1:42 to play.  Lynn kept the door open for the Blazers with missed free throw attempts, but VSU was unable to knock down the shots at the other end.