CLINTON, Miss. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team put together a strong weekend sweep in Mississippi as it won 89-80 at Mississippi College on Saturday for its fifth-straight win.  The Blazers also clinched a spot in the upcoming Gulf South Conference Championship with the victory. 
 
No overtime was needed on Saturday, but the Choctaws did cut the deficit to one on two occasions in the second half, including at 79-78 with 3:33 to play, before VSU finished the game on a 10-2 run.  The Blazers moved to 16-8 overall and 11-7 in Gulf South Conference play, while MC fell to 10-15 overall and 7-12 in league play.  VSU needed overtime on Thursday in a 112-103 overtime victory at Delta State. 
 
The win Saturday gave VSU sole possession of fifth place in the league standings heading into the final two weeks of the season as Trevecca Nazarene lost to Lee on Saturday and now sits one game back of the Blazers and also evened the season series with MC, avenging a disappointing 103-89 loss on Jan. 2 at The Complex.  VSU now is 1.5 games back of UAH currently for fourth.  The qualification for the conference tournament will be the 29^th in program history for VSU.  
 
VSU returns home to host Christian Brothers on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. at The Complex for Play4Kay/Pink Out and then at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. for Senior Day.
 
Against the Choctaws, senior Drew Mills scored 27 points on 10 of 17 from the field, while he was 7 of 10 from the line and added six rebounds.  Junior Blaise Wallace finished with 25 points on 9 of 14 from the field, 3 of 5 from deep and 4 of 4 from the line with six rebounds.  Senior Lucas Brown Jr. finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, while junior Samarion Bond added ten points.  The Blazers shot 49.2 percent on 32 of 65 from the field, while they were 10 of 27 from deep and 15 of 18 from the line.  
 
MC was led by 21 points from DeMarcus Powe, while Avaughn Johnson had 18 points and 15 rebounds as all five starters scored in double figures.  The Choctaws shot 45.7 percent from the field on 32 of 70, while they were 7 of 26 from deep and a perfect 9 of 9 from the line.
 
The Choctaws raced out to a 7-2 lead capped on a dunk from Judah Land and then continued the hot start for a 13-6 advantage with 15:53 to play in the opening half.  MC began the game 6 of 10 from the field, while VSU was 3 of 9.  The Blazers settled down calmly tied the game capped on a triple from Bond with 13:01 to play and a 9-2 run.  
 
Wallace caught fire with back-to-back triples for a 22-21 deficit with 10:36 to play in the first half and then gave VSU its first lead of the game at 23-22 with a bucket in the paint with 10 minutes to play in the half.  He then hit another triple for 13 points and a 26-24 lead for the red and black with 8:31 to play.  Bond flushed a bucket following a turnover by the Choctaws for a 28-24 VSU lead and then Mills scored off a steal for a 30-24 lead and a 7-0 run with 7:32 remaining in the half.  
 
Brown Jr., got into the 3-point act and then scored inside for a 35-24 lead with 6:03 to play in the half and a 12-0 run as MC needed a timeout.  Out of the stoppage, Mills scored inside for a 37-24 score and a 14-0 run, before MC's DeMarcus Powell ended the streak with a 3-pointer with 5:17 to play in the half.  VSU would stretch the lead to 11 at 44-33 late in the half, before MC eventually cut the deficit to eight at 48-40 at halftime.
 
For the half, VSU shot 18 of 38 from the field for 47.4 percent, while it was 6 of 16 from deep and 6 of 6 from the line.  MC shot 16 of 39 from the field for 41 percent, while it was 3 of 13 from distance and 5 of 5 from the line.  The half saw two ties and three lead changes.  Wallace had a team-high 15 points for the Blazers and Johnson had 12 for the Choctaws.  
 
Through the first seven minutes and change of the second half, VSU kept the Choctaw's at arm's length between 4-6 points and held a 64-58 lead on a layup from Wallace for his 19^th point with 13:27 to play.  Both teams opened the second half 7 of 13 from the field.  Two free throws from Johnson pulled MC within 64-60 with 12:22 to play. 
 
Each time it looked like MC would make a run, VSU had the answer at the other end as Wallace continued his strong play for a 70-64 lead with 9:43 remaining and his 21^st point of the game.  The teams continued to trade buckets as MC's Josh Holman pulled the Choctaws within 72-68 with 7:56 to play.  MC trimmed the deficit to two with two free throws, but senior Peter McKey found pay dirt with a 3-pointer for a 75-70 score with 6:50 to go.
 
VSU held a 79-78 lead into the final media timeout and Wallace hit two free throws pushing the lead to 81-78 with 3:02 to play.  MC turned it over on its ensuing possession and VSU called a timeout with 2:39 to play. VSU turned the ball over and then MC responded in kind with 2:02 to play.  The Blazers made them pay as Wallace scored inside for an 83-78 lead with 1:42 to go.  
 
Mills came down with his sixth rebound and then Brown, Jr. buried s triple for an 86-78 lead with 57 seconds to go. Holman grabbed an offensive rebound and put back for an 86-80 score with 42 ticks remaining.  
 
Out of a Choctaw timeout, Bond put down an emphatic dunk for an 88-80 score and Mills added one of two free throws in the closing seconds for the nine-point victory.