HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Valdosta State men's basketball season came to an end with a 110-95 loss in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Gulf South Conference Championship Monday evening.  The Blazers finished the season with an 18-11 record, while UAH improved to 21-8.  Blazer senior forward Drew Mills became the 27^th player to eclipse 1,000 career points at VSU as he finished with 31 points in the game to lead all-scorers. 
 
Mills finished 11 of 15 from the field, 1 of two from deep and 8 of 10 from the line as he had his fifth game of 30 or more points this season.  Junior Samarion Bond added 16 points off the bench, while junior Blaise Wallace chipped in 14 points.  As a team, the Blazers shot 57.1 percent for the game on 36 of 63 from the field, while it was 9 of 29 from deep and 14 of 20 from the line.
 
UAH had four players score over 20 points led by 26 points from Quentin Toles on 10 of 14 from the field, 3 of 6 from deep and 3 of 4 from the line.  Knute Wood added 23 points with five 3-pointers and 6 of 6 from the lien, while Matthew Thurman added 22 points and Jordan Mabe chipped in 21.  The Chargers shot a blistering 66.7 percent for the game on 38 of 57 from the field, while they were 10 of 24 from deep and 24 of 31 from the line.   Both teams had 26 rebounds for the game.
 
Despite the loss, the Blazers had solid senior class and the 2025-26 Senior Class includes; Michael Batchelor, Ethan Pires, Tony Green Jr., Maalik Leitch, Lucas Brown Jr., MJ Jones, Peter McKey and Drew Mills.  VSU Athletics would like to wish each of these seniors the best in their future endeavors.
 
VSU scored six of the first 11 points in the game, but UAH went on a 7-0 run before Mills answered with a midrange jumper for his sixth point of the game with 15:20 remaining in the first half trimming the UAH lead to 12-8.  Out of the first media timeout, Batchelor drained a triple for a 12-11 score and the first 3-pointer of the game for the Blazers.  Mills then tied the game with a 3-pointer at the top of the key for a 14-14 score with 13:45 remaining in the half in back-and-forth game. 
 
Both teams opened the game shooting over 50 percent through the first nine minutes as the Blazers were 7 of 13 from the field with two 3-pointers, while UAH was 8 of 13 from the field and also had two triples.  Toles stretched UAH's lead to five at 21-16 with a 3-pointer and 10:45 to play in the half.  Following another long one from UAH, Wallace scored inside for a 24-19 deficit and Mills had a turnaround layup for two trimming the deficit to 26-21 with 9:23 to play in the half.  UAH stretched the lead to 29-21 with an "and one", but Mills scored his 13^th point of the game.  
 
Toles hit his second triple and Wallace answered with a long one at the other end for a 32-26 score and 7:26 remaining.  Green, Jr. gathered his own rebound and score for a 34-30 deficit, but UAH, once again answered with a 3-pointer at the other end for its sixth triple of the half and a 37-30 score with 5:09 left in the first. 
 
Two free throws from Matthew Thurman pushed the UAH lead to double-digits at 41-30 with 4:26 left in the first.  Mills scored with turnaround in the paint for his 15^th point of the game, for his 1,001^st career point.  Junior Samarion Bond buried a 3-pointer, pulling VSU within six at 45-39 and 2:25 remaining in the half as UAH needed a timeout.  UAH pushed the lead back to 11 at 50-39, but Batchelor buried a triple at the buzzer, pulling VSU within eight at 50-42. 
 
For the half, VSU shot 51.5 percent on 17 of 33 from the field, while it was 5 of 16 from deep and 3 of 5 from the line.  UAH shot 61.5 percent for the half on 16 of 26 from the floor, while the Chargers were 6 of 14 from distance and were 12 of 14 from the line.  VSU held a 16-12 advantage in rebounding and 7-2 on the offensive end, while the half had four lead changes and three ties.  Mills had 17 points in the half on 7 of 10 from the field, one triple and 2 of 2 from the line, while Toles had ten for the Chargers.
 
UAH opened the second half on a 13-4 run building a 63-46 lead with 17:26 to play and then extended the lead to 67-51 capped on a 3-pointer from Wood with 15:51 remaining.  A turnaround jumper and then steal and dunk from Bond pulled VSU back within 12 at 69-57 with 14:33 to play.  Out of a media timeout, a steal and 3-pointer from Bond cut the deficit back to under ten at 69-60 with 14:05 to play.  Following a bucket from UAH, Bond kept the hot hand from distance for another 3-pointer and a 71-63 score.   With the shot clock winding down, Wood hit another 3-pointer pushing the lead back to ten at 74-64 with 11:31 to go. 
 
The Chargers used a 9-4 run for an 83-68 lead capped with an outlet pass to Toles and a timeout by the Blazers with 8:16 to play.  Green, Jr., earned the "and one" pulling the team within 83-71 with 7:59 to play. 
 
Two free throws from VSU and a turnover by the Chargers and goaltending by UAH trimmed the deficit to 90-83 with 5:31 remaining.  Toles buried a triple after Mills almost had the steal for a 95-85 lead, but the Blazers got another goaltending call at the other end, but an offensive rebound, put back pushed the lead to ten at 97-87.    
 
A 3-pointer from senior Lucas Brown, Jr., pulled the Blazers within 104-95 with two minutes to play.  UAH went on for the 110-95 victory.