VALDOSTA, Ga. – Bug Cooper and Veronica Walker scored 16 points apiece to lead the No. 3 Delta State Lady Statesmen past Valdosta State 54-41 Tuesday.

Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) handed out five assists while Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) hauled in a team-high nine rebounds and blocked five shots as the Lady Statesmen (9-0) concluded their slate of crossover games against the Gulf South Conference's East Division with a perfect 6-0 record.

The Lady Statesmen had to withstand a spirited charge by the Lady Blazers who cut a 20-point Delta State lead to 10 points within the final five minutes of the game. Valdosta State (4-6) dropped their second consecutive contest.

Shameka Russell (Waynesboro, Miss./Southeastern Louisiana) scored seven points for the Lady Statesmen. Sczeny Hartry and Sierra Nixon scored nine points apiece for Valdosta State.

Unranked Valdosta hung with the Lady Statesmen for most of the first half. Delta State took an early 6-0 lead less than three minutes in, but that was answered by six consecutive points from the Lady Blazers.

The Lady Statesmen rebuilt their lead to five points on a jumper from Cooper with 12:24 remaining, but Valdosta answered with a shot on their next trip down the floor. Neither team would score over the next four and a half minutes until Walker converted a fast-break layup with 7:29 showing on the clock.

Valdosta would cut Delta State's lead to one point with 5:18 remaining before halftime, but the Lady Statesmen countered with an 8-0 run that was capped by Russell's 3-pointer at the 1:34 mark to give the visitors a 25-16 lead. Delta State took a 27-18 lead into the midgame break.

Delta State managed to shoot only 43 percent (9-of-21) from the floor during the first 20 minutes, but held their hosts to 27 percent shooting (7-of-26). Both teams forced nine turnovers in the first half.

Cooper scored nine points and handed out four assists prior to halftime.

The Lady Statesmen continued to put the defensive clamps on the Lady Blazers after halftime, stretching their lead to 15 points while holding Valdosta scoreless for the first 4:20 of the second half. Delta State stretched its lead to 41-22 on a fast-break layup from Walker with 12:05 remaining in the game.

Delta State took its biggest lead of the game when Cooper knocked down one out of two free throws with 9:41 remaining to give the Lady Statesmen a 44-24 lead. Valdosta State, however, refused to back down and embarked on a 12-2 run over the next seven minutes to pull to within 10 points.

The Lady Blazers would get as close as 48-39 when Hartry sank a pair of free throws with 1:19 remaining, but would get no closer as Delta State was able to put the game out of reach at the free throw line.

For the game, the Lady Statesmen shot 44 percent (19-of-43) from the floor while holding Valdosta State to 30 percent (14-of-46). The Lady Statesmen helped themselves by sinking 13 out of their 14 free-throw attempts for the game.

The Lady Statesmen return to action Saturday when they host former GSC foe Montevallo in Delta State's final game before the Christmas break. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.