BLAZERS FALL ON BUZZER BEATER

Last second three downs VSU 73-72

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. -- Reggie Bibb banked in a three-pointer as time expired to lift Harding to a 73-72 victory over Valdosta State in the quarterfinals of the Gulf South Conference Tournament at the DeSoto Civic Center Friday afternoon.

Bibb's three completed a stretch that saw the Bison (17-11) score four points in the final five second of the game. Ricky Coleman hit one of two free throws to give the Blazers (20-8) a 72-69 lead with 21 seconds remaining in the game before Bibb missed a pair of free throws with five seconds remaining. However, Bibb grabbed the rebound off of the second missed shot and was again fouled. He made his first attempt and missed the second, but the ball went out of bounds off a VSU player to give the ball back to HU with two seconds to go. Bibb received the ball off the inbounds pass and made his game deciding shot as time expired.

Bibb's shot completed a 15-point comeback bid by Harding, that started with the Bison down 53-38 with 10:48 remaining in the contest. Valdosta State led 28-27 at the half and opened the second frame on a 15-3 run. The Blazers hit seven of their first nine shots in the second half, including at least one each from the five starters of the half, to build its lead.

Neither team led by more than seven in the first half, which featured two ties and four lead changes. The Blazers scored 13 of the first 19 points of the game to open its largest lead of the half, only to have HU respond with a 15-2 run to grab a 21-15 lead with 6:27 remaining in the half. The final minutes of the half again belonged to VSU as it closed the half on a 13-6 run.

Herman Burge scored 17 points and dished out eight assists to lead Valdosta State while Devario Hudson and Jamahl Stokes finished with 12 each. Hudson also tallied nine of VSU's 35 rebounds while Stokes registered two of the team's six blocks. VSU shot 41.5 percent (27-of-65) in the game and had eight steals.

Matt Hall led all scorers with 23 points and had 14 rebounds while Brandon Sims also scored in double figures for Harding with 16. The Bison hit 24-of-57 field goal attempts (42.1 percent) and recorded 40 rebounds in the game.

Valdosta State now awaits the NCAA Selection show at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday to see if it will make it to its first NCAA Regional appearances since the 2003-04 season.

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