FLORENCE – Tyrone Curnell scored 23 of his game-high 36 points in the first half to lead No. 12 Valdosta State to an 86-73 Gulf South Conference victory over North Alabama Sunday afternoon at Flowers Hall. The 6-7 senior from Ocoee, Fla., hit his first five shots from three-point range in the first eight minutes of play. He finished the game 13-of-23 from the floor with six three-pointers and added 14 rebounds on the day.

With the loss, UNA falls to 8-7 on the season with a 1-1 mark in GSC play. The Blazers improve to 14-2 on the year with a 1-0 league showing.

On Sunday, the Lions had no answer for Curnell, who had a career-high in points and season-best in rebounds. A three-pointer at the 13:43 mark gave Valdosta State a 20-17 lead and the Blazers never trailed again. The victory marked the first time the VSU men won at Flowers Hall since the 2006 season.

VSU led 40-32 at the break and led by as many as 20 in the second half. The Lions were able to cut the deficit to 75-69 with 2:58 remaining before the Blazers closed the game on an 11-4 run.

Jacobe Shannon led North Alabama with 23 points while Daviel Clements and Jared Strode added 13 points each.

The Lions will hit the road for its next GSC contest. UNA will take on West Alabama on Jan. 14, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. at Pruitt Hall on the UWA campus.