CLEVELAND – Bug Cooper scored a game-high 16 points and finished one assist shy of a double-double to lead the No. 2 Delta State Lady Statesmen to a 72-45 win over Christian Brothers at Sillers Coliseum on Saturday.

Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) was 7-of-13 from the field and grabbed three rebounds in addition to handing out nine assists as the Lady Statesmen (14-0) improved to 3-0 in Gulf South Conference play.

Veronica Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Lady Statesmen, who won their 42nd consecutive home contest. Jasmyne Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon HS) came off the Delta State bench to score 10 points, all in the second half.

Tameka Wooten and Jasmine Ellis scored 14 points apiece for the Lady Buccaneers (10-5, 1-2 GSC).

The Lady Statesmen opened the game in their familiar fashion, jumping out to an 8-0 run barely three minutes into the contest on a 3-pointer from Bell off an assist from Cooper. Cooper had three assists by the 16:55 mark.

Christian Brothers responded with a pair of baskets to cut the score to 8-4 at the 15:58 mark.

The Lady Bucs kept pace with the Lady Statesmen during the first 10 minutes of action, and got as close as three points on a layup by Jasmine Ellis with 10:34 before halftime. Ellis scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting during the first half.

But while the Lady Buccaneers were riding the hot hand of Ellis, the Lady Statesmen had three players who scoring at ease during the first half. Cooper led Delta State with 12 points going into halftime, and also ignited the offense by handing out six assists.

Meanwhile, Walker added 11 points and Moe Bell (Madison, Miss./Madison-Ridgeland Academy) scored nine points before the midgame break.

The Lady Statesmen reasserted control in the latter stages of first half. A 7-0 DSU run between the 8:16 and 6:48 marks gave the home team its first double-digits lead as the Lady Statesmen claimed a 28-17 advantage. Delta State took a 34-25 lead into the locker room.

Delta State continued to frustrate the visiting Lady Buccaneers in the second half as the Lady Statesmen stretched their lead to 13 points on a layup by Ashley Martin (Memphis, Tenn./Southern Miss) with 17:29 remaining in the game. Delta State's lead never fell to single digits in the second half.

The win over CBU capped a stellar week for Cooper, who scored a career-high 27 points at Arkansas-Monticello. The nation's assist leader handed out eight helpers at Monticello, giving her 17 for the week.

Martin finished the game with four points, as did Joncyee Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon HS). Local product Jimisha Washington (Cleveland, Miss./East Side HS) scored six points and grabbed two offensive rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen return to action on Thursday when they host Southern Arkansas at 8 p.m.