Box Score / Event Stats

Lady Blazers Charge Past Alabama-Huntsville

Guards lead the way

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State broke a three-game losing streak with a convincing win against Alabama-Huntsville. The Lady Blazers won, 61-47, to move to 16-7 on the season and 6-3 in the Gulf South. The Chargers fell to 6-18 and 2-7 in the GSC.

Sczeny Hartry and Leschelle Matthews led the way for Valdosta State. Each scored 12 points and Hartry added five rebounds and three assists. Matthews stole the ball three times. Michelle Thompson found her way back to double digits with 10 points, two assists and two steals.

Valdosta State benefitted from a balanced effort on the glass. Four players grabbed at least five boards with Tamika Booker leading the way with eight.

For Alabama-Huntsville, Renita Lewis double-doubled with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Ashley Boykin scored 10.

The Lady Blazers won the turnover battle by 12. VSU's stingy defense forced 26 turnovers and stole the ball 11 times. After UAH shot 47.6 percent from the field in the first half, the Lady Blazer defense tightened up and only allowed the Chargers 26.3 percent in the second half. Meanwhile, VSU lit it up on 13 of 32 in the second frame for 40.6 percent. Four Lady Blazers knocked down threes. The team went seven of 18 for 38.9 percent from long range.

In the first half, Alabama-Huntsville held a two-point lead for three scoreless minutes. Then, at the 5:49 mark, Thompson nailed a three-pointer to go ahead by one. Hartry followed that with another long ball. They both followed each other for two layups to build an eight point lead. At the half, the Lady Blazers were up by five.

A layup from Brittany Hudson on a fast break started the scoring in the second half. After a layup from Booker, Hartry knocked down another three to claim a 12-point lead on the Chargers with 17:06 left to play.

Valdosta State managed to stay ahead by double digits for most of the half. Then at the 4:09 mark, Thompson hit her second trey of the night to go ahead by 14. Two Hudson free throws pushed the lead to 16. Booker hit a jumper with 57 seconds left for VSU's biggest lead of the night: 18 points. The Chargers wouldn%u2019t recover.

The Lady Blazers hit the hardwood next against West Alabama at 6 p.m. in the P.E. Complex on Thursday.

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