HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville women's basketball team dropped a conference contest to No. 22 Valdosta State at Kelly Court at Spragins Hall 82-61 on Friday afternoon to end the 2021 calendar year. The Chargers fall to 1-9 while VSU improves to 10-2.

Sloan Mann turned in a good performance for the Chargers putting up 17 points while going 6-for-10 from the field to go along with a pair of three-pointers. Delaware State transfer Miajah Bullock was right there with Mann with 16 points of her own after posting an efficient 5-for-6 shooting effort on her three trips to the free-throw line. Selena Pruitt set the pace on the glass for UAH with six boards on the afternoon.

A very even contest developed in the first two frames with both teams shooting at a 41.2 percent clip from the field in the first quarter. Valdosta State would hold an 18-16 advantage after the opening quarter with two free-throws making the difference after both sides went 7-for-17 shooting from the field. The second quarter showed much of the same back-and-forth battle and the Blazers would again still only hold a two-point lead at 35-33 after UAH connected on a pair of threes from Pruitt and Mann just before the halftime whistle.

VSU would put together an 18-0 run in the first half of the third quarter, and would shoot 83.3 percent from beyond the arc throughout the third which would prove to be the key turning point in the game as they would go on to secure an 82-61 road victory. 

For the game, UAH connected on 40.0 percent of its attempts from the floor including a strong 58.3 percent shooting performance in the fourth quarter. Valdosta State outrebounded the Chargers 40-28 in the contest and shot 44.0 percent from three-point territory going 11-for-25 which would prove to be a key difference in the game. 

Tamiya Francis led the way for Valdosta State putting up 15 points while Delaney Bernard, Nicole Heyn, and Kwajelin Farrar rounded out the double digit scorers for the visitors. Heyn's eight rebounds were tops for the Blazers.

UAH will keep the weekend rolling as they square up for another conference matchup, taking on West Florida on Sunday afternoon.

Tip-off at Kelly Court at Spragins Hall is slated for 2:00 p.m.