CLEVELAND – The No. 3 Delta State Lady Statesmen received their toughest test of the season but held off a second-half surge from Montevallo and won 66-59 Saturday at Sillers Coliseum.

Veronica Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) scored 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds as the Lady Statesmen (10-0) won their 41st consecutive home contest. Walker also blocked three shots in the contest.

The Falcons (7-2) used 11-2 run in the between the 13:54 and 8:01 marks in the second half to completely erase a nine-point DSU advantage and became the first Delta State opponent this season to pull even with the Lady Statesmen after halftime.

Montevallo would tie the game twice in the second half, but was unable to pull ahead as Delta State used a late 7-0 run between the 6:50 and 3:58 marks to give the Lady Statesmen a comfortable margin.

Jessica Collins (Jackson, Miss./Itawamba CC) came off the Delta State bench to score 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Bug Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) and Shameka Russell (Waynesboro, Miss./Southeastern Louisiana) scored eight points.

Cooper led the Lady Statesmen with 10 assists and reached double-figures in that category for the third time this season. At the start of the week, Cooper was the Division II leader in assists with 7.9 helpers per game.

Delta State shot 49 percent (26-of-53) from the floor during the game, while Montevallo shot 24-of-54 (44 percent).

The Lady Statesmen appeared as if they were going to run away with the game early after jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first three minutes, but Montevallo regrouped and pulled to within two points at the 15:27 mark.

Delta State never relinquished their lead in the first half, but was unable to completely break away from the Falcons. A 13-6 run between the 13:00 and 8:40 marks gave the Lady Statesmen their first 10-point lead of the game.

Montevallo trailed 42-31 at halftime, which was the closest any of Delta State's opponents have been to the Lady Statesmen by the midgame break this season.

The Lady Statesmen built their lead thanks to shooting 63 percent (17-of-27) from the field in the first half. Montevallo shot 43 percent (13-of-30) from the floor during the same span.

Walker scored nine points and was 3-of-5 from the field during the first half, while Cooper issued seven assists before halftime. Collins added nine points and Jasmyne Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon HS) chipped in with seven points during the half.

Sanders finished the game with seven points and three rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen will have a 10-day break from action over the Christmas holidays and will return to action Wednesday, Dec. 30 when they travel to Montevallo, Ala. for their second of their home-and-home series against the Falcons. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.