VALDOSTA,Ga. –  Free throws proved to be the difference in the contest Thursday evening as the homestanding Valdosta State University Blazers beat Lee University 79-73. VSU went to the free throw line 29 times and made 24 of the shots. Meanwhile, Lee only made six trips to the charity stripe and made two of them.
 
 The Flames made five more shots than the Blazers and six more three-point shots, but it wasn't enough as VSU scored three more points in each half for the win.
 
Lee started the first half strong with Willie Walton leading the way. He had 11 points and three buckets from long range. Ben Ritger added two shots from the three-point arc and Lee had a 33-20 lead.
 
However, the Flames ended the first half on a drought and allowed VSU to climb back in it and take the lead. Lee did not score the final 4:09 of the first period and VSU went on a 11-0 run to take the 39-36 lead at the half time break.
 
The Blazers attack the rim in the first half and got to the free throw line as a result. Valdosta was 10-for-11 from the free throw line in the first half while Lee was only 1-of-2. VSU also had 12 offensive rebounds in the first half and had ten second chance points. 
 
The second half had VSU continue to score. They stretched out the lead to 50-40 before the Flames began to cut into the deficit. Behind Zach Gray, Lee rallied and had the lead in the second half 69-68 with 2:04 left on the clock. However, VSU managed to hit a three to retake the lead and then made their free throws for the final six-point margin.
 
Three Flames were in double figures. Ritger had 18 points while Walton had 17. Walton had a double-double with a career high 14 boards. Gray finished the night with 15. VSU had two guys score 17 points apiece with Drew Mills and Blaise Wallace scoring that total. Wallace had a double-double with ten rebounds as well. 
 
The Flames will head west on I-10 to take on the University of West Florida on Saturday, February 7 at 5 PM in Pensacola, Fla.