Box Score VALDOSTA, Ga. – Jaime Smith scored 30 points as he made seven 3-pointers, helping guide the sixth-ranked University of Alabama in Huntsville men's basketball team to a big 87-65 victory at Valdosta State on Thursday night. The win pushes the Chargers to 18-3 (9-1 Gulf South Conference), and the Blazers fall to 9-12 (2-8 GSC).
The win coupled with a Christian Brothers loss at West Alabama put the Blue and White alone on top of the GSC standings with the conference slate hitting the homestretch.
Starting out the contest on fire, the Chargers quickly built a 14-4 lead just over three minutes into the contest as the Chargers hit four straight 3-pointers – including three from Smith. With the team shooting 64 percent from the field – and 9-for-14 from beyond the arc – in the period, UAH established a 48-28 by the halftime break as Smith scored 25 of his game-best 30 points in the period.
The second half was much of the same as the game was never in question with Valdosta unable to pull any closer than 18 in the frame, and the Chargers led by as many as 27 in the rout.
For the contest, the visitors shot just under 60 percent while connecting on 14 3-pointers to match a season-high, and UAH limited the Blazers to hit 43.5 percent of their shots while holding them to make just three of their 13 3-point attempts.
After Smith's 30 – which represented a season-high for a Charger as did his seven made treys –
Srdjan Boskovic added 18 while
Josh Magette chipped in with 10. Six other Chargers scored in the game as all 10 on the UAH roster received significant minutes, something which will be beneficial with the team on the long Valdosta-to-West Florida road trip.
Boskovic was a perfect 4-for-4 from downtown, while Magette dished out nine assists and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.
Will Alston led the Blazers with 15 points and nine rebounds, helping VSU win the rebounding battle by a 33-26 clip.
The Chargers will return to action on Saturday as they head to Pensacola, Fla., to take on West Florida 4 p.m.
