THE BASICS:
SCORE:#6 Valdosta State 91, Union 80
RECORDS:Valdosta State 6-0 (1-0 GSC), Union 4-3 (0-1 GSC)
LOCATION:Valdosta, Ga. (The Complex)
THE LEAD:The No. 6-ranked Valdosta State men's basketball team was pushed Thursday evening by an upset-minded Union University squad, but big shots and a game-high 26 points from senior Beau Justice helped VSU fend off the Bulldogs, 91-80.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Union controlled the early going in the game as VSU played catchup for much of the first 10 minutes of the contest.
- Two free throws by senior Greg Zuppas broke the fifth tie of the half, giving VSU a 24-23 lead with 9:10 left in the half.
- A triple from Payton Stovall, who had team-high 23 points and five triples for the Bulldogs, gave the lead back to Union moments later.
- Following the sixth tie of the half, Union used a 10-4 run capped with two charity tosses from Stovall for a 39-30 lead with 3:43 left in the half.
- VSU had the answer as it used a 10-0 run capped with a triple from senior Winston Morgan and a 40-39 lead with 1:26 remaining.
- The Blazers tied the game, for the seventh time, on a pair of free throws from senior Desmond DeRamus at 42, but a jumper from Samory Gueye with three seconds left gave Union the halftime advantage at 44-42.
- Once again, Union led for much of the first 10 minutes of the second, but a steal from DeRamus and a fastbreak layup from Justice started a string of seven-straight points from Justice for a 61-55 lead with 13:18 left, giving VSU the lead for good.
- Back-to-back triples from junior Darrell Jones and Morgan gave the Blazers a 72-62 lead with 9:29 remaining as the Blazers began to heat up from downtown.
- Four quick points from Union cut the deficit to six at 81-75 with 3:21 remaining, but a layup from Jones and a bucket from DeRamus pushed the lead back to double-digits for a 91-80 win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Justice had 26 points to lead all-scorers on 9 of 18 from the field, while hitting two triples and draining 6 of 8 free throws.
- Jones added 19 points on 7 of 15 from the field with two triples and three free throws, to go along with eight rebounds to lead the team. Junior Clay Guillozet added 17 points on 5 of 10 from the field and 7 of 8 from the line.
- VSU shot an even 50 percent for the game on 30 of 60, while going 7 of 18 from beyond the arc and 24 of 31 from the line.
- Union was led by 23 points from Stovall, while Gueye added 15 points and Terrandus Smith chipped in 12.
- The Bulldogs shot 52.5 percent for the game on 32 of 61, while going 9 of 24 from beyond the arc, but were just 7 of 13 from the line.
- VSU forced 15 miscues by the Bulldogs leading to a 19-7 lead in points off turnovers.
- The game saw seven ties and 12 lead changes.
UP NEXT:
- The Blazers continue at home on Saturday at The Complex versus Christian Brothers at 8 p.m..
- Fans who attend the VSU football game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium will be admitted free to the basketball doubleheader Saturday evening with their football ticket stub.
