MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery women's basketball team went toe-to-toe with visiting Valdosta State over the opening three quarters on Saturday afternoon, going into the final 10 minutes of play in a one-possession game before a 23-point final frame for the guests propelled them to a 62-50 victory.
 
NOTES
• AUM falls to 8-16 on the season and 4-13 in Gulf South Conference action.
• Valdosta State improves to 18-7, 12-5 in GSC play.
• With the win, Valdosta State clinched a berth in the 2018 Gulf South Conference Tournament
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Senior guard Kyla Rooks paced AUM with a season-high 11 points, shooting 5-8 from the field, with three rebounds and a pair of steals.
• Junior guard/forward Evelina Avleeva tallied eight points with two assists and two steals.
• Sophomore guard Aaliyah Milord pulled down a team-best four rebounds while chipping in eight points.
• For Valdosta State, Madi Mitchell recorded a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• A triple from senior guard Shanna Strain and jumper from Rooks back-to-back to start the contest gave the Warhawks an early 5-0 lead. AUM led by as many as 10 in the opening stanza, using a three-pointer and layup from freshman guard Makaylla Bullard plus a jumper from junior center Makayla Liles in a 7-0 run to hold a 14-4 edge. Valdosta State responded with five-straight points, but back-to-back baskets from Milord recreated an eight-point separation at 18-10. VSU cut into the lead with a basket before the quarter ended, making it 18-12.
• Valdosta State opened up the second quarter with back-to-back baskets, with a jumper from Rooks keeping it a two-possession game at 20-16 VSU took its first lead of the contest late in the stanza, using a 7-2 spurt to hold a 23-22 lead with Strain scoring the Warhwaks' lone basket during the spree. AUM went into the intermission with a 24-23 lead, using a pair of free throws from sophomore forward Regan Croff on AUM's final possession of the half.
• A triple for Valdosta State on the opening possession of the second half gave the visitors the lead, but back-to-back baskets from Avleeva flipped the two-point lead in favor of AUM, 28-26. VSU responded with a 9-0 run to take a 35-28 advantage, but an 8-2 retort by AUM closed the gap to one, 37-36. The visitors ended the frame with the final basket, creating a 39-37 score going into the fourth.
• After a quick exchange of three-point possessions, with AUM's coming off an and-one by Rooks, the Blazers sandwiched a layup from Milord with two three-pointers to hold a 48-41 edge. Valdosta State created a double-digit separation off a 7-3 spree to take a 55-44 lead. AUM fought to keep the gap under 10 with layups from Avleeva and Bullard in response to VSU baskets, but a 5-0 spurt by the visitors gave them a game-high 14-point lead at 62-48. AUM added to more points to their total off a pair of free throws from Avleeva to create the final score.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The Warhawks converted on 21-55 shots, going 2-13 from three-point territory and 6-7 from the free throw line.
• VSU went 24-8 from the field, 9-25 from beyond the arc and 5-5 from the free-throw line.
• The Warhawks dished out nine assists while Valdosta State had 19.
• The Blazers held a 46-22 advantage in rebounds.
• AUM recorded 16 points in the paint, Valdosta State scored 20
• AUM committed 11 turnovers, resulting in 10 VSU points. The Blazers committed 20 turnovers, leading to eight points.
• AUM recorded 11 steals with two block while Valdosta State stole the ball three times with one block.
 
UP NEXT
The women's basketball team hits the road on Wednesday, Feb. 14 to take on North Alabama at 6 p.m.
 
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