By Dionte Daniel, staff writer 

 On Saturday afternoon, the VSU men’s basketball team will return home in hopes of picking up a win against West Florida in conference play. 

 VSU currently stands at 11–8 overall and 6–7 in conference play, right in the middle of Gulf South Conference (GSC) play. The Blazers have lost their last two games, but their home court record is nearly impeccable at 8–2. The teams will square off at 4 p.m. in The Complex. 

 VSU lost against the Argonauts, 107–104, on Dec. 13 in what was a statistical mirror match between the two teams. West Florida finished with 34 made shots and 20 assists, while VSU finished with 39 and 15, respectively. The Blazers will look to redeem themselves Saturday after the loss halted what had been the team’s best stretch of the season thus far. 

 Led by Drew Mills, the Blazers’ offense has thrived on teamwork. VSU leads the Gulf South Conference with assists per game 16.3 and steals per game 10.2 . The Blazers thrive on making defenses pay for deflections by scoring in transition. Couple that with excellent shooting by Devon Rainey and the outside shooting of Mills and Peter McKey and the Blazers have one of the more potent offenses in the GSC. 

 Senior guard Drew Mills averages 17 points per game while ranking fifth in the GSC in scoring. Mills is complemented by Devon Rainey and senior forward Blaise Wallace, who provide offense from the guard and forward positions, respectively. 

 The Argonauts also boast one of the GSC’s most efficient offenses. West Florida averages over 14 assists per game while spreading the scoring punch around. Wings Anthony Igiede and Elijah Wyche both average over twelve points per game, and West Florida has four players averaging double figures. 

 On offense for the Blazers, ball security will be vital. Limiting turnovers and capitalizing on Argonaut miscues will be critical in this matchup. In VSU’s last matchup with West Florida, both teams shot over 50% from the field. Looking at making amends for December’s defeat will motivate the Blazers. 

 With conference seeding on the line and the GSC Tournament right around the corner, the Blazers will look to pick up a big win Saturday against West Florida. 

 Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.