VALDOSTA, Ga. – The University of West Georgia Men's Basketball team extended their win streak to 10 after a nail biting 76-72 win over the Valdosta State Blazers on Saturday afternoon. 
 
The duo of Zawdie Jackson and Camron Donatlan combined for 44 points, nine assists, and eight steals, leading West Georgia (19-2, 15-2 GSC) to their 15th conference win of the season, making the Wolves the first team in the GSC to clinch a berth in the Gulf South Conference Championship Tournament. 
 
I'm really proud of the guys," said head coach Dave Moore. "We hit some adversity in that second half but we persevered. I thought in the first half we were really good. Once we saw that they were starting their big lineup, we knew that they were going to play their 1-3-1 defense and we prepared for that this week in practice. At halftime, we were feeling good about what was going on but in the second half we didn't make shots or free throws. If we make our foul shots, it's not as tense as it is there at the end."

The game couldn't have started any better for UWG as a pair of free three throws from Amari Davis, a layup from Camron Donatlan, and a three from Cole Fisher got the Wolves out to a 7-0 lead in the blink of an eye. After getting blitzed to begin the game, Valdosta State woke up and went on a 10-2 run to take their first lead of the game. The next seven minutes of play were extremely competitive as the game saw six lead changes and three ties before UWG was able to create some separation from VSU courtesy of a 12-0 run, giving the Wolves their largest lead of the game at 43-29 with 2:15 left in the half. Both teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half as West Georgia took a 12-point lead into the break.

UWG shot 54.8 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from three in the first period while holding VSU to 41.9 percent from the field and 30 percent from three.

Out of the break, West Georgia quickly got their lead up to 15 after another three from Fisher. With the game getting away from Valdosta State (8-13, 5-12 GSC), the Blazers responded and used a 10-2 run to cut UWG's lead down to seven with 13:20 left to play. Marlon Smith gave coach Moore great minutes off the bench in the first half and that continued in the second as a layup from the wing sparked a 12-5 West Georgia run to put the Wolves back up by 14 with 9:42 remaining. After getting their lead up to double-digits once again, UWG just couldn't put away the Blazers as VSU used a huge 10-1 run to cut the Wolves lead to just five with 4:39 left. Valdosta State continued to cut into West Georgia's lead, getting it all the way down to two before Jackson and Donatlan iced the game at the free throw line to clinch a 76-72 win for the Wolves. 
 
Outside of the duo of Jackson and Donatlan, Smith finished with 11 points off the bench.
 
"Clinching a spot in the GSC Tournament is a great first step," coach Moore continued. "We've got seven games left and they're all going to be hard. That's what this league is all about and we have to keep preparing and keep playing hard. If we do that, we have a good enough team to win every game we play."
 
West Georgia will now get a week off before traveling to Montgomery, Alabama for a rematch against the Auburn Montgomery Warhawks.