June 3, 2008

LADY STATESMEN WELCOME SHAMEKA RUSSELL TO WOMEN’S HOOPS FOLD

CLEVELAND – Coach Sandra Rushing and the Delta State University Women’s Basketball program have enjoyed a successful spring recruiting season and on Sunday the news got even better as Shameka Russell, a 6-foot-1 forward from Southeastern Louisiana University announced she had signed with the Lady Statesmen. Russell’s signing marks the fifth player to sign on the dotted line with the three-time defending Gulf South Conference champions.

“Shameka is an exceptional player with tremendous skills. She played for coach Gina Skelton at Wayne County before going to school at Southeastern. Shameka can score from anywhere on the floor and has the tenacity we need in the paint,” added Rushing. “She is familiar already with our program and I believe she will be a great fit for us over the next three years.”

Russell played last season at Southeastern Louisiana for coach Lori Davis Jones. In 28 games, Russell averaged 7.4 minutes as a freshman with limited opportunities on a roster heavy with upperclassmen.

Prior to coming to SELU, Russell compiled a storybook career at Wayne County High School for coach Gina Skelton. In her four seasons, WCHS compiled a 110-12 record and claimed the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s Class 4A title. She was a two-time All-State selection, and she was named District MVP after averaging 18 points and 10 boards a game her senior season. Russell was also honored by her selection to play in the Mississippi North-South All-Star Game and Alabama-Mississippi High School All-Star Clash.

May 28, 2008

DELTA STATE INKS TOWNSEND

CLEVELAND - Delta State University head women’s basketball coach Sandra Rushing announced the signing of LaShundreya Townsend Wednesday.

Townsend, a 5-foot-6 guard, averaged 8.6 points per game as a junior at Alabama State University last season. She also grabbed three rebounds and dished out two assists per game.

A Delta native, the 2005 graduate racked up the honors at Shelby Broadstreet High School. She was named Freshman of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, was a two-time Most Valuable Player, and was named class 2A State Player of the Year.

Townsend spent the first two years of her collegiate career at Mississippi Delta Community College, where she was named to the MACJS North All-Star Team, and the NJCAA Region XXIII All-Region Team. As a sophomore, she averaged 16 points and four rebounds per game.

April 25, 2008

LADY STATESMEN ADD HENDERSON TO 2008 SIGNING CLASS
By Daniel Hawthorne, Media Relations

CLEVELAND - Delta State University women’s basketball head coach Sandra Rushing announced the signing of Denesha Henderson, an All-State selection at guard from Guy Perkins High School. She is the third player to ink with the Lady Statesmen this season.

“I’m excited to have a player with her athletic ability coming to play for us next season,” Rushing stated. “She has great speed and agility and clearly has the ability to play at either guard spots. I’m looking forward to some great things from her.”

Henderson helped lead the Lady Thunderbirds of Guy-Perkins High School to a runner-up finish in the Arkansas High School Athletic Association state championships her senior season. The 5-foot-7 guard averaged 17 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while earning AHSAA All-State Tournament team honors. Under head coach John Hutchcraft’s guidance, Henderson was named All-State, All-Area and All-District squads.

Henderson began her career at Boyd High School in Boyd, Texas for head coach Arnold Parker. She played three seasons at BHS before transferring to Guy-Perkins.

A two sport athlete in Guy, Ark., Henderson holds the school and Arkansas state record for 100 meter hurdles and triple-jump.

She is the third Lady Thunderbird to sign with a college thus far.

April 24, 2008

DELTA STATE INKS GENTRY’S VERONICA WALKER

CLEVELAND – For a second consecutive year, Delta State University Women’s Basketball and head coach Sandra Rushing has signed a member of The Clarion-Ledger’s “Dandy Dozen,” as Gentry forward Veronica Walker signed on the dotted line Thursday. The 6-foot forward is the second player to ink with Rushing this spring.

“Veronica is a force anywhere on the court. She is dominant inside, but she is also quick enough to step out and drive past a defender. She has the ability to be an impact player for us immediately and I believe she will be up for the challenge. Bug (Cooper) is excited about having her on the team and I believe she will be a perfect fit,” stated Rushing.

Walker, a 6-foot forward from Indianola, has helped lead Gentry High School to back-to-back Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A championships and Grand Slam Overall State championships. During that span, the two-time All-State selection by The Clarion-Ledger has led the Lady Rams to an 82-0 record and No. 7 national ranking by ESPN. Over the course of her senior year, Walker averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game.

Walker will reunite this fall with former high school teammate Sarita “Bug” Cooper. Cooper was named “Miss Basketball” in 2007 and the Class 4A Player of the Year. She started at point guard for the Lady Statesmen this season after signing last April.

- Photo courtesy The Clarion-Ledger

April 21, 2008

LADY STATESMEN BASKETBALL SIGNS DOMINIQUE SUTTON

CLEVELAND –Coach Sandra Rushing and the Delta State University Women’s Basketball team began the process of reloading on Monday with the signing of junior college transfer Dominique Sutton of Pensacola Junior College. Sutton is the first spring signee for Rushing and the Lady Statesmen this spring.

“Dominique is a tremendously talented athlete. She can shoot the ball in traffic or dribble-drive past a defender for a lay up. I believe she will be an excellent addition to our program next season,” Rushing stated.

Sutton, a 6-foot-1 guard/forward, attended Wingfield High School in Jackson before playing the last two seasons for coach Chanda Rigby at Pensacola Junior College in Pensacola, Fla. The athletic left-hander averaged 8.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Lady Pirates last season. She scored a career high 21 points and grabbed 18 rebounds against Northwest Mississippi Community College earlier this year.

Photo courtesy Pensacola Junior College

March 31, 2008

DSU’S JENNIFER RUSHING CLAIMS FIRST EVER CELLULAR SOUTH GILLOM TROPHY

TUPELO – Delta State University senior guard Jennifer Rushing made history Monday night, as the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame presented the Hollandale native with the first-ever Cellular South Gillom Trophy at the BancorpSouth Center. The Gillom Trophy, named after former Ole Miss great Peggie Gillom, is presented annually to Mississippi’s top collegiate women’s basketball player.

“Jennifer’s name will forever be associated with the best in women’s collegiate basketball in Mississippi,” said DSU head coach Sandra Rushing. “Over the past four years, Jennifer has been consistently one of the finest players in this state and she is most deserving of this honor. Her dedication, desire and drive to succeed have helped her get to where she is today.”

The Hollandale native guided the Lady Statesmen to a 33-1 record and a trip to NCAA Final Four. Rushing has reaped the rewards this postseason, as the guard has been named an All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and Daktronics, Gulf South Conference West Player of the Year, first team All-GSC, Daktronics first team All-South Region, and MVP of the NCAA South Region Tournament.

“I am so honored to receive this award. To be considered the top collegiate player in Mississippi is overwhelming. I want to thank God for giving me the ability to play basketball and my family for always being there for me. I would also like to thank coach (Sandra) Rushing, coach (Mechan) Vanderpool, and my teammates for making this possible. Without their help, none of this would have been possible,” said an emotional Jennifer Rushing. ‘I would also like to thank the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Cellular South for such a wonderful evening.”

In 34 games, the lighting-quick point guard averaging 10.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. Over the course of her career, Rushing became just the second player in Delta State women’s basketball to eclipse 1,000 points, 400 assists and 300 steals. She currently ranks 18th in scoring (1,331), fourth in assists (491) and second in steals (344). She concluded her career tenth all-time in GSC history in assists and third in steals.

The other finalists for the Gillom Trophy included Mississippi’s Shawn Goff, a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection, and Southern Mississippi’s Pauline Love, an All-Conference USA pick.

Rushing also claimed the Cellular South/Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Fans’ Choice Award. The Fans’ Choice Award was voted on by the fans through text messaging and internet votes on the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame website.

March 31, 2008

SANDRA RUSHING NAMED DII BULLETIN NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Delta State head coach Sandra Rushing has been named the 2008 Molten/Women’s Division II Bulletin Coach of the Year, the publication announced today in its April issue.

Rushing led her Lady Statesman to a 33-1 record and an appearance in the national semifinals, where they fell to South Dakota. Delta State finished the regular season in the No. 1 ranked position in Division II.

“Sandra had her team firing on all cylinders and she did a great job in leading her squad to the Final Four,” said WDIIB Editor Gary Rubin. “We congratulate her on an outstanding season.”

Rushing, the Gulf South Conference West Coach of the Year, will receive the coveted Molten Gold Trophy Ball to recognize her achievement.

Women's Division II Bulletin, published since 1993, is the leading publication covering Division II women's basketball. More information can be found at www.smallcollegehoops.com

 

 

March 28, 2008

SOUTH DAKOTA ENDS STORYBOOK SEASON FOR DELTA STATE 68-58
By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score

KEARNEY, NEB.- The University of South Dakota Coyotes ended Delta State’s storybook season Thursday night with a 68-58 victory in the NCAA Final Four of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The loss snapped the Lady Statesmen’s 33-game winning streak, dropping the Lady Statesmen to 33-1 on a record-breaking season, while the Coyotes improved to 33-1 and advanced to the National Championship where they will face Northern Kentucky University on Saturday.

“We played a well coached and talented team tonight,” stated head coach Sandra Rushing. “I am proud of my ladies for their many accomplishments this season. It is a huge success to make it to the Final Four. I have a great group of young ladies and am extremely proud of them,” concluded Rushing.

The Lady Statesmen jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with two power moves from Lakira Boyd while connecting on a pair of shots from the charity stripe. However, the momentum would change around the 14 minute mark as the Coyotes pushed themselves within one, 11-10, forcing a Delta State timeout with 14.25 remaining. South Dakota wouldn’t go away as they scored four straight points to earn their first lead of the night on a three by Maggie Youngberg, 13-16.

Two of the top teams in NCAA Division II battled back-and-fourth for the remainder of the half as the lead would change 11 times and tie seven. Jessica Boyd knocked down three key three-pointers while Bug Cooper battled on the defensive end. However, USD’s Jeana Hoffman hit a long ball as the buzzer sounded; ending the half to give them the 38-39 lead. The one point deficit is the first time this season that the Lady Statesmen trailed at the half.

The Lady Statesmen were guided by Jessica Boyd with nine first half points on 3-of-3 shooting from behind the arch. Lamaesha McAdory and Jennifer Rushing added seven and six points each. Jeana Hoffman led South Dakota with eight points and three rebounds.

The second half continued as if there wasn’t a 15 minute intermission; a war between two of the country’s top programs. Jennifer Rushing quickly claimed the Delta State lead out of the half making the score 40-39, but both teams struggled over the next four minutes before South Dakota went on an 8-2 run pushing their lead to seven, 47-40.

There would be a three minute dry spell holding the game at 47-40 Coyotes.

Jessica Boyd hit a key three at the 12:50 mark proving that the Lady Statesmen weren’t backing down. The Lady Statesmen would come within one point twice before taking their first lead since early in the half on two straight buckets by Brittani Calhoun. The score stood 56-55 with 3:43 remaining in the game.

Delta State and South Dakota battled for the remainder of the game but the Coyotes came up with an answer for every play the Lady Statesmen threw at them. USD salted away the final two minutes for the 58-68.

The Lady Statesmen were guided by senior Jessica Boyd with 12 points and four rebounds. Brittani Calhoun contributed 10 points and six rebounds, while Lamaesha McAdory added nine points for the Lady Statesmen.

The Lady Statesmen finish the season with an outstanding 33-1 record which ties the all-time school record of wins in a season.

 

March 26, 2008

LADY STATESMEN SURVIVE AND ADVANCE 75-64 OVER VULCANS; FIRST FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE SINCE 1996

By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score

KEARNEY, NEB. - The top ranked and undefeated Delta State University women’s basketball team (33-0) survived and advanced to Thursday’s Final Four with a 75-64 win over No. 23 California University of Pennsylvania (27-7) Wednesday at the Health and Sports Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Kearney. It’s the first appearance for the Lady Statesmen in the NCAA Division II Final Four since the 1995-1996 season.

The game played out as advertised, as both squads struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half of play. The Lady Statesmen earned the first possession of the game, but failed to covert on a driving lay-up by Bug Cooper. CUP cleared the rebound and drove 94-feet for an open lay-up by Kayla Smith that gave the Vulcans their first and only lead of the night 2-0.

Jessica Boyd quickly answered from three-point range to give DSU the lead at 3-2 and the Lady Statesmen never trailed again.

Leading 15-8 with 13:01 remaining, the Vulcans outscored DSU 20-16 over the final 13 minutes to make the score at the break a narrow 32-28 for the Lady Statesmen.

The Lady Statesmen connected on 12-of-28 shots from the field for 42.9 percent, while holding the Vulcans to 36.4 percent on 12-of-33 attempts. CUP out-rebounded DSU 21-19 in the first frame and outscored the Lady Statesmen 10-4 on points off turnovers.

The Lady Statesmen were led in scoring by Jessica Boyd with nine points in the first half. Lamaesha McAdory and Lakira Boyd contributed six points each. Crystal Andrews guided California ( Pa.) with 11 points and three rebounds.

The second half began like the first half ended with the Vulcans controlling momentum. By the 14:02 mark of the half CUP had cut the DSU lead to 45-44.

The Lady Statesmen would answer with an 11-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 56-44 lead with 10:03 to go.

CUP would close the margin again thanks to the play of Brooque Williams and Shaquetta Mance. The duo kept it within single digits for most of the final 10 minutes.

Leading 67-59 with 1:55 remaining, the Lady Statesmen salted away the final minutes with free throws and a breakaway lay-up by Lamaesha McAdory for a 75-64 win.

Delta State finished the game 26-of-51 from 51 percent, while California ( Pa.) hit on 26-of-64 attempts for 40.6 percent. The Lady Statesmen nailed 6-of-13 three point attempts, but struggled at the charity stripe making 17-of-29 for 58.6 percent. The Vulcans finished 2-of-14 from three and 10-of-12 from the free throw line.

For the first time since Feb. 28 at Arkansas Tech, the Lady Statesmen were out-rebounded 39-35. DSU outscored CUP 38-26 in the paint and 26-8 off the bench.

Jessica Boyd guided the Lady Statesmen with 16 points connecting on 4-of-8 from three point range. The senior from Gunnison shot an outstanding 6 -of-10 from the floor. Lakira Boyd and Brittani Calhoun added 12 and 11 points respectively. Freshman Tamara Reed, who connected on two big three pointers in the second half, finished with a career-high eight points. Bug Cooper finished with six points and six assists, while Lamaesha McAdory added nine points and five boards.

The Vulcans were led by Brooque Williams with 23 points and seven rebounds.

Delta State will return to action Thursday, March 27 in the NCAA Division II Final Four versus the winner of the South Dakota/Washburn winner. Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. at the Health and Sports Center in Kearney, Neb., and the game will be televised by ESPN-U. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will broadcast the game on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network starting at 9 p.m.

March 26, 2008

DAKTRONICS NAMES DELTA STATE ’S JENNIFER RUSHING ALL-AMERICAN

KEARNEY , NEB. – Jennifer Rushing, a standout point guard for the Lady Statesmen (32-0) of Delta State University, has been named to the Daktronics second team All-American squad, as released by Daktonics on Wednesday.

The Hollandale native has pushed the Lady Statesmen to a 32-0 record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking this year. Rushing has reaped the rewards this postseason, as the speedy guard has been named Gulf South Conference West Player of the Year, first team All-GSC, Daktronics first team All-South Region, and MVP of the NCAA South Region Tournament. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Cellular South also named Rushing a finalist for the Gillom Trophy, presented annually to Mississippi’s top collegiate women’s basketball player.

In 32 games, the lighting-quick point guard is averaging 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Over the course of her career, Rushing became just the second player in Delta State women’s basketball to eclipse 1,000 points, 400 assists and 300 steals. She currently ranks 18 th in scoring (1,317), fourth in assists (483) and second in steals (340). Her 483 assists are also good for 10 th all-time in GSC history.

Daktronics is a world leader in programmable electronic signs, electronic and digital displays and scoreboards. The team is voted on by the Division members of College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

2008 DAKTRONICS NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS

First Team

Lauren Beckley, Shippensburg

Emily Brister, West Texas A&M

Katie Cezat, Hillsdale

Ashley Langen, North Dakota

#Celeste Trahan, Elizabeth City State - Player of the Year

 

Second Team

Kate Lynch, Southern Connecticut

Jennifer Rushing, Delta State

Michelle Stueve, Emporia State

Sheena Walton, Tampa

Vanessa Wilt, Cal State-San Bernardino

 

Third Team

Anna Atkinson, Wingate

Jeana Hoffman , South Dakota

Johannah Leedham, Franklin-Pierce

Syretha Marble , N. Georgia College and State

Sarah Van Horn, West Virginia Wesleyan

March 26, 2008

DELTA STATE’S JENNIFER RUSHING TABBED WBCA ALL-AMERICAN FOR SECOND-STRAIGHT YEAR

• WBCA Division II All-American Team 

ATLANTA - The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and State Farm announced Wednesday the 2008 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II State Farm Coaches’ All-America Basketball Team, and for a second-straight year Delta State senior guard Jennifer Rushing was named to the team. This year’s team marks the first State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team, as Eastman Kodak held the previous sponsorship for 25 years. Selection committees in each of the eight WBCA geographical regions select 10 of the top women’s basketball players in the nation to be honored.

The Hollandale native has pushed the Lady Statesmen to a 32-0 record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking this year. Rushing has reaped the rewards this postseason, as the speedy guard has been named Gulf South Conference West Player of the Year, first team All-GSC, Daktronics first team All-South Region, and MVP of the NCAA South Region Tournament. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Cellular South also named Rushing a finalist for the Gillom Trophy, presented annually to Mississippi’s top collegiate women’s basketball player.

In 32 games, the lighting-quick point guard is averaging 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Over the course of her career, Rushing became just the second player in Delta State women’s basketball to eclipse 1,000 points, 400 assists and 300 steals. She currently ranks 18 th in scoring (1,317), fourth in assists (483) and second in steals (340). Her 483 assists are also good for 10 th all-time in GSC history.

Wednesday’s announcement also places Rushing in some elite company in Lady Statesmen history. Lusia Harris (1975-1976-1977), LaTanya Patty (1992-1993), and Stacy Johnson (1996-1997) were the only players to previously receive All-American accolades two years in a row.

A four-year letter-winner for coach Sandra Rushing, the two-time GSC Player of the Year was named to the WBCA All-American team last year after guiding the Lady Statesmen to the NCAA South Region final. This year, Rushing has turned it up a notch and delivered Delta State to the NCAA Elite Eight, where the Lady Statesmen will begin their quest for a seventh national championship against California (Pa.) on Wednesday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m.

March 25, 2008

DELTA STATE’S JENNIFER RUSHING NAMED FINALIST FOR CELLULAR SOUTH GILLOM TROPHY; AWARD PRESENTATION MONDAY, MARCH 31

• Cellular South/MS Sports Hall of Fame

KEARNEY , NEB. – Delta State University All-American and senior guard Jennifer Rushing has been named a finalist for the first annual Cellular South Gillom Trophy, presented annually to the state’s top collegiate women’s basketball player. The finalists were announced Monday by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

“Jennifer is such a special player and she is most deserving of the recognitions that have come her way this season. Being considered one of your state’s top players is such an honor and we’re so proud of her,” said Sandra Rushing, Lady Statesmen head coach.

Joining Rushing as finalists are All-Conference USA performer Pauline Love from Southern Mississippi and Ole Miss’ Shawn Goff, a second team All-SEC selection.

Rushing, a 5-foot-8 Hollandale native, has guided the Lady Statesmen to a perfect 32-0 record and the NCAA Elite Eight, where top-ranked Delta State will face California ( Pa.) in their opening game on Wednesday, March 26.

The lightning quick guard is averaging 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists for the nation’s only unbeaten squad. The two-time Gulf South Conference Player of the Year is also a finalist for Women’s Basketball Coaches Association/State Farm All-American and a top candidate for WBCA/State Farm Player of the Year. Rushing earned All-American honors in 2007 after guiding DSU to the NCAA “Sweet 16.”

Rushing has hauled in several accolades this season including GSC Player of the Year, first team All-GSC, first team Daktonics All-South Region, and last week she was named the MVP of the NCAA South Region Tournament.

A four-year starter for Delta State, Rushing became just the second player in the storied history of Lady Statesmen basketball to eclipse 1,000 career points, 400 career assists and 300 steals. She currently ranks eighteenth all-time in school history in scoring with 1,317 points, fourth in career assists with 483, and second in steals with 340. Rushing also cracked the GSC’s career assists top 10 list last week in the NCAA South Region Tournament.

The three finalists and their coaches are expected to be in attendance Monday, March 31 when the 2008 trophy recipients are announced at the BancorpSouth Conference Center in Tupelo. The reception starts at 5:30 p.m. with the program at 7 p.m. For ticket information, contact the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum at 1-800-280-FAME (3263).

March 20, 2008

LADY STATESMEN READY TO FACE BIGGEST TEST TO DATE AT NCAA ELITE EIGHT

• NCAA Elite Eight Tournament Notes
• Updated NCAA DII Bracket
• NCAA Elite Eight Home Page

CLEVELAND –With a 62-44 victory over the 17 th ranked Valdosta State Lady Blazers, the top-ranked Lady Statesmen overcame the obstacle that had for so long stood in their way, the South Region Championship game.

For the past two seasons, the Lady Statesmen were just one game away from advancing to the Elite Eight only to fall short.

Not this season. For the first time since the 2001 season, the Lady Statesmen have the opportunity to play on Division II women’s basketball’s grandest stage, a stage that has hosted some the most memorable teams and games in all of college basketball.

Throughout the program’s history, the Lady Statesmen have advanced to the Elite Eight 12 times, bringing home three NCAA Championships. Prior to the formation of the NCAA, Delta State became the first school to claim three-straight National Championships

Head coach Sandra Rushing has led her team to the doorstep of opportunity, the opportunity that has long eluded her Lady Statesmen basketball teams. Following in the footsteps of the great Lloyd Clark, Rushing has returned the legendary program to the greatness it once knew, but the journey is not over. There is still one final voyage, one last task left to complete.

“We know what it takes to win and we believe that we’re ready to face the task at hand,” said Rushing. “Some people only dream about opportunities such as this, but we’re about to live it.”

The Lady Statesmen (32-0) are the last unbeaten team in the land and are three wins away from a National Championship, and the journey towards the first Lady Statesmen title since 1992 will begin Wednesday, March 26, in Kearney, Neb., against California University of Pennsylvania (27-6), who advanced to the Elite Eight with an 86-71 victory over Shepard University to claim the East Region Championship.

“ California ( Pa.) is an excellent basketball team with great coaching,” Rushing stated. “They look very tough on tape and I believe they will be a tremendous challenge for our program.”

The game will be a contrast in styles between the high-octane offense of the Vulcans and the tenacious defense of the Lady Statesmen. DSU ranks second in the nation in points allowed per game at 50.8, while the Vulcans average 77.8 points per contest.

Brooque Williams leads the Vulcans high-powered offense with 17.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. California ( Pa.) has five players who average double-digits in points and two others who chip in at least eight per game. As a team, the Vulcans put down 77.8 per game, shooting 45.6 percent from the field. Opponents are averaging 60.4 points per game, and are getting out-rebounded by nearly nine per contest.

The Lady Statesmen enter the match-up averaging 71.1 points per game on the backs of senior guard Jennifer Rushing and senior forward Lakira Boyd, the only two players averaging double-digits. Rushing drops 10.4 per game and Boyd leads the team with 11.3.

Jessica Boyd and Moe Bell also give the Lady Statesmen a serious threat from outside. The sharp-shooting duo adds nearly 13 points per game, shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range.

Brittani Calhoun and Lamaesha McAdory join Lakira Boyd to give the Lady Statesmen one of the toughest inside games, as the duo adds over 15 points per game, 11 rebounds, and Calhoun leads the team with 18 blocked shots.

The winner of the DSU-Cal ( Pa.) game will play the winner of South Dakota, 31-1 and North Central Region Champion, and Washburn, 26-6 and South Central Region Champion, in the semifinals on Thursday, March 27 at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN-U, with the championship game to tip-off on Saturday, March 29 at 5:00 p.m. on ESPN2.

The other side of the eight-team bracket features West Region Champion Alaska Anchorage (29-4) versus Northeast Region Champion Franklin Pierce (27-5). The winner of that game will play the winner of South Atlantic Region Champion Wingate (26-7) versus Great Lakes Region Champion Northern Kentucky (25-8).

Northern Kentucky is the only team in the field that the Lady Statesmen have previously faced, playing in the Northern Kentucky Invitational three times, beating the host school twice, a 78-74 overtime win in 1991 and a 64-51 victory in 2001. Northern Kentucky beat the Lady Statesmen 67-55 in 1998.

Each of the Lady Statesmen’s games will be webcast at www.gostatesmen.com, and Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will broadcast the games on the Lady Statesmen Sports Radio Network starting 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

March 18, 2008

LADY STATESMEN TO FACE CALIFORNIA (PA.) IN OPENING GAME AT NCAA ELITE EIGHT; GAME TIME SET FOR 6:00 P.M. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

CLEVELAND – The top-ranked and undefeated Lady Statesmen (32-0) of Delta State University are set to make their twelfth appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight after claiming the South Region Championship in thrilling fashion, 62-44, over Valdosta State on Monday at Walter Sillers Coliseum. It’s Delta State’s first trip to the women’s basketball Elite Eight since the 2000.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to play in the NCAA Elite Eight,” said Sandra Rushing, Lady Statesmen head coach. “Our girls have worked extremely hard to et where they are and we are looking forward to facing the Vulcans in our opening game.”

The Lady Statesmen (32-0) will open the tournament against the East Region Champion California University of Pennsylvania (26-6), who advanced to the Elite Eight with an 86-71 victory over Shepard University.

The opening round match-up is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 26 at the Health and Sports Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The game will be webcast and is available at www.lopers.com, or Lady Statesmen fans can tune in to their local radio stations and listen to Matt Jones and J.T. Webb broadcast live from Kearney, Neb., beginning 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

March 17, 2008

Lady Statesmen extinguish Lady Blazers 62-44 to claim NCAA South Region championship to advance to NCAA Elite Eight

By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score 

CLEVELAND- The top-ranked Delta State University Women’s Basketball team (32-0) were crowned the NCAA South Region champions after defeating the No. 17 Lady Blazers of Valdosta State University (26-6), 62-44, Monday at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Lady Statesmen remain undefeated and earned their twelfth NCAA regional crown and the first trip to the NCAA Elite Eight since 2000. Jennifer Rushing was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament as well.

“I don’t have the words to describe how happy I am of my girls,” stated an ecstatic Sandra Rushing, head coach of the Lady Statesmen. “It feels great to claim the region championship after coming so close the last two seasons. My girls have worked so hard and I am so proud of them. They deserve it.”

Lakira Boyd scored a quick two points for the Lady Statesmen to open the first half. Michelle Thompson of VSU knocked down two free throws to knot the score at 2-2. The next 2:35 of basketball would be scoreless, as the two teams combined for seven turnovers.

With just under 14 minutes left in the half, the Lady Statesmen hit their second shot from the floor, sparking Delta State. Lamaesha McAdory took Valdosta’s ball, carrying it 80 feet to connect on a second lay-up to extend the lead to 16-2.

The Lady Blazers were unable to answer, as the Lady Statesmen continued their solid play. Jennifer Rushing and Moe Bell followed with a jump shot and three-pointer, forcing a Valdosta time-out.

McAdory scored two more on a no-look pass from Bug Cooper followed by a Jennifer Rushing 15-footer to mark a 13-0 run. Leschelle Matthews ended the Lady Statesmen’s 13-0 run with a slashing lay-up to cut the lead to 19-8.

Brittani Calhoun scored to the end the half and put the Lady Statesmen up 13, 27-14 as the buzzer sounded.

The Lady Statesmen were guided by Jennifer Rushing with six points. Lakira Boyd added five points and four rebounds. Michelle Thompson led Valdosta State with six points and four rebounds.

The Lady Blazers would not go quietly into the night, as VSU started the half on a 13-4 run. Carley Peterson connected on two threes and a deuce to spark the Blazers. Her three cut the DSU to 31-24.

Jessica Boyd answered with three of here own to make it 34-24. However, Valdosta State wouldn’t back down connecting on a second three from Peterson.

Moe Bell would hit a key three to push the Lady Statesmen lead back to 13. At the 8:18 mark, the Lady Statesmen led 44-35.

The Lady Statesmen defense picked Valdosta State’s pocket to clear two points for Delta State. Michelle Thompson quickly answered with a bucket from behind the arch to put the Lady Blazers back within eight. The Lady Statesmen would hit several key shots to build on their lead despite a heartfelt effort by the Lady Blazers.

Delta State closed the final three minutes stifling the Lady Blazers to earn an 18 point, 62-44 victory for their twelfth NCAA South Region Championship.

Jennifer Rushing led the Lady Statesmen with 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Moe Bell added 13, shooting 3-of-4 from behind the arch. Jessica Boyd and Lakira Boyd had eight and seven points respectively.

Michelle Thompson guided the Lady Blazers with 11 points and four rebounds. Carley Peterson and Nina Risto had 11 points apiece.

The Lady Statesmen finished the game shooting 43.8-percent on 21-of-48 from the floor, while the Lady Blazers hit a mere 29.6-percent. The two squads battled the boards finishing even with 34 rebounds apiece. Delta State shot 78.9-percent from the free throw line as well.

The NCAA South Region All-Tournament Team consisted of Nova Southeastern's Stephanie Sarosi, Arkansas Tech's Amanda Grappe, Dominic Cranford of West Georgia, Nina Risto of Valdosta State, and Jennifer Rushing of Delta State. Rushing earned MVP honors.

The Lady Statesmen will return to action March 26-29 in Kearny, Nebraska at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Delta State will face California (PA), who defeated Shepard 86-76. Game time is yet to be determined. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will broadcast the game beginning 30 minutes prior to the start of the game on the Lady Statesmen Basketball Network.

March 16, 2008

DELTA STATE SGA HOPING TO WHITE OUT SILLERS COLISEUM MONDAY AT NCAA REGION FINAL; GATES OPEN AT 5:30 P.M.

CLEVELAND - The top-ranked and undefeated Delta State women’s basketball team (31-0) will face seventeenth-ranked Valdosta State (26-5) in the NCAA South Region Tournament championship game Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and student tickets are free thanks to the DSU Student Government Association.

The game pits two of the top teams in the Gulf South Conference and traditional rivals from the golden era of the GSC. Delta State defeated Valdosta State 60-42 in the semifinals of the GSC Tournament on March 8. VSU defeated Arkansas Tech 58-53 to advance to the game, while DSU raced past West Georgia 58-43.

Monday night the SGA hopes to “white out” Sillers Coliseum. Students and fans are encouraged to wear white shirts in support of the Lady Statesmen. Students may pick up free tickets out Walter Sillers Coliseum on the portico of Hugh White Hall.

For more information on the game or student tickets, please contact the DSU Department of Athletics at (662) 846-4300 or email us at athletics@deltastate.edu.

March 15, 2008

Lady Statesmen advance to third straight NCAA South Region championship game with 58-53 victory over West Georgia

By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score

CLEVELAND- The top ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (31-0) defeated the Lady Wolves of the University of West Georgia (25-5) at Walter Sillers Coliseum in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament, 58-43. The victory puts the top-ranked Lady Statesmen in the South Region championship for a third straight year. DSU fell a little short the last two seasons.

“I am proud of my ladies tonight,” stated head coach Sandra Rushing. “It feels great to have the opportunity to play for the South Region championship on Monday. My girls have worked extremely hard and deserve this chance. We have fallen short two-straight years and we want this game and the opportunity to play for the national championship,” concluded Rushing.

Brittani Calhoun scored the first bucket of the game with a power move from down low. West Georgia answered to make it square at 2-2. The two squads would battle for the next seven minutes, combining for 14 turnovers. The score stood 10-7 with 10:30 remaining in the half.

The remainder of the half was all West Georgia, as the Wolves closed the half on a 15-7 run. DSU carried a 24-22 lead into the locker room.

The Lady Statesmen were guided by Lakira Boyd with six points at the break. Tia Jackson led West Georgia with seven points. DSU hit 9-of-25 from the floor for 36 percent, while UWG managed a mere 7-of-25 from the field for 28 percent.

A long three from Jessica Boyd sparked the Lady Statesmen, as the second half began. Brittani Calhoun’s rejection of West Georgia’s shooting attempt, giving the Lady Statesmen possession of the ball. Six minutes into the second half Delta State led by 13, one of their largest margins of the night. Jennifer Rushing hit a shot clock beater before Dominic Cranford ended the 7-2 Lady Statesmen run by dishing out an assist to Tia Jackson.

Delta State fans erupted after a lay-up by Jessica Boyd that put the Lady Statesmen up 16. The Lady Statesmen went on a 10-0 run forcing several turnovers on defense and never looked back, defeating the Lady Wolves 58-43.

The Lady Statesmen finished the game shooting 40.4 percent from the field on 19-of-47 shots from the field. DSU also connected on 19-of-23 shots from the charity stripe, while forcing 24 West Georgia turnovers.

West Georgia connected on just 31.9 percent of their attempts from the field. Both teams finished with 32 rebounds each.

Lakira Boyd guided the Lady Statesmen with 13 points. Brittani Calhoun and Jennifer Rushing added 12 and 10 points respectively. Calhoun grabbed eight rebounds in addition to Rushing’s six assists. The Lady Wolves were led by Dominic Cranford with 20 points, followed by Tia Jackson with 10.

The Lady Statesmen will return to action Monday, March 17 against Valdosta State University at Walter Sillers Coliseum in their third-straight South Region championship game. Tip-off is set for 7p.m. and will be broadcast 15 minutes prior to the start of the game on the Statesmen Radio Network. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will have the call.

March 14, 2008

Lady Statesmen Rope Kentucky State 76-34; Kentucky State’s 34 points new record for fewest points allowed in NCAA play

By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score 

CLEVELAND- The top ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (30-0) defeated Kentucky State University (19-12), 76-35, in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament Friday at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Lady Statesmen continue their perfect season, while advancing to Saturday’s semifinals against the winner of the West Georgia versus Nova Southeastern game. The 34 points scored by KSU also established a new record for fewest points allowed by DSU in an NCAA postseason game.

The first three and a half minutes of play were scoreless for the Lady Statesmen putting the Thorobrettes out to an early 4-0 lead. The first Lady Statesmen bucket came from Kirsten McBride off the bench at the 16:28 mark, cutting the KSU lead 4-2. Bug Cooper followed her lead and added two more points to the scoreboard for the Lady Statesmen to knot the score at four apiece.

The Lady Statesmen gained their first lead of the night on a bucket from Lakira Boyd after nearly three minutes of scoreless basketball, 6-4. The Thorobrettes would never lead again.

Sheena Swanigan hit a three with just under three minutes left in the half to expand the Lady Statesmen lead to 11, the largest of the night. The Lady Statesmen went on a 5-0 run to end the half up 25-14.

The first half stats looked more like a mash report than a stat sheet. The two squads combined for 34 turnovers, while DSU out rebounded Kentucky State 26-17. Delta State held the Thorobrettes to a mere 15.4 percent from the floor on 4-of-26 shooting. The Lady Statesmen shot just 30 percent from the floor.

The Lady Statesmen were led in scoring by Lakira Boyd with six points on 2-of-4 from the floor and three rebounds. Jessica Vaughn guided Kentucky State with six points.

A phenomenal high low by Lakira Boyd and Brittani Calhoun got the second half rolling for Delta State, and what a half it turned out to be. A 15-footer from the corner by Jessica Boyd put the Lady Statesmen on a 6-0 run and out to a 31-14 lead.

Kentucky State stopped the run with a power move from forward Kiarra Morgan. The score stood at 46-21 at the 11:47 mark.

The Thorobrettes quickly hit a three, but freshman guard, Moe Bell drained a three to spark the Lady Statesmen. Delta State would go on a 7-0 run before Mattie Jones knocked down 1-of-2 from the charity stripe.

With 7:34 remaining, DSU led 55-27. The onslaught continued over the final minutes of play, as the Lady Statesmen closed out the win 76-34. DSU would outscore KSU 51-20 in the second half.

Delta State shot 45.3 percent from the floor for the game, while connecting on 58.8 percent of their shots in the second half. DSU also hit on 66.7 percent from the free throw line and 27.3 percent from three point range. The Lady Statesmen outrebounded Kentucky State 34-23 while allowing only 11-of-50 shooting from the floor for a mere 22 percent.

The 34 points allowed by Delta State established a new record for points allowed in an NCAA postseason game. The previous record was 36 set against Albany State on March 10, 1989. DSU’s 22.0 tied the record for lowest field goal percentage in a postseason game as well. The previous mark was also set against Albany State in 1989.

Jennifer Rushing and Brittani Calhoun guided the Lady Statesmen with 13 points each. Lakira Boyd contributed 12 points and four rebounds as well. Bug Cooper added six assists on the night. Kentucky State was led by Jessica Vaughn with 11 points.

The Lady Statesmen will return to action at Walter Sillers Coliseum, Saturday March 15 against the winner of the West Georgia versus Nova Southeastern game. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. The game will follow Arkansas Tech versus Valdosta State. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will broadcast the game starting 15 minutes prior to tip on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network.

MARCH 12, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN SET TO HOST NCAA SOUTH REGION TOURNAMENT

• Delta State NCAA South Region Game Notes

CLEVELAND - The Delta State University Lady Statesmen (29-0) basketball team is making their third straight trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament and 20 th overall, but this year they are staying at home. In the past two trips, the Lady Statesmen advanced to the regional championship game only to lose to the host school, Henderson State two years ago and Florida Gulf Coast last season.

The Lady Statesmen muscled their way through the regular season, posting a 26-0 mark, the first time the Lady Statesmen have had an unblemished regular season since 1974-75 when Margaret Wade led her team to a 28-0 mark and the program’s first ever National Championship.

One week after the close of the regular season, the Lady Statesmen added a third consecutive Gulf South Conference Championship to their already impressive resume, a resume that is lacking just one thing… a National Championship.

The Lady Statesmen are in a familiar situation, needing just three wins to advance to the Elite Eight.

The tournament field is one that the Lady Statesmen and head coach Sandra Rushing are familiar with. Three GSC schools are coming to Cleveland, and in the past three seasons, the Lady Statesmen are 12-0 against teams in the field and are 70-21 all time against those teams. The only team Delta State has never played is the No. 4 seed and Sunshine State Conference Champion Nova Southeastern.

Arkansas Tech earned the No. 2 seed with a 23-4 record. Three of the Golden Suns losses came at the hands of the Lady Statesmen, including an 80-61 loss in the GSC championship.

The Golden Suns will face off against No. 7 seed Tuskegee, a team that went 21-8 and won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship with a 59-55 win over Kentucky State.

The University of Tampa earned the No. 3 seed with a 24-6 record, despite losing the Sunshine State Conference Championship 53-47 to Nova Southeastern. The Lady Statesmen ended Tampa’s season in the 2006 NCAA Tournament with a 66-50 victory in the lone match-up between the two schools on the hardwood.

Tampa will take on No. 6 seed Valdosta State. The Lady Blazers went 23-4 this season, and advanced to the GSC semifinals before losing 60-42 to the Lady Statesmen.

Nova Southeastern earned the No. 4 seed with a 24-6 record and the Sunshine State Conference Championship. They will open the tournament against No. 5 seed West Georgia. The Wolves of West Georgia are 24-3 and won the GSC East Division crown, but lost 79-54 to Arkansas-Monticello in the quarterfinals of the GSC Tournament.

The Lady Statesmen will begin the NCAA Tournament against the No. 8 seed Kentucky State. The Thorobrettes posted a 19-11 record on the season, and advanced to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title game before falling to Tuskegee 59-55. The Lady Statesmen are 2-0 all-time against the Thorobrettes, including an 83-61 victory in the 1997 NCAA Tournament.

The Lady Statesmen’s success this season is based on the accomplishments of an all-star cast, which showcases Kodak All-American and National Player of the Year candidate Jennifer Rushing. The senior guard is averaging 10.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, and leads the Lady Statesmen with 137 assists. The way Rushing reaches double-figures is what makes her a special player. The gunslinger-like quick hands have accounted for 80 steals this season that have led to several breathtaking fast-break buckets.

Freshman phenom Bug Cooper has electrified arenas across the southeast with her dazzling assists and ankle-breaking moves with the basketball. Cooper has quickly made a name for herself in a program that is full of legendary names, averaging 5.3 points per game and 2.6 rebounds per game. She also has 111 assists on the season.

Lakira Boyd leads the Lady Statesmen with 11.4 points per game and grabs 4.7 rebounds per game. Brittani Calhoun adds 8.4 and Jessica Boyd scores 7.9 points per game.

Despite having just two players averaging double-digits in points, the Lady Statesmen are averaging 71.7 points per contest while shooting 49 percent from the field. Defensively, the Lady Statesmen are holding opponents to just 51.8 points per game and only 36 percent from the field. The Lady Statesmen also shoot 34 percent from three-point range and 65 percent from the free-throw line.

The opening round of the NCAA Regional Tournament will begin at 1:00 p.m. Friday, March 14, with the Lady Statesmen taking on Kentucky State at 6:00 p.m. The games will be broadcast on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network starting at 5:45 p.m.

March 11, 2008

NCAA ANNOUNCES GAME TIMES FOR NCAA SOUTH REGION TOURNAMENT AT DSU; LADY STATESMEN TO PLAY FRIDAY AT 6 P.M.

CLEVELAND – The NCAA announced game times for the upcoming NCAA South Region Tournament to be held at Walter Sillers Coliseum Friday, March 14 through Monday, March 17 on the campus of Delta State University. The eight team field is one of the toughest in the nation and fans will definitely see some of the best NCAA Division II basketball in the country.

In the top half of the bracket, second-seed and GSC runner-up Arkansas Tech (25-5) faces a stiff test in the first game of the regional against seventh-seed and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Tuskegee (21-9). Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. Third-seed Tampa (24-5) will tussle with sixth-seed Valdosta State (24-5) in the second game of the day at 3 p.m.

In the bottom half of the bracket, the Lady Statesmen, Gulf South Conference champions and the tournament’s top-seed, will face eighth-seed and SIAC runner-up Kentucky State (19-11) in the first round on Friday at 6 p.m. At 8 p.m., Sunshine State Conference champion and fourth-seed Nova Southeastern (24-6) will square off against fifth-seed West Georgia (24-4).

Saturday’s semifinal match-ups are scheduled for 6 and 8 p.m. The NCAA South Region title game will take place Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m.

The eight-team field has a combined record of 190-45 for an average of 23.7 wins per team. Four participants are ranked in the nation’s top 25 and one other is receiving votes.

Ticket prices are set at $5 for students and $10 for adults for each day’s action. Tickets to Monday’s championship game will be $10 for students and $15 for adults. All-session passes are available for students at $15 and adults $25. Valid ID must be presented at time of purchase for student discount. Tickets may be purchased in person at Chadwick-Dickson Athletic Field House or by calling (662) 846-4300.

For more information, please contact the Delta State Department of Athletics at (662) 846-4300 or email the department at athletics@deltastate.edu.

March 9, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN TO HOST NCAA SOUTH REGION TOURNAMENT; PLAY BEGINS FRIDAY AT WALTER SILLERS COLISEUM

• Complete 64-team NCAA bracket  

CLEVELAND – For a third-straight year the Delta State women’s basketball team will head to NCAA postseason play, but this time they only have to go as far as Walter Sillers Coliseum. The top-ranked Lady Statesmen (29-0) earned the right to host the regional Sunday with an 80-61 victory over Arkansas Tech in the GSC championship game. Sunday’s announcement marks the first time since the 2001-2002 season. Play begins Friday, March 14 and ends Monday, March 17 with the region title game.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to host the NCAA South Region Tournament, but our ladies understand hosting doesn’t make it any easier to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight,” said Sandra Rushing, DSU head coach. “The South Region is one of the toughest in the country and we will have our hands full this week. I hope everyone will come out and support the Lady Statesmen this week and I look forward to seeing you all at Walter Sillers Coliseum.”

The Lady Statesmen, GSC champions, will face the eighth-seed and SIAC runner-up Kentucky State (19-11) in the first round. The winner will play the victor of the fourth-seed and Sunshine State Conference champion Nova Southeastern (24-6) versus fifth-seed West Georgia (24-4) match-up.

On the other side of the bracket, second-seed and GSC runner-up Arkansas Tech (25-5) squares off with seventh-seed and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Tuskegee (21-9). The winner will face the survivor of the third-seed Tampa (24-5) versus sixth-seed Valdosta State (24-5) game.

All games will begin Friday, March 14 with the first round. Semifinals will be held on Saturday with the regional final set for Monday, March 17. Game times have yet to be announced.

The eight-team field has a combined record of 190-45 for an average of 23.7 wins per team. Four participants are ranked in the nation’s top 25 and one other is receiving votes.

Ticket prices are set at $5 for students and $10 for adults for each day’s action. Tickets to Monday’s championship game will be $10 for students and $15 for adults. All-session passes are available for students at $15 and adults $25. Valid ID must be presented at time of purchase for student discount. Tickets may be purchased in person at Chadwick-Dickson Athletic Field House or by calling (662) 846-4300.

All ticket sales begin Monday at noon. For more information, please contact the Delta State Department of Athletics at (662) 846-4300 or email the department at athletics@deltastate.edu.

March 9, 2008

Third time just as sweet as first, as Lady Statesmen cruise to third-straight GSC title with 80-61 victory over Golden Suns

By, Jana Hayes - Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score

SOUTHAVEN-The top ranked Delta State University women’s basketball team (29-0) earned their third-straight and fourteenth overall Gulf South Conference title with an 80-61 victory over Arkansas Tech University (25-5) at the DeSoto Civic Center. The crowd inside the arena received their money’s worth, as the two squads battled for the sixth time in the GSC title game. Sunday’s victory gives the Lady Statesmen a perfect 6-0 record against the Golden Suns in the GSC title game. Jennifer Rushing was also named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player for a second consecutive year.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my ladies,” stated an excited head coach Sandra Rushing. “It always feels good to win, but I don’t have the words to describe how happy I am about winning the title three straight years. The victory is great, but I am glad it’s not over. There is a lot of basketball left to play!”

The Lady Statesmen got out to a quick 12-4 lead over the Golden Suns from aggressive play in the paint. Brittani Calhoun connected on the first four points for Delta State and was soon joined by fellow posts Lakira Boyd and Lamaesha McAdory to knock down all 12 of the Lady Statesmen’s points. The score stood at 12-6 at the 15:20 mark.

Anna Baran hit a big basket for Arkansas Tech to push them within eight with just under 12 minutes left to play in the first half. The Lady Statesmen were unable to convert on the next possession; however, DSU’s Bug Cooper stole the ball and connected on a lay-up to push DSU’s lead past 12 once again.

After several scoreless Lady Statesmen possessions, Arkansas Tech was able to get within four with six minutes left to play in the half. However, their run was short lived. Jessica Boyd knocked down a three from behind the arch, while Lakira Boyd and Jennifer Rushing connected on a series of buckets to push the lead back to 10. Delta State ended the half on a 9-to-2 run that carried them into the locker room up 48-37.

Lakra Boyd led the Lady Statesmen in scoring with 15 points and six rebounds in the half. Brittani Calhoun added nine points. Jennifer Rushing also had nine on 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arch. Arkansas Tech was guided by Amanda Grappe with a phenomenal 25 points and five rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen shot an outstanding 61.3 percent from the floor and 5-for-7 from the three for 71.4 percent. Tech shot a mere 39-percent from the floor.

Arkansas Tech scored the first bucket of the half, but Jessica Boyd answered with a shot from behind the arch, as the Lady Statesmen expanded the lead to 15 within the first two minutes of the half.

With just under 10 minutes left to play, DSU held a 15 point lead that would never get any closer. Delta State used a 10-0 run with six minutes remaining to put the game out of reach for ATU. Moe Bell’s dagger three from 25-feet pulled the shades down on the Suns. ATU never recovered, as the Lady Statesmen rolled to the title with an 80-61 win over the Golden Suns.

Lakira Boyd’s 24 points and eight rebounds led the Lady Statesmen, while Brittani Calhoun chipped in 18 points and cleared eight boards. Jennifer Rushing, the GSC West Player of the Year, turned in a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists. She also recorded three steals.

Arkansas Tech’s Amanda Grappe lead all scorers with a game-high 36 points and seven rebounds.

Delta State shot 57-percent from the floor on 31-of-54 shooting, and a blistering 57-percent from behind the arch on 8-of-14 attempts. The Lady Statesmen also out-rebounded the Golden Suns 36-to-28 and set a season high with 22 team assists. DSU also outscored ATU 44-28 in the paint and 15-4 on second chance points.

The GSC also announced its All-Tournament team. Members included Arkansas-Monticello forward Erika DuBose, Arkansas Tech forwards Amanda Grappe and Kirshna Baker, and Delta State forwards Lakira Boyd and Brittani Calhoun. Jennifer Rushing was named GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player for the second year in a row.

The Lady Statesmen will return to the court on Friday, March 14 at the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament. The site for the tournament has yet to be determined, but all indications point to DSU hosting the eight team, four day tournament at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The NCAA will announce site selections and the 64-team field on Sunday, March 9 at 9:30 p.m. A link to the announcement will be located on www.GoStatesmen.com.

March 8, 2008

Lady Statesmen advance to GSC Championship game with 60-42 win over Lady Blazers

By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score: DSU 60 - VSU 42

SOUTHAVEN - The top-ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (28-0) defeated the Lady Blazers of Valdosta State (24-5), 60-42, Saturday at the Desoto Civic Center to advance to the title game of the GSC Tournament Sunday. The Lady Statesmen remained perfect on the season with the win and advance to the championship game for a chance to earn their third straight Gulf South Conference title.

“We played very well for the most part today,” said DSU head coach Sandra Rushing. “The girls put together 40 minutes of tenacious defense and when we needed a spark offensively, we got it. Valdosta State is a very good team and we really stepped up our game this afternoon.”

After an early Valdosta State 8-4 lead, Delta State finally got untracked as Jessica Boyd knocked down a three from the corner to put DSU within one at the 15:56 mark. The Lady Statesmen would soon knot the score at eight, as Brittani Calhoun banged home a basket off an assist from Bug Cooper.

The Lady Blazers would go on a short run to push their lead to four, 12-8. However, a bucket by Brittani Calhoun and a steal that converted into two points for the Lady Statesmen tied the two squads once again at 12-12. Bug Cooper stole the ball on the next possession and scored two points to give Delta State their first lead of the afternoon, 14-12.

The Lady Statesmen defense would allow only seven Lady Blazer points for the remainder of the half, going on 20-to-7 run. Delta State went into the half up 15 with a score of 34-19.

Lakira Boyd led the Lady Statesmen in shooting with 11 points and five rebounds. Brittani Calhoun added nine points and five rebounds as well. The Lady Blazers were guided by Julie Kongeskov with six points and five rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen continued their streaking play in the second half, but Valdosta State would not go away quietly. With just under six minutes left to play, the Lady Statesmen led 49-35. Moe Bell would hit a three to expand the Lady Statesmen lead to 19, the largest of the afternoon.

The Lady Statesmen would go on a 7-0 run before VSU’s Nina Risto knocked down two points for the Lady Blazers to cut the lead 56-37. Jessica Boyd quickly answered, but Valdosta State wouldn’t quit, knocking down a shot from behind the arch to cut it to 58-40. Delta State would score one final bucket and VSU two to make the final margin, 60-42.

Delta State was led by Brittani Calhoun and Lakira Boyd with 11 points each . Calhoun added seven rebounds, while Boyd had five. Jennifer Rushing added 10 points and five assists in the win. The Lady Blazers were led by Leschelle Matthews with eight points and five rebounds. The Lady Statesmen shot 45.5 percent from the floor, while Valdosta State hit a mere 36.4 percent.

The Lady Statesmen will return to the DeSoto Civic Center, Sunday, March 9 for the GSC women’s championship game against arch-rival Arkansas Tech (25-4). Tip-off is set for noon. The game will mark the sixth time the two teams have met for GSC title. DSU is 5-0 in those games. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will broadcast the game on the Statesmen Radio Network 15 minutes prior to tip-off.

MARCH 7, 2008

DELTA STATE’S JENNIFER RUSHING NAMED REGIONAL FINALIST FOR WBCA/STATE FARM COACHES’ ALL- AMERICA TEAM

• WBCA Region Finalists

SOUTHAVEN – For a second-consecutive year, Delta State’s Jennifer Rushing, a 5-foot-8 senior guard, has been named a regional finalist for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association/State Farm All-America Team. Last season, she became the first player at DSU to garner WBCA All-American since 1998. The 10 player All-American Team will be announced on March 25 at the NCAA Elite Eight in Kearney, Neb.

Rushing has had a special week, as the senior garnered First Team All-Gulf South Conference for a third straight year and she was also named the GSC West Division’s Player of the Year after averaging 10.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for the nation’s top-ranked club. The Hollandale native received the same honor last season after guiding DSU to its second straight GSC championship.

March 6, 2008

MCBRIDE SPARKS LADY STATESMEN TO VICTORY AT GSC TOURNEY OVER CBU, 63-41

By, Jana Hayes - Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score

Southaven- The top ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (27-0) defeated Christian Brothers University (19-10) 63-41 Thursday at the Desoto Civic Center to advance to the semifinals Saturday and moved one step closer to claiming their third straight Gulf South Conference Championship title.

The Lady Bucs scored the first two points of the half before Kirsten McBride connected on three straight buckets for the Lady Statesmen to gain the lead 6-2. The two squads would keep the game close, as both squads left almost no buckets unanswered. The score stood at 14-13 at the 7:05 mark as the two teams took a media timeout. The score would stay even in the first half, which was very reminiscent of their earlier match-ups. The Lady Statesmen ended the half with a six point lead, 26-20.

Delta State shot 44-percent from the floor while Christian Brothers averaged 39.1 percent. The Lady Statesmen doubled the Lady Bucs nine rebounds with 18. The score changed three times and was tied twice.

The Lady Statesmen were led at the half by Kirsten McBride and Lamaesha McAdory with six points each. McAdory also pulled down six rebounds. Kate Butler led the Lady Bucs with seven points and two rebounds.

Like the first half, the Lady Bucs knocked down the first two points in the second half. However, the Lady Statesmen played phenomenal defense to limit Christian Brother’s buckets. Kirsten McBride dominated the paint to make a huge impact for the Lady Statesmen. With five minutes left in the game, Delta State led by 18. The Lady Statesmen would maintain the momentum for the remainder of the game. Delta State defeated the Lady Bucs by 22 , 63-41.

The Lady Statesmen finished the game with 49-percent shooting on 29-of-49 attempts from the floor. Christian Brothers averaged a mere 31.7-percent from the floor. Delta State dominated the glass doubling Christian Brothers’ 18 rebounds with 40.

Kirsten McBride and Brittiani Calhoun guided the Lady Statesmen with 12 points apiece. Lamaesha McAdory added 10 points for the Lady Statesmen and pulled down nine rebounds. Jennifer Rushing added nine points and six assists on the game. Christian Brothers was led by Michelle Malone with 11 points and two rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen will return to the hardwood at the DeSoto Civic Center against Valdosta State University (24-4) Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2:45 p.m. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will broadcast the game beginning at 2:30 p.m. on the Lady Statesmen Radio Network.

 

March 5, 2008

LADY STATESMEN BASKETBALL SWEEPS POSTSEASON AWARDS FOR A SECOND-STRAIGHT YEAR; RUSHING NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Complete GSC Release

SOUTHAVEN – For a second-consecutive year, Delta State’s women’s basketball team swept all the Gulf South Conference’s major postseason awards, as announced on Tuesday by the league office. Jennifer Rushing was named GSC Player of the Year in the West Division for a second-straight season, while coach Sandra Rushing made history with her third consecutive GSC West Division Coach of the Year Award. DSU also placed three players on the league’s All-GSC First and Second Teams.

“Our ladies have worked so hard this season and we’re pleased that the coaches believed our ladies were deserving of these awards,” said coach Rushing. “Jenn has been a special player in this league for four straight years and the last two have been so special for her and our program. Lakira and Jessica have been integral parts of our team this season and without their efforts we would not be where we are right now.”

Jennifer Rushing, a 5-foot-8 senior guard, has been named the division’s top player after averaging 10.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for the nation’s top-ranked club. The Hollandale native received the same honor last season after guiding DSU to its second straight GSC championship. She was also named a 2007 WBCA Kodak All-American and is a leading candidate to repeat the honor.

Joining Rushing on the All-GSC First Team is senior center Lakira Boyd. Boyd, a 6-foot-2 Memphis, Tenn., native is averaging 11.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season for the Lady Statesmen. She has scored in double figures 16 times and has recorded one double-double.

Jessica Boyd, a 5-foot-7 senior guard, was also named to the All-GSC Second Team for a second consecutive year. The Gunnison native is one of league’s top three point shooters. In 26 games, she is averaging 8.4 points per game.

Sandra Rushing made history Tuesday, as the league honored the Biloxi native with her third consecutive GSC West Division Coach of the Year award. Several coaches, including legendary former Delta State coach Lloyd Clark, received the award back-to-back, but Rushing is the first in league history to repeat the feat three times. In six seasons, she has guided the Lady Statesmen to a 140-35 record, back-to-back GSC championships, and two NCAA “Sweet 16” finishes.

The Lady Statesmen have enjoyed a magical season thus far under Rushing’s leadership, as Delta State enters this week’s GSC Tournament in Southaven undefeated at 26-0 and ranked No. 1 in the WBCA’s USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll. Delta State is seeking its third straight GSC title and fourteenth overall.

The Lady Statesmen will face the winner of the North Alabama versus Christian Brothers game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Desoto Civic Center in Southaven.

March 4, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN SET TO BEGIN POSTSEASON AT GSC TOURNAMENT THURSDAY

• Delta State GSC Tournament Game Notes
• GSC Women's Tournament Web page

CLEVELAND – Seventeen weeks ago the Delta State women’s basketball team began a quest to three-peat as champions of the Gulf South Conference and to claim the nation’s top prize, the NCAA Division II national championship. 26 opponents have come and gone, as the top-ranked and undefeated Lady Statesmen (26-0, 14-0 GSC West) begin their march into the postseason this week at the GSC Tournament in Southaven at the Desoto Civic Center.

“There’s no doubt this has been an amazing and special season, but we have so many goals left to achieve for this team,” said Sandra Rushing, Lady Statesmen head coach. “Our girls are focused on the task at hand, and that is to win the GSC and secure the right to host the NCAA South Region Tournament.”

That task will not be an easy one. The GSC Tournament is regarded as one of the nation’s top tournaments with four teams ranked in the nation’s top 15 and six teams winning over 18 games this season.

“The competition at this tournament is second to none. We will face several teams from the East Division we have not seen this year and two of them, No. 7 West Georgia (24-3, 11-1 GSC East) and No. 15 Valdosta State (23-4, 9-3 GSC East), are among the nation’s elite,” Rushing added. “We know what to expect from the West Division clubs, but there’s always a sense of anticipation and excitement when you’re playing a team from the first time.”

The tournament will get under way on Wednesday, March 5 at the Desoto Civic Center with the four versus five seed play-in games. East fifth-seed Alabama-Huntsville (12-15, 4-8 GSC) will square off with West fourth-seed Arkansas-Monticello (14-13, 7-7 GSC) in the tournament’s first game at 12:30 p.m. At 2:45 p.m., West fifth-seed Christian Brothers (18-9, 6-8 GSC) will face East fourth-seed North Alabama (13-14, 6-6 GSC). The winner’s will advance to Thursday’s quarterfinals.

The Lady Statesmen, GSC West Division Champions for a third-straight year, will face the Christian Brothers/North Alabama winner at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. DSU faced both schools during the regular season. UNA gave DSU its biggest scare of the season back on Dec. 1, but the Lady Statesmen prevailed 61-60. Delta State swept Christian Brothers during the regular season 54-39 in Cleveland and 55-40 in Memphis, Tenn.

East Division champ West Georgia awaits the winner of the Alabama-Huntsville/Arkansas-Monticello game at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The Lady Wolves swept Alabama-Huntsville in the regular season 72-56 at Huntsville and 87-71 in Carrollton, but did not face UAM.

Thursday’s quarterfinals will also feature two hotly-contested games between the second and third seeds from each division. East third-seed West Alabama (13-14, 8-4 GSC) faces tenth-ranked and West second-seed Arkansas Tech (23-4, 12-2 GSC) in the day’s first game at 12:30 p.m. West third-seed Harding (18-9, 8-6 GSC) has the task of taking on fifteenth-ranked and East second-seed Valdosta State (23-4, 9-3 GSC) at 2:45 p.m.

Saturday’s semifinals will pit the UNA/CBU versus DSU winner against the HU/VSU winner at 2:45 p.m. At 12:30 p.m., the winner of the ATU/UWA game will face the winner of the UWG versus UAH/UAM game. The winner’s will advance to Sunday’s GSC Championship game at noon.

The Lady Statesmen are no strangers to this tournament with a record 21 appearances and 13 championships in the postseason clash. Delta State boasts 11 more titles than any other school in the GSC. The Lady Statesmen have a record 39 wins, 18 semifinals, 17 finals, and 13 league titles.

“The tradition here at DSU is a driving force for this team and they understand what it means to wear the green-and-white,” Rushing added. “We’re excited about the opportunity in front of us and we hope to bring another title back to Cleveland.”

ll Lady Statesmen postseason basketball games will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting 15 minutes prior to tip-off. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will bring you all the action courtside at the Desoto Civic Center.

 

March 1, 2008

Lady Statesmen seniors end regular season undefeated with 72-52 victory over Henderson State

By, Jana Hayes - Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score

CLEVELAND- The top-ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (26-0, 14-0 Gulf South) and the Lady Reddies of Henderson State (14-12, 5-8 Gulf South) closed the regular season Saturday in the lovely Walter Sillers Coliseum, as DSU cruised to a 72-52 victory. The Lady Statesmen seniors went out with a bang, as Delta State became only the second team in school history to finish the regular season undefeated. The1974-75 Margaret Wade coached Lady Statesmen were the first.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my team,” stated head coach Sandra Rushing. “They came out and played hard tonight. It is great to end the regular season undefeated, and allow our seniors to go out with a win. “

The Lady Statesmen seniors included Whitney Shepard, Sheena Swanigan, Brittani Calhoun, Jessica Boyd, and Jennifer Rushing created the starting line-up and put their squad out to a 6-0 lead over the Lady Reddies in the opening minutes.

Delta State continued to dominate the hardwood as the score stood 15-6 at the 11:31 mark to force a Henderson time-out. Freshmen guards, Moe Bell and Tamera Reed were on fire from behind the arch, hitting 4-of-6 from the floor.

Heading into the locker room, the Lady Statesmen were up 19, 41-22.

The Delta State defense combined for six steals and 21rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the floor. The Lady Statesmen held the Lady Reddies to a mere 27.6 percent from the floor. Brittani Calhoun led the Lady Statesmen in scoring with nine. Henderson State’s Danyelle Harris had seven.

The Lady Reddies scored the first six points of the second half, hitting 2-of-2 from behind the arch. Henderson cut the lead to 10 as the score stood 41-31 with 17:35 to play.

Delta State picked up their defense causing several Lady Reddie turnovers down the stretch. Jennifer Rushing and Bug Cooper pushed the ball up the floor to assist on the fast breaks, as DSU pushed the lead above 24.

At the 6:04 mark, Jennifer Rushing picked Candy Hall’s pocket, dotting two points for the Lady Statesmen. The Lady Reddies were unable to answer before Jessica Boyd knocked down a three to put the Lady Statesmen up 24 and DSU never looked back for the win.

Jennifer Rushing guided the Lady Statesmen with 12 points and six steals. Lakira Boyd and Brittani Calhoun added 11 and nine respectively on the night. Moe Bell, Renita Jones, and Lamaesha McAdory each had eight. Henderson State was led by Christina Hall and Jazmine Ellis with 13 points each.

The Lady Statesmen will return to action in the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Thursday, March 6 at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, as the number one seed in the west. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. against the winner of North Alabama and Christian Brothers University play-in game on Wednesday. Matt Jones and JT Webb will broadcast the game beginning at 7:15 p.m. on the Statesmen Radio Network.

February 28, 2008

LADY STATESMEN REMAIN PERFECT WITH 73-71 WIN AT ARKANSAS TECH; DSU CLINCHES WEST DIVISION CROWN AND TOP-SEED AT GSC TOURNAMENT

By Michael Nienaber – Men’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score: DSU 73 at ATU 71

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The top-ranked Delta State Lady Statesmen (25-0, 13-0 Gulf South) defeated the tenth-ranked Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (22-4, 11-2 Gulf South), 73-71, to remain perfect in their final conference road game of the 2007-08 season. The victory clinched the third-straight Gulf South Conference West Division title and the top-seed in next week’s GSC Tournament in Southaven.

The Golden Suns jumped on some offensive miscues and secured the early lead, but Delta answered almost every Tech bucket with one of their own. Both teams stormed up and down the court with the score tied five times before the first timeout. The Lady Statesmen took their first lead of the game with 10:24 left in the period, giving them the slim edge at the media timeout. The Lady Statesmen kept the pressure on for the rest of the half, taking a 50-44 lead into the intermission.

The second half continued to be a back-and-forth affair, with neither team able to build a very large lead. A three from Anna Baran retied the score at 67-67 with 6:23 remaining in the game. From there it was a battle for every point.

The Lady Statesmen retook the lead and pushed it out as high as 11. The Suns hit their shots late to keep the game’s margin razor-thin down to the final buzzer.

Delta State led 73-71 with 6.5 seconds on the clock after a critical lay-up from Nikki Earles. DSU missed the front-end of a 1-and-1 that gave tech their final opportunity.

The Lady Statesmen were paced by Jessica Boyd with 17 points, going 6-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-6 from three. Renita Jones and Lakira Boyd also scored in double-digits with 15 and 11 points respectively. Jennifer Rushing turned in another solid performance as well, despite heavy attention from the Arkansas Tech defenders. She finished up with six points, eight assists, and six steals.

Daiane Domingos led the Golden Suns on the night with 17 points of her own, tying Boyd for top performer of the night.

Coach Rushing’s women shot 49-percent (27-of-55) from the floor, 46-percent (6-of-13) from three, and 65-percent (13-of-20) from the foul line in the win. Tech finished the game at 51.1 percent from the floor, 41.7 percent from three, and 94.7 percent from the charity stripe. ATU out-rebounded DSU 32-24, but DSU scored 28 points off 20 ATU turnovers to seal the win.

The Lady Statesmen will return to Walter Sillers Coliseum on Saturday evening for the final game of the regular season as they host the Lady Reddies of Henderson State University. Seniors Jessica Boyd, Jennifer Rushing, Brittani Calhoun, Whitney Shepard, Sheena Swanigan, and Lakira Boyd will be honored prior to tip-off. The game will begin at 4:00 p.m.

February 26, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN SET FOR GSC BATTLE WITH TWELFTH-RANKED GOLDEN SUNS

• Week 15: Arkansas Tech/Henderson State

CLEVELAND - The No. 1 ranked Lady Statesmen take their undefeated record to Russellville, Ark. Thusday, Feb. 28 as they face the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns for the second time this season.

The Lady Statesmen, at 24-0, are off to the second-fastest start in school history. Only the 1974-75 Lady Statesmen started a season better, and that team went 28-0 and won the National Championship.

Delta State hasn’t lost to the Golden Suns since Jan. 29, 2005, and the Lady Statesmen are 7-0 since that loss in Russellville, including going 4-0 against Arkansas Tech last season, eliminating their division rival from both the GSC Tournament 66-59 to win the conference crown and the NCAA Regional Tournament 43-40.

Arkansas Tech enters the match-up ranked No. 10 in the country with a 22-3 overall record. The Golden Suns are second in the Gulf South Conference with an 11-1 record and are unbeaten on their home floor at 14-0.

The lone conference blemish came Jan. 31 in Cleveland as the Lady Statesmen escaped with a two-point victory 65-63 on their home floor.

Both teams have similar playing styles. The Golden Suns have a slight edge in offensive production at 79.2 points per game compared to the Lady Statesmen’s 72.1 points per game. The Lady Statesmen hold a defensive advantage holding opponents to 51.5 points per game, while the Golden Suns allow 58.4 points per contest.

Amanda Grappe leads the Arkansas Tech with 16.6 points per game, and the junior grabs 8.2 rebounds per game. She has also blocked eight shots and has 56 steals.

Krishna Baker adds 15.2 points per game and is good off the glass for 7.5 rebounds per game. Ruby Vaden and Rachael Brazell are both averaging over 10 points a game.

The Golden Suns are out-rebounding opponents by 9.6 per game and force just under two more turnovers than their opponents per match-up.

Lakira Boyd leads the Lady Statesmen with 11.3 points per game, and the senior pulls down 4.7 rebounds per game. Fellow senior Jennifer Rushing joins Boyd in double figures, scoring 10.3 points per game. She also grabs 4.8 rebounds per game and leads the team with 107 assists. Freshman Bug Cooper has 89 assists and puts in 5.5 points per game. Senior Jessica Boyd averages 8.0 points per game and has hit 36 shots from three-point range, and freshman Moe Bell has hit 26 from behind the arc.

The Lady Statesmen shoot 48.5 percent from the field, while holding opponents to 35.7 percent. They shoot 31.8 percent from three-point range and 65.2 from the free-throw line.

The Golden Suns shoot 49.4 percent from the floor and hold opponents to 34.4 percent. They also shoot 34.4 percent behind the arc and 70.1 percent from the charity stripe.

The Lady Statesmen and Golden Suns will be battling for the No. 1 spot in the GSC West Division when they face off Thursday, Feb. 28, in Russellville. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 5:15 p.m.

February 23, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN MAKE IT 24 IN A ROW WITH 55-40 WIN AT CBU

MEMPHIS , TENN. - The top-ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (24-0, 12-0 Gulf South) edged the Lady Bucs of Christian Brothers University (16-9, 4-8 Gulf South) for their twenty-fourth straight victory on the season Saturday at Canale Arena.

The first 20 minutes of play was even as the score stood 23-21 in the first half. There were 15 fouls and 25 turnovers between the two squads as the lead changed seven times with six ties.

Lakira Boyd scored the first points for the Lady Statesmen, hitting on 1-of-2 from the free throw line. Lamaesha McAdory and Jessica Boyd followed with a pair of buckets to give the Lady Statesmen a 5-0 run over the Lady Bucs. During this span, the Lady Statesmen forced three turnovers.

In the last two and a half minutes, Jennifer Rushing forced two turnovers to contribute four points to take the Lady Statesmen into the locker room up by a bucket, 23-21.

The Lady Statesmen were led in scoring by Lakira Boyd with seven points. Bug Cooper, Jennifer Rushing, and Kirsten McBride each contributed four points. Lamaesha McAdory and Bug Cooper also grabbed four rebounds apiece. Christian Brothers was guided by Sheena DeBose and Erin Nigh with six points each.

The second half picked up were the first ended, but a three-pointer by Moe Bell sparked the Lady Statesmen. The Lady Bucs were unable to answer. Renita Jones knocked down two from the charity strip and Jennifer Rushing put one in from downtown to expand Delta States’ lead to six. The score stood at 33-27 with 13:21 left in the game.

With 7:35 to go, momentum seemed to be on the side of Lady Statesmen as Moe Bell hit her third three on the night to knot the score at 43-31, the largest lead of the afternoon.

Christian Brother’s Kat Butler hit a three with 2:00 minutes remaining to cut the lead to 10.

Kirsten McBride answered with a shot from the paint before Jessica Body quickly stole the ball. A lay-up by Renita Jones put the Lady Statesmen up 15 with a minute remaining.

As the clock ran down, the Lady Statesmen bypassed the Lady Bucs 55-40.

The Lady Statesmen improved to 33.3 percent from the floor on the afternoon while Christian Brothers shot 32.4 percent on 12-of-37 from the field. Delta State out-rebounded the Lady Bucs 42-29.

Jennifer Rushing guided the Lady Statesmen with 13 points and five rebounds, followed by Kirsten McBride with 11 points. Moe Bell added nine points. Lakira Boyd had eight. The Lady Bucs were led by Sheena Debose with 13 points and five rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen will return to the hardwood Thursday, February 28 against the Golden Suns of Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. The Statesmen Radio Network will broadcast the game beginning at 5:15 p.m.

February 21, 2008

LADY STATESMEN POUND THE PAINT FOR A 97-49 VICTORY OVER LADY RIDERS
By Daniel Hawthorne, Media Relations

• Box Score: DSU 97 - SAU 49

CLEVELAND- The top-ranked Delta State University Lady Statesmen held Southern Arkansas to just 36 percent shooting from the floor en route to a 97-49 victory over Southern Arkansas University in front of a “pinked out” crowd at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The game was the centerpiece of Delta State’s second annual “Think Pink” Night in support of breast cancer awareness. The Lady Statesmen claimed their twenty-third straight win and their eleventh in Gulf South Conference action. The Lady Riders slid to 4-19 overall and remain winless in conference action at 0-11.

The No. 1-ranked team in the nation held SAU to a mere 28 percent shooting in the first half, as the Lady Statesmen exploded out of the gate with a 43-25 first half lead. Lamaesha McAdory was 3-of-5 shooting in the opening frame with 10 points and six rebounds. SAU’s Goldie White did her best to keep her squad in the match-up with a 12 point performance on 2-of-3 shooting from behind the arch and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.

Delta State turned up the heat in the second half pounding the ball inside on virtually every trip down the floor. DSU outscored the Lady Riders 50-6 in the paint for the game and shot an outstanding 60 percent from the floor in the second half.

SAU looked to make a comeback, however White was held to just three points in the second half to finish with 15. Southern Arkansas did have a solid free-throw game, shooting 10-of-14 while DSU shot only 11-of-17.

Delta State’s 97 points was the second highest point total of the season. The Lady Statesmen notched 98 early this year versus Tougaloo College. DSU’s bench also outscored the Lady Riders 48-17 and the Lady Statesmen added 33 points off turnovers.

Lamaesha McAdory tied her career-high with 18 points, while grabbing eight rebounds in the win. Lakira Boyd finished with 16. Renita Jones chipped in with 13, while Kirsten McBride added 10. Jennifer Rushing finished with eight points and four steals. Bug Cooper dropped in four points and handed out five assists.

The Lady Statesmen will travel to Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday to face the Lady Bucs of Christian Brothers University. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. at Canale Arena.

February 20, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN FOCUSED ON TEAM GOALS; SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UP NEXT

• Week 14 Game Notes - SAU/CBU
• Feb. 20 - NCAA South Region Rankings
• Feb. 19 - WBCA Top 25 Poll  

CLEVELAND – Five weeks have passed since the Delta State women’s basketball team climbed to the nation’s top spot in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s USA-Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll. After 10 consecutive victories, coach Sandra Rushing’s squad remains at the top with a perfect 22-0 record entering Thursday’s game with Southern Arkansas. Tuesday’s rankings saw little shakeup in the nation’s top 10, while the Gulf South Conference continues to have four teams in the nation’s top 15.

“I’ve said it from day one, we play in one of the toughest league’s in America,” stated Rushing. “Our schedule this season has been brutal and so far we’ve played well. With only four games remaining on the slate before the GSC Tournament starts, our ladies know they still have a lot of business to take care of on the floor.”

The Lady Statesmen have two home and two road dates remaining on their schedule. Thursday Delta State will host the Lady Muleriders of Southern Arkansas (4-18, 0-10 GSC) before traveling to Christian Brothers (16-7, 4-6 GSC) on Saturday.

“This week’s schedule is a tough one. Don’t let SAU’s record fool you. They have one of the league’s top guards in Goldie White and coach Sam Biley always has them ready to play. Christian Brothers is always a challenge for us and we have to go to their gym,” added Rushing.

The final week of the schedule could prove to be the most difficult of the season, as the Lady Statesmen stare down two traditional rivals – Arkansas Tech and Henderson State. Delta State will travel to No. 12 Arkansas Tech (20-3, 8-1 GSC) on Thursday, Feb. 28 before closing out the regular season at home on Saturday, March 1 versus Henderson State (14-9, 5-5 GSC).

“Obviously, you don’t ever want to look ahead, but our final week will be very tough with ATU and HSU to close the season,” Rushing said. “We have worked for 17 weeks for this moment and our ladies will be ready. Two of the toughest games of the season came against these two teams and I know our club is ready for another go.”

In other WBCA ranking news, the University of West Georgia (23-2) remained the only other GSC school in the top 10 with Delta State. Arkansas Tech is knocking on the door at No. 12 with Valdosta State (20-4) at No. 14.

The NCAA will release its latest South Region rankings on Wednesday. The Lady Statesmen have held the top spot in the region in each of the previous polls. The top ranked team in the final regional poll has the right to host the NCAA Region Tournament starting on March 14. The top eight teams from each region advance to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The Lady Statesmen have made back-to-back NCAA South Region championship game appearances, only to come a little short of their goals.

“Our team has a singular focus and that is to be national champions…anything less and we haven’t reached our goals,” concluded Rushing.

February 19, 2008

LADY STATESMEN BASKETBALL HOPING TO PINK OUT WALTER SILLERS COLISEUM

CLEVELAND – Coach Sandra Rushing and the Lady Statesmen women’s basketball team invite you to help bring awareness to breast cancer and cancer’s other forms by pinking out Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 21 versus Southern Arkansas University. “Think Pink” is global initiative of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and 2008 marks the fourth consecutive season Delta State has joined with over 900 NCAA member institutions to fight this dreaded disease.

“It’s a cause we can all relate to,” said Rushing. “Each one of us, in some way, has been touched by cancer and we can fight it! If we join together to bring awareness, hopefully more people will be diagnosed early and we can strive for a cure. We hope to see the stands washed out in pink, so that we can all be a part of the most successful ‘Think Pink’ yet!”

Anyone wearing pink to the game on Thursday will receive free admission. In lieu of the ticket price, Delta State Athletics asks that you consider making a donation to the cancer charity of your choice. You may make your donation to the WBCA’s Cancer Fund at the door.

Several game day activities are planned for the event including recognition of cancer survivors during the game.

For more on “Think Pink,” please contact Delta State Athletics at (662) 846-4300 or email us at athletics@deltastate.edu.

February 16, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN CRUISE TO 74-49 WIN OVER COTTON BLOSSOMS

• Box Score: DSU 74 - UAM 49

CLEVELAND – The top-ranked Delta State women’s basketball team cruised to their twenty-second consecutive victory with a 74-49 win over Arkansas-Monticello Saturday at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Lady Statesmen improved to 22-0 and 10-0 in Gulf South Conference play, while the Blossoms fell to 12-11, 5-5 in league play.

The Lady Statesmen struggled offensively in the first half to find a rhythm, as the Cotton Blossoms kept the pressure on both ends of the court. Leading 16-12 in the half, the Lady Statesmen had a defensive lapse over the next two minutes allowing the Blossoms to take the lead 16-18 with 10:07 before halftime.

Delta State ratcheted-up the defensive pressure and closed the opening half on a 20-7 run to lead 36-25 at the half. The Lady Statesmen connected on 12-of-28 (42.9 percent) shots in the half from the floor and 13-of-18 (72.2) from the free throw line. The Blossoms hit on just 8-of-28 from the field for 28.6 percent in the frame.

An 11 point halftime lead quickly ballooned to 21 points with 15:10 to play in the second half, as Jennifer Rushing and Jessica Boyd took over the nation’s top-ranked team. UAM could not muster the same intensity it found in the opening frame, as DSU pounded the ball inside on virtually every possession.

When the final horn sounded Delta State had outscored Arkansas-Monticello 40-18 in the paint en route to the 74-49 victory. In both halves, Delta State posted 20 points in the paint, while holding UAM to no more than 10.

The Lady Statesmen finished the game 27-of-55 from the floor for 49.1 percent, while connecting on 4-of-15 from three point range. DSU also hit on 16-of-22 from the free throw line for 72.7 percent. The Blossoms were a mere 17-of-58 from the field, 6-of-23 from three-point range, and 9-of-17 from the stripe.

As if the 40-18 edge in inside scoring wasn’t enough, the Lady Statesmen dominated the boards 48-23, and forced 18 Blossom turnovers.

Jennifer Rushing led the way for the Lady Statesmen with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting. The senior guard from Hollandale also grabbed six rebounds and handed out one assist on the night. Jessica Boyd added 13 points, and Brittani Calhoun narrowly missed a double-double with seven points and 10 rebounds. Bug Cooper finished with nine points, five rebounds and four assists.

UAM’s Andrea Debose and Shakia Sanders finished with 18 points each.

The Lady Statesmen return to the court on Thursday, Feb. 21, as the play host to Southern Arkansas University. Delta State will be sponsoring “Think Pink Night,” as part of the festivities. Coach Sandra Rushing and the team are encouraging everyone to wear your pink in support of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s fight against cancer. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

February 14, 2008

Bug Cooper’s career-high 18 lead Lady Statesmen to 61-56 victory overHarding

By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

• Box Score: DSU 61 at HU 56

SEARCY, ARK.- The top-ranked Delta State University and Harding University women’s basketball teams tipped off for an exciting Valentines Day match-up at Rhodes Field House on Thursday wearing pink attire in honor of breast cancer awareness month. The Lady Statesmen (21-0, 9-0 Gulf South) earned their twenty-first straight victory, 61-56, over the Lady Bison (14-7, 4-4 Gulf South) thanks to Bug Cooper’s career-high 18 points.

The Lady Statesmen struggled early in the half offensively, despite their aggressive defensive effort. DSU held the Lady Bison to a mere 25 percent from the floor at the half. The two squads were knotted at 10-10 with 10:15 to go in the half. Delta State would go on a 14-0 run in seven minutes before Harding’s Kinsey Tucker hit a shot from behind the arch. The Lady Statesmen ended the first half up nine, 28-19.

The Lady Statesmen were guided by Jessica Boyd with nine points, followed by Bug Cooper with eight. Kinsey Tucker led the Lady Bison with six points.

The battle continued in the second half as the Lady Bison fought back to within seven points with 7:54 remaining in the game.

Harding’s Kristen Donnell hit a pair of free throws and a shot from the paint to move the Lady Bison with in four points with a little over five minutes to play.

The Lady Statesmen quickly answered with buckets by Sheena Swanigan and Lamaesha McAdory to expand the lead to eight.

The two squads held the intensity as each possession was a battle. Bug Cooper led the Delta State defense causing several Harding turnovers limiting the Lady Bison’s opportunity to score. However, with less than two minutes to play Stacey Owens and Kinsey Tucker hit a pair of threes to pull the Lady Bison within four points. The Lady Bison quickly fouled to stop the clock, putting Jessica Boyd on the line. She knocked down both free throws to make the score 59-54.

Kaitlin May hit a lay-up before fouling the Lady Statesmen with 7.2 seconds on the clock. After Boyd drained both free throws to extend the lead to 61-56, the Lady Bison called a time out with 2.8 seconds left on the clock. The Lady Bison threw the ball out of bounds to turn it over to DSU. Cooper and the Lady Statesmen would run out the clock to remain perfect on the season, 61-55.

Bug Cooper hit a career high 18 points to lead the way for the Lady Statesmen. She connected on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor, handed out five assists, and grabbed three steals. Lakira Boyd and Jessica Boyd added 13 points a piece on the night. Lamaesha McAdory pulled down eight rebounds.

The Lady Bison were led in scoring by Catherine McMenamy and Kinsey Tucker with 13 and 10 points respectively.

The Lady Statesmen return to Walter Sillers Coliseum Saturday, Feb. 16, as they host the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. The Statesmen Sports Network will broadcast the game starting at 5:45 p.m.

February 13, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN SET FOR GSC SHOWDOWN WITH LADY BISONS

• Game Notes: Weekly Release

CLEVELAND - The top-ranked Lady Statesmen (20-0, 8-0 GSC) will face one of their toughest road challenges to date on Thursday at Harding University (14-6, 5-3 GSC). The Lady Bisons are 7-1 at home this season in Rhodes Fieldhouse, and Thursday's contest promises to be one of the best of the year. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Rhodes Fieldhouse in Searcy, Ark.

"Coach Kirby's club is a fast-paced, lightning-in-a-bottle type offense, that causes match-up problems for our team," said Sandra Rushing, DSU head coach. "We'll have to play to the best of our abilities to pick up a win in Searcy."

Both teams enter the contest with regional rankings on the line. The Lady Statesmen are currently No. 1 in the South Region, while the Lady Bisons are No. 9. The top six teams from each region advance to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

Thursday's game also marks the second time this season the two teams have met on the court. On Jan. 17, DSU claimed a 70-58 victory at Walter Sillers Coliseum in Cleveland. The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting 15 minutes prior to tip-off.

February 12, 2008

DELTA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL REMAINS NATION’S TOP-RANKED TEAM

•  Complete WBCA Rankings - 2.12.08

CLEVELAND – The Lady Statesmen (20-0, 8-0 Gulf South) remained perfect last week with a pair of league victories, and on Monday received 26 first place votes to remain the nation’s top ranked NCAA Division II women’s basketball team, as released by the WBCA. The Lady Statesmen received 673 poll points to hold on the top spot for a fourth consecutive week.

“We’re excited about the stretch run,” said Sandra Rushing, Delta State head coach. “We have several tough match-ups left this season, and our ladies are prepared for the road ahead.”

Seattle-Pacific (20-0) held down the second spot in the rankings with 647 points, while North Dakota (21-1), South Dakota (20-1), and Concordia-St. Paul (22-1) rounded out the nation’s top five teams.

Three other GSC teams were ranked in the nation’s top 15 led by West Georgia (21-2) in tenth. Arkansas Tech (18-3) was twelfth followed by Valdosta State (19-4) in fourteenth.

 

February 7, 2008

Lady Statesmen remain perfect with 62-36 win over OBU

By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

CLEVELAND-The top-ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (20-0, 8-0 Gulf South) defeated the Lady Bison of Ouachita Baptist University (4-17, 1-7Gulf South) by 26 with a score of 62-36 at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday. The Lady Statesmen remain perfect on the year earning their twentieth-straight victory.

The first half of play was full of action as the Lady Statesmen lit the nets up, knocking down 65.4 percent of their shots from the floor. The Lady Statesmen ended the half up 19 with a score of 39-20.

Freshman guard Bug Cooper and 6-foot-4 post Renita Jones netted eight points each for the Lady Statesmen. Brittaini Calhoun added seven points. Maranda Parker led Ouachita Baptist with six points, followed by Haley Griffin with five points.

The Lady Statesmen went on a 6-0 run in the first :47seconds of the second half with buckets by Brittani Calhoun, Lakira Boyd and Jessica Boyd. Ouachita Baptist ended the run with a jumper by Candice Hurdle at the 18:50 mark.

Delta State continued to dominate the hardwood for the remainder of the half. 13 different players saw action for Sandra Rushing’s squad. The Lady Statesmen finished the game shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and 61.5 percent from the charity stripe. DSU pulled down 33 boards while Ouachita grabbed a mere 18 rebounds on the night.

Lakira Boyd guided the Lady Statesmen with 14 points, hitting on 6-of-12 attempts from the floor. Brittani Calhoun and Bug Cooper contributed 11 and 10 points respectively. Ouachita Baptist was led in scoring by Haley Griffin with nine points, followed by Maranda Parker with eight.

The Lady Statesmen will take the weekend off. Delta State will return to the court on Thursday, Feb. 14 at Harding University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at Rhodes Field House.

February 6, 2008

TOP-RANKED LADY STATESMEN PUT RANKING ON THE LINE THURSDAY VERSUS LADY TIGERS

• Game Notes: 2.7.08 - Ouachita Baptist

CLEVELAND - The top-ranked Delta State University women's basketball team will puts its national ranking on the line this Thursday, Feb. 7 versus Ouachita Baptist University. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum.

The Lady Statesmen (19-0, 7-0 GSC) are looking to extend their GSC-leading win streak to 20 games Thursday versus the Lady Tigers (4-16, 1-6 GSC). DSU downed Henderson State 69-49 last Saturday for number 19. OBU fell 62-49 at Arkansas Tech.

Thursday's meeting will be the second this season between the GSC foes. Delta State opened league play on Jan. 12 with a 79-42 victory at Arkadelphia, Ark. The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 5:45 p.m. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will bring you the action courtside at Sillers Coliseum.

February 6, 2008

LADY STATESMEN REMAIN NO. 1 IN LATEST NCAA SOUTH REGION RANKINGS

• Complete NCAA Region Rankings

CLEVELAND - The Lady Statesmen remained perfect (19-0) last week with a pair of victories to hold on to the No.1 ranking in the latest NCAA Division II South Region poll, released Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Head coach Sandra Rushing’s team has steamrolled their way through Gulf South Conference play thus far, and their 7-0 conference record has them atop three other GSC schools in the South region rankings.

The West Georgia Wolves are currently second in the poll with an overall record of 18-2, 6-0 in GSC play. The Valdosta State Blazers are currently ranked third, posting a 17-3 record overall, with a 4-2 record in league. Arkansas Tech is ranked fourth. The Golden Suns have a record of 13-3, 6-1 in league play with the lone loss coming at the hands of the Lady Statesmen, 65-63, in Cleveland.

“We are very fortunate to be where we are,” Rushing said. “We have worked hard, but we know that there is still a long way to go. This is a very tough conference and an even tougher region. Anything can happen between now and March.”

Tampa holds the fifth spot in the region at 15-4, followed by Nova Southeastern at 15-5. Lynn University is seventh at 13-5, and Barry is eighth with a record of 14-6. Harding, another GSC representative, is ninth with a record of 10-6, and Fort Valley State rounds out the top-10 at 14-6.

February 2, 2008

Renita Jones powers top-ranked Lady Statesmen nineteenth-straight win over Lady Reddies, 69-49

• Box Score: DSU 69 - HSU 49

ARKEDELPHIA, Ark.- Renita Jones, a 6-foot-4 center from Starkville, scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Delta State women’s basketball team (19-0, 7-0 Gulf South) to a 69-49 win over the Lady Reddies of Henderson State (12-8, 3-4Gulf South) Saturday at the Duke Wells Center. It was the nineteenth straight win for DSU to end the first round of Gulf South Conference play.

“ Henderson was all over the place in the first half and we didn’t respond very well,” stated head coach Sandra Rushing. “The ladies adjusted in the second half and that made the difference. It was a hard fought game and I am excited to go home with the win.”

The Lady Statesmen struggled throughout the first half, shooting only 40.9 percent from the floor and a mere 50 percent from the free throw line.

The Lady Reddies led until the 9:42 mark when Sheena Swanigan knocked down a three pointer to earn a three point lead. Henderson State’s Tiffany Smith answered with a shot from behind the arch to knot the score at 19-19 once again.

The Lady Reddies held the lead for much of the remaining first half. However, DSU went into the locker room up 26-25 after a lay-up by Jennifer Rushing.

The Lady Statesmen were led in scoring by Jennifer Rushing with 10 points and three rebounds. Christina Hall led the Lady Reddies with seven points, hitting 3-of-6 from the floor.

The Lady Statesmen settled down at the start of the second half, running their offense and began dominating the momentum of the game.

Renita Jones provided the Lady Statesmen with the spark they needed to get the team going, scoring the first six second half points. The 6-foot-4 post wouldn’t stop there, as she earned a career-high 22 points and cleared eight rebounds on the night.

In two-straight possessions, Jones and Swanigan hit two shot clock beating shots driving the Lady Statesmen’s offense and putting them up 15.

The score stood at 61-45 with 2:30 left in the game. The Lady Statesmen would close the game at 69-49 as the buzzer sounded.

Renita Jones guided the Lady Statesmen with 22 points and eight boards. Jennifer Rushing added 19 points as well. Henderson State’s Christiana Hall led the Lady Reddies with 13 points, followed by Chanlee Bottoms with 12.

The Lady Statesmen out-rebounded the Lady Reddies 40 to 26 on the night. Delta State improved to 68.4 percent from the free throw line and shot 44.4 percent from the floor. The Lady Reddies shot a mere 36 percent from the floor and 35 percent from the three point line.

Coach Sandra Rushing and the Lady Statesmen return to the hardwood Thursday, Feb. 7 at Walter Sillers Coliseum versus the Lady Tigers of Ouachita Baptist University. Action begins at 6:00 p.m. The Statesmen Sports Network will broadcast the game starting at 5:45 p.m.

 

January 31, 2008

No. 1 LADY STATESMEN WIN BARNBURNER, 65-63 OVER No. 17 ARKANSAS TECH
By Jana Hayes, Women’s Basketball Contact

CLEVELAND- The top ranked Delta State women’s basketball team (18-0, 6-0 Gulf South) were victorious over the No.17 Golden Suns of Arkansas Tech University (16-3, 5-1 Gulf South), 65-63, at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday night. The contest was a hard fought battle between the two ranked squads, which will only add to the history between the GSC-rivals. The Lady Statesmen extended their winning streak to 18, while snapping Tech’s 16 game winning streak.

Brittani Calhoun put the Lady Statesmen on her shoulders in the first half scoring 11 first half points and grabbing seven rebounds. DSU led by as many as 12 in the first half, but Tech clawed their way back to trail by six at intermission. Arkansas Tech was led in scoring by Ruby Vaden with seven points, followed by Amanda Grappe with six points.

The two squads continued the battle at the start of the second half and it would maintain till the buzzer sounded. A three pointer by Jessica Boyd and a bucket inside by Renita Jones pushed the lead to nine with 13:50 remaining. The Golden Suns answered with a set from the charity stripe, but Jones quickly responded. With 9:00 minutes to play, the Lady Statesmen were up by six , 55-49. The Golden Suns pulled the lead to within four, but Bug Cooper and Lakira Boyd knocked down two quick buckets to push the lead back to eight

With both teams in the bonus, the Golden Suns hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to six, 59-53. Brittany Gottsponer quickly dotted two points for the Golden Suns to cut Delta State’s lead to a mere three points with 1:25 left on the clock.

It would be up to the Lady Statesmen defense to save the game as the clock stood at 40.6 seconds and clinging to a 65-63 lead. Ashley Grappe missed a last second lay-up, but before Krishna Baker could attempt to send the game to overtime, Jones blocked the Golden Suns last attempt.

The Lady Statesmen were led in scoring by Brittani Calhoun with 15 points and seven rebounds. Jessica Boyd had 12 points, shooting 3-of-9 from the three point line. Renita Jones and Lakira Boyd added 10 and 11 points respectively. Jennifer Rushing handed out nine assist on the game. Ruby Vaden guided the Golden Suns with 17 points, followed by Krishna Baker with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen return to play Saturday, February 2 against Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. The Statesmen Sports Network with broa