VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team dropped a 70-65 decision at The Complex versus West Georgia Thursday evening. Senior Maddy Corazza paced the Lady Blazers with 18 points, while UWG's Aysha Harris scored 26 points to lead all scorers.
Leading 48-47 with one quarter to play, the Lady Blazers were unable to hang on to the lead as UWG outscored VSU 23-17 in the final stanza for the win. Harris gave UWG the lead on a pair of free throws with 9:21 left as it wouldn't relinquish the lead the rest of the way. The Wolves opened the frame with a 9-0 run and a 56-48 lead with 7:15 left.
Harris buried a triple for a 61-51 lead with 4:48 remaining, but a big trey from VSU senior Kendra Greenpulled the Lady Blazers within four at 67-63 with 42 seconds left. After one of two free throws by the Wolves, junior Nari Garner was off target on a triple and one of two more free throws by UWG put the margin at 69-63 with 22 seconds left.
Sophomore Kayla Bonilla hit a field goal for a four-point margin with 12 seconds left, as UWG added a free throw and the Lady Blazers missed two triples in the closing seconds.
For the game, VSU shot 41.9 percent on 26 of 62, while struggling from beyond the arc (3 of 16) and at the line (10 of 21) as VSU dominated the rebounding, 42-32 and 18-7 on the offensive end. VSU led 16-7 in second chance points, but UWG scored 22 points off 14 Lady Blazer miscues. Corazza went 8 of 14 from the field with one triple and a free throw leading three players in double figures. Bonilla added 11 points, while senior Crystal Townsend scored 14 points.
UWG shot 46 percent for the game on 23 of 50, while going 8 of 20 from beyond the arc and 16 of 22 from the line. Harris was 7 of 13 from the field with two triples and went 10 of 12 from the line, while Taylor Brown scored 13 points off the bench as the only two players in double figures.
The Wolves took command in the first quarter and used a 10-0 run for an 18-7 lead with 47 seconds left in the first quarter. Green hit two free throws and senior Sonya Franklin buried a jumper at the buzzer for an 18-11 deficit as it as the only made VSU field goal in the final 4:20 of the frame.
Harris stretched the lead to nine at 26-17 with 6:52 left in the half, but the Lady Blazers pulled within one on an 8-0 run capped with a bucket in the paint from Corazza with 4:28 left. UWG's Edley Drawhorn hit a big triple at the other end to quiet the crowd, but layups from Green and Franklin, while Corazza buried a jumper with 1:30 left to give VSU the lead at the half at 31-29.
In the third, VSU dominated much of the early part of the quarter as it used a 9-0 run for a 44-35 lead on an "and one" from Franklin with 5:46 left. UWG's Taylor Brown buried back-to-back triples, but VSU responded with a pair of scores for a 48-41 lead with 2:51 left.
UWG had the answer, once again, Harris scored inside, Brown added a bucket and a jumper from Terrianna Cave pulled the Wolves within 48-47 heading to the fourth quarter.
VSU will look to bounce back on Saturday as it welcomes Shorter to The Complex for a 2 p.m. tip. Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more on vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page. The game also will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ with Mike Chason and Spencer Van Horn having the call.
