HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The No. 14/19 Valdosta State women’s basketball team won 71-44 at Alabama Huntsville Thursday evening for its tenth-straight victory behind three players in double figures and strong second half shooting.
VSU improved to 13-2 overall and 10-1 in Gulf South Conference play, while UAH fell to 6-8 overall and 5-6 in league play. VSU improved to 43-15 all-time against UAH and won its fifth-straight game in the series and 16th of the last 20, while it improved to 18-11 all-time in Huntsville. VSU head coach Deandra Schirmer improved to 97-30 all-time at VSU in her fifth season and 73-19 in GSC play.
The Lady Blazers were led by 13 points from senior Emma Martin on 4 of 4 from the field, 3 of 3 from distance and 2 of 2 from the line, while senior Aleisha Curry added 11 points on 4 of 4 from the field and 3 of 4 at the line off the bench and junior
Victoria Ikenasio chipped in 10 points also off the bench. VSU shot 53.3% for the game on 24 of 45 from the field, while the Lady Blazers were 8 of 15 from distance and 15 of 21 from the line. VSU forced UAH into 28 turnovers and held a 34-11 lead in points off turnovers as VSU committed 16 miscues.
Defensively, VSU held UAH to 42.4% from the field on 14 of 33, while the Chargers were 4 of 14 from distance and 12 of 19 from the line. UAH held a 24-23 edge in rebounding and never led in the contest.
Haley Nichols had a game-high 15 points on 6 of 9 from the field for the Chargers, while she was 1 of 2 from beyond the arc and 2 of 2 from the line. She was the only Charger in double figures.
The Lady Blazers raced out to a 7-0 lead through the first 1:17 of the contest capped with a triple from senior Lili Long with 8:43 left in the opening stanza. Later in the frame, Curry scored her sixth point of the contest for a 13-4 lead with 2:46 to play, but a triple from UAH’s Bellah Machen followed starting a 5-0 run to end the frame.
VSU opened the game 5 of 11 from the field, while UAH was 4 of 11. The Lady Blazers went 1 of 1 from distance and 2 of 2 from the line. One of the themes of the game was turnovers as VSU forced six miscues by the Chargers, leading to a 9-4 lead in points off miscues for the opening quarter.
A jumper by junior Kalifa Ford got the scoring going in the second frame, ending the scoring drought by the Lady Blazers with 9:08 left in the half. Two charity tosses from senior Taylor Searcey stretched the lead to 17-9 and two from Martin pushed the lead to 19-9 with 5:49 to go and a 6-0 start to the quarter.
Machen drained her second triple of the game to get the Chargers on the board in the quarter, but a big trey from senior Tamiya Francis pushed the lead back into double-digits at 22-12 with 4:12 to play.
Francis then connected from downtown, once again, for a 25-14 score just over a minute later and a 25-14 lead. The fourth triple of the half, this one from junior Jacey Justice, pushed the lead to 29-16 with 55 seconds to play in the quarter and a 29-16 advantage.
For the half, the Lady Blazers were 9 of 19 from the field for 47.4 percent, while UAH was 5 of 15 from the field. VSU was 4 of 6 from distance and 7 of 10 from the line. The Chargers were 2 of 6 from beyond the arc and 4 of 6 from the stripe. VSU held a 21-6 lead in points off turnovers forcing 16 miscues from UAH, while committing ten. Francis and Curry each had six points to lead the way for the Lady Blazers, while Machen had six for UAH.
Machen picked up her third foul 1:01 into the second half and VSU capitalized with a bucket from junior Victoria Ikenasio for a 31-16 lead with 8:50 to play in the frame. Following a turnover on the Lady Blazers, Haley Nichols dialed long distance for her seventh point and a 31-19 score. Ikenasio then scored her sixth point of the contest following a miscue by the Chargers for a 33-21 score and 6:44 left in the quarter.
An offensive rebound from Martin and put back pushed the lead back to 12 at 35-23 and five minutes remaining in the third, but UAH hand the answer at the other end with Nichols scoring her sixth point of the second half for a 35-25 score. She also picked up her third foul on the ensuing possession. Out of the media timeout, Curry was true for two and a 37-25 lead.
Francis drained another from distance for a 41-26 lead with 2:39 to play, but Curry picked up her fourth foul of the game with 2:07 left in the quarter. Searcey then scored inside with 93 seconds left in the frame for a 43-27 lead for the largest of the game to that point. Searcey’s fourth steal of the game leading to two free throws for a 45-29 score through three quarters.
VSU opened the second half, 6 of 13 from the field and 1 of 4 from distance while going 3 of 4 from the line. The Lady Blazer “D” held UAH to 4 of 10 from the field, 1 of 4 from range and the Chargers were 4 of 6 from the stripe.
Ford opened the final stanza with a bucket for a 47-29 lead just 15 seconds into the frame. Following two free throws from UAH, Martin drained a big triple off a steal from Long for a 52-31 lead.
A steal by Ford and triple from Martin, her second of the game, pushed the lead to 55-33 with 7:40 to play. Ford’s steal was the 23rd turnover by UAH and Martin’s triple marked the 31st point scored off the miscues by UAH. Martin swelled the lead to 58-35 with another triple and her 13th point of the game and the Lady Blazers drew an offensive foul at the other end.
Long capitalized on three free throws for a 61-37 lead on Machen’s fourth foul of the game with 5:31 to play. Nichols pulled UAH within 21 at 62-41 with a bucket and her 15th point of the game with 4:54 remaining, but VSU forced UAH into its 25th turnover of the game at the other end.
The Lady Blazers ended the game on a 9-3 run to end the game with a 71-44 decision. VSU had its strongest quarter of the game in the fourth to close the victory, going 9 of 13 from the field (69.2%), 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and 5 of 7 from the line, forcing seven turnovers in the quarter and a 9-0 lead in points off turnovers, while not having a turnover of its own.
VSU continues on the road on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at West Alabama and then will return home to host Shorter a week from tonight at 6 p.m., at The Complex and then Lee on Jan. 20 at 2 p.m., for Hall of Fame Weekend.