VALDOSTA, Ga. - It was a strong defensive performance and clutch shots down the stretch that propelled the University of West Georgia men's basketball team to their best start since 2014, defeating the Valdosta State Blazers by a score of 88-76 on Thursday night inside the Complex. 
 
"It's a great team win," said head coach Dave Moore. "I think we were able to control the tempo at the end of the game, getting some stops, and dictating the pace, and that's been the formula for us all season long. It was a dogfight, and we knew it would be coming in, but we battled, and that's what we've been doing and that's what we've got to keep doing," said Moore.  
 
The Wolves (4-1, 4-0 GSC) shot the ball at a 46% clip for the first half, including 6-13 from the three point line. 
 
West Georgia got off to a hot start, using back-to-back three pointers from Cole Fisher and Michael Zabetakis to take an early 6-2 lead. It was a short-lived lead as the Blazers (6-4, 3-2 GSC) tied it up quickly with a three from Caden Boser and a free throw from Jay Rucker. 
 
The Wolves then went on a 25-12 run during the next nine minutes of game time, starting with an and one from Zabetakis. 12 of the 25 points came from players off the bench, including seven from Camron Donatlan. 
 
After Kolten Griffin hit a driving layup with five minutes remaining in the half to put the Wolves up 36-22, the Wolves let up an 11-5 run to the Blazers, putting them right back into the ballgame. 
 
Despite leading by as much as 14 points at one point in the half, the Wolves went into the locker room leading by six points, by a score of 47-41.
 
Fisher led the Wolves in scoring with 11 for the half on 4-7 shooting and 3-6 from three. Zabetakis and J.J. Barnes both finished with eight, and Camron Donatlan finished the half with seven points off the bench. 
 
"As Cam continues to grow and understand what we want to do, he will be such a versatile piece. He can guard 1-5 with his strength, and he's efficient with the basketball on offense," said Dave Moore of the junior guard from Aurorah, IL. 
 
Barnes and Jalen Sasser led the way on the glass with five board a piece, with Kolten Griffin right behind with four.  
 
Caden Boser led the Blazers with 16 points going 5-8 from the field and 3-4 from three, with Jay Rucker leading the way on the boards with eight. 
 
Both sides finished with 21 team rebounds with the Wolves having a slight advantage in FG%.
 
The Blazers got off to a roaring start in the second half, using 16 straight points by Mohammed Fofana to tie the ballgame 61-61 with just under 12 minutes remaining in the contest. 
 
The Wolves proceeded to go on a 12-2 run at that point fueled by Zabetakis and Donatlan, making the score 73-63. From that point, the lead never got closer than six, and the Wolves finished on an 11-8 run to end the game, securing the 88-76 victory. 
 
Zabetakis led the way with 21 points, his third game with 20+ points this season. Sasser finished with 16 points, Donatlan scored a career high 16 off the bench, and Barnes added 10 points of his own. 
 
"We're fighting one at a time, it's cliche, but that's how it is," said Moore. "You have to be humble enough to know that it's hard to win in this league and you have to show up every night, and if you don't, you will get beat. These guys are really buying into that and chopping wood at practice," said Moore.  
 
West Georgia shot an even 50% from the field, while holding the high powered Blazers offense to just 43% shooting, and holding them to their second lowest point total of the season.
 
The Wolves will now turn their focus to West Florida, as they welcome in the Argos on Sunday afternoon. 
 
"West Florida is really well coached and it'll be a different kind of game with the zone they run, so we'll have to make some shots over the top. Hopefully we can keep it going at home," finished Moore. 
 
Tip off is set for 4:00 p.m. from the Coliseum in Carrollton, Ga.