VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team (10-10, 7-7 GSC) returns home to the Complex this week to host a pair of Gulf South Conference matchups, welcoming Lee (15-5, 11-4 GSC) on Thursday at 6 p.m. before taking on Trevecca Nazarene (13-7, 10-5 GSC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. Thursday's contest will serve as Girls and Women in Sports Day, while Saturday is Youth Day, with kids 12 and under receiving free admission.
Valdosta State enters the week off of a dramatic overtime win over West Florida. Freshman Chardae Rumph was named the Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week after scoring 20 points, including a 6-for-9 effort from three-point range, in the victory. Junior Erin Whalen continues to lead the Lady Blazers in both scoring (13.7 PPG) and rebounding (8.9 RPG), while sophomore forward Raeanne Eccleston posted a strong double-double with three blocks against the Argonauts. VSU earned the win despite being without senior Aryana Hicks, the GSC assists leader and the team's second-leading scorer, who missed the contest due to illness.
Thursday's matchup features a Lee team riding a seven-game winning streak behind the play of senior forward Anna Muhonen, who leads the Flames in scoring (17.6 PPG) and rebounding (8.8 RPG) while also anchoring the defense with a team-high 27 blocks. Guard Libby Privett averages a team-best 2.8 assists per game and ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per contest.
Lee holds a narrow 17-16 advantage in the all-time series and has won the last two meetings, including a tight 62-58 victory earlier this season in Cleveland, Tenn.
Saturday's contest brings Trevecca Nazarene to Valdosta following a loss to first-place UAH that snapped a six-game winning streak. The Trojans are led offensively by a guard-forward duo of Jordan Gillies and Cheyenne Trotter, who average 15.4 and 14.1 points per game, respectively. Trotter also leads Trevecca on the glass, pulling down a team-high 10.8 rebounds per game to average a double-double on the season.
Valdosta State holds a 2-1 edge in the all-time series with Trevecca, having swept the Trojans last season in their first year in the GSC before Trevecca earned a home victory earlier this year.
Find live stats, written coverage, streaming links, and more on vstateblazers.com and follow @VState_Blazers as well as @VSULadyBlazers to stay up to date with the team as they fight through the core of GSC play.
