CLEVELAND – The No. 4-ranked Delta State Lady Statesmen overwhelmed West Alabama with a 25-6 run over the last nine minutes of the first half and cruised to a 75-38 victory Monday at Sillers Coliseum.
Veronica Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry) led the Lady Statesmen with 19 points and shot 8-of-11 for the second consecutive game. She also tied a personal best by blocking six West Alabama shots during the game.
Shameka Russell (Waynesboro, Miss./Southeastern La.) scored 12 points for Delta State. Freshman Jasmyne Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon) came off the bench to score 10 points, giving her her first double-digits performance.
The win improved the Delta State to 3-0 on the season. West Alabama fell to 2-1.
Joncyee Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon) finished one rebound and one point shy of a double-double, registering nine points and hauling down nine caroms for the Lady Statesmen. She also doled out four assists.
Moe Bell (Madison, Miss./Madison-Ridgeland Academy) also scored nine points for Delta State.
It appeared to be business as usual in the early going for the Lady Statesmen, who have won 38 consecutive home games dating back to 2007. After they fell behind 2-1 in the first two minutes, the Lady Statesmen went on a 9-0 run and established a 10-2 lead on Russell's first basket of the game.
The Lady Tigers, however, were able to regroup and pull to within four points thanks to a 9-5 run to make the score 15-11 with nine minutes remaining before halftime. That run would be the last time the Tigers were in single-digits, as Delta State flexed its collective muscle on both ends of the floor and finished the period by outscoring their opponents 25-6.
The Lady Statesmen shot 63 percent (15-of-24) while holding West Alabama to 30 percent shooting (7-of-23). The Lady Tigers shot 33 percent from the field (15-of-46) for the game and committed 22 turnovers.
The Lady Statesmen's fusillade from the field (29-of-53, 55 percent) was enabled by the play of their point guards, who tallied 20 assists in the game. Jessica Collins (Jackson, Miss./Itawamba CC) came off the bench to tally nine assists in addition to four points, while Bug Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) added seven assists.
West Alabama managed only one run of at least seven points in the game, and that occurred in the final two minutes of the contest and cut into Delta State's 44-point advantage.
The Lady Statesmen will return to action Saturday when they host Alabama-Huntsville at 4 p.m. The game is the first contest of a women's-and-men's doubleheader between the two schools.
