| West Florida (16-10, 11-8) at Valdosta State (20-7, 14-5) |
| Date | Time |
Thursday, Feb. 13 | 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT |
| Location |
Valdosta, Ga. | The Complex |
| Tickets |
Reserved seats for any age: $10
General admission: Adult: $7; Youth/Senior $3 |
| Live Video |
ESPN3/Watch ESPN |
| Live Stats |
Live Stats |
| Series History |
Valdosta State leads 28-20 all-time; UWF has won 8 of the last 10 |
| Social Media |
UWF - Twitter: @GoArgos | IG: @GoArgos | FB: /GoArgos
WBB - Twitter: @WestFloridaWBB | IG: @westfloridawbb | FB: /UWFWBB |
ABOUT UWF
* UWF is 16-10 on the year and closes the regular-season at Valdosta State Thursday night on ESPN3/Watch ESPN.
* UWF is fifth in the GSC in scoring offense at 67.8 ppg and fifth in scoring defense at 62.2 ppg.The Argonauts are shooting 39.3 percent from the floor.
* They rank fourth in the league in 3-point FG pct., making 32.7 pct and are averaging 5.0 3-pointers per game. UWF has made at least five 3-pointers in its last four games - something that hasn't happened all season.
* UWF ranks sixth in the GSC in field goal percentage defense (.367) and ranking fifth in 3-point field goal pct. defense (.283).
* UWF is 12th (out of 13 teams) in FT pct, making just .656 pct of its shots. The Blazers are first in the GSC at .764.
* The Argos lead the league in total rebounds at 44.4 per game (13th in NCAA) and defensive rebounding at 30.9 per game (10th in the NCAA). Opponents have averaged just 9.9 offensive rpg. and just 7.5 rpg over the last four games.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
* UWF is tied for fifth with West Georgia at 11-8 entering the final game of the GSC season Thursday. The Argonauts can finish fifth, sixth or seventh. The easiest scenario is if they win Thursday, the Argonauts will finish fifth and return to Valdosta State on Tuesday for the GSC First Round. If UWF and West Georgia both win, the Argos would still be fifth based on the tiebreaker with the Wolves.
* With a loss, the Argonauts could drop to the sixth or seventh seeds and play either North Alabama or Lee depending on the various tiebreakers.
PROJECTED STARTERS NOTES
* Senior F Chloe Branch is averaging 6.0 points and 4.8 rebounds over 18.2 minutes per game ... The graduate transfer from Kennesaw State has done well recently, posting 8.3 ppg and 4.9 rpg in the last six games, while averaging 22 minutes per outing.
* Senior PG Jade Davis averages 3.2 assists per game to rank ninth in the GSC; she is also second on the team with 1.5 steals per contest ... Her 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio is fourth in the GSC.
* Senior G Shami Goodman has posted 10.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest ... She has 10 games in double figures with three of at least 22, including a career-high 30 in the win over Valdosta State in Dec ... Her 1.8 3-pointers per game are eighth in the league ... Has made at least three 3-pointers in a game nine times and the Argos are 6-3 in those games ... Averaged 19.7 ppg in three games versus the Lady Blazers ... Averaging just 5.2 ppg in the last six contests.
* Senior G Shaniqua Magee averages 6.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, with three starts on the year ... She averages 11.7 minutes per game after playing a career-high 27 on Saturday against Union ... She also scored a career-high 18 on 6-of-17 shooting against the Lady Bulldogs.
* Senior F Courtney Meyer leads the GSC and ranks 10th in the NCAA with 11.2 rpg … Leads the GSC and ranks 22nd in the NCAA with 63 blocks … Has 10 games in double figures and 18 games in double figure rebounds … Third in the GSC with 9 double-doubles … Averaged 8.2 points per game … 244 career blocked shots are third all-time in GSC history and first in UWF history ... She has 808 points, 899 rebounds and a UWF record 242 blocks in 116 career games.
GSC Career Blocks Record:
354-Tracy Sprolden, Valdosta State (107 games), 1997-01
255-Cara Melton, Montevallo (73 games), 1999-2003
242-Courtney Meyer, West Florida (116 games), 2014-pr.
232-Pam Lockett, Delta State (128 games), 1986-90
229-Veronica Walker, Delta State (129 games), 2008-12
206-Leslie McKiernon, Delta State (130 games), 1990-93
GSC Career Blocks Per Game Record:
3.49-Cara Melton, Montevallo (255, 73 games), 1999-2003
3.30-Tracy Sprolden, Valdosta State (354, 107 games), 1997-01
2.37-Melissa Nafzger, West Florida (195, 82 games), 2003-06
2.12-Jasmine Ellis, Christian Brothers (102, 49 games), 2009-12
2.09-Courtney Meyer, West Florida (242, 116 games), 2014-pr.
1.81-Pam Lockett, Delta State (232, 128 games), 1986-90
Current Division II Career Blocks Leaders:
1. Tess Bruffey, Lubbock Christian 350
2. Courtney Meyer, West Florida 242
3. Drew Sannes, MSU Moorhead 206
4. Emily Pitkin, Oakland City 199
5. Caroline Hogue, Harding 194
UWF CAREER REBOUNDS
1. 1005 - Katie Bobos (2013-17)
2. 899 - Courtney Meyer (2014-pr)
3. 867 - Toni Brewer (2014-17)
4. 798 - Melissa Nafzger (2003-06)
5. 685 - Jennifer Bass (1993-97)
* Junior transfer Halee Nieman leads a pair of players who average in double figures. Nieman has posted 13.9 points to rank eighth in the GSC. She leads all players in the GSC in FT made (130 - also #16 in NCAA) and FT attempts (205 - #2 in NCAA). Nieman, who played her first two years at Saginaw Valley State, enters the Valdosta game with 914 career points and 477 rebounds. She scored a career-high and school-record 42 points in the win over Montevallo on Dec. 18, which included 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting after halftime. That scoring total was tied for the most in Division II at the time (now tied for 3rd) and tied for the 13th highest in GSC history. She also had a career-high 20 rebounds against the Falcons, which are the most in the league this year ... She ranks 8th in the GSC in scoring and 9th in rebounding ... One of just 3 players to rank in the top 10 in each category ... 19 doubles figure scoring games and four double-doubles … Had three 20-plus point games.
* Junior Belle Bistrow is tied for third on the team with 8.2 points per contest and is second with 43 3-pointers ... Her 1.6 3FG per game are 11th in the league ... She has made multiple 3-pointers in a game 11 times in 2017-18 with a season and career-high 5 twice.
YELTON REACHES 100 WINS AT UWF
* UWF head coach Stephanie Lawrence Yelton reached a milestone in her UWF coaching career against Delta State last month. The sixth-year coach became the third coach in program history to reach the 100-victory mark, joining Shannan Bergen (183 victories) and Kathy Davis (175).
* She is now 106-66 at UWF and currently has a 163-150 head coaching record.
SCOUTING VALDOSTA STATE
* Valdosta State has won six-consecutive games and nine of their last 10. The Lady Blazers are fourth in the GSC in scoring offense (68.1 ppg) and scoring defense (59.1 ppg).
* The Lady Blazers have secured hosting rights for Tuesday's GSC Tournament First Round game. They can finish third or fourth in the final standings.
* Valdosta State is 13-0 at home this season and has won 19 consecutive, which marks the longest home winning streak in the Gulf South Conference since Arkansas Tech hit 36 straight in 2009-11. UWF's win last January was the last time the Lady Blazers lost at The Complex.
SERIES HISTORY
* Valdosta State leads the all-time series 28-20, but UWF has won eight of the last 10 overall and 2 of the last 3 in Valdosta.