MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Veronica Walker scored 25 points and Shameka Russell added 15 points to lead the No. 12 Delta State Lady Statesmen to an 83-46 win at Christian Brothers on Saturday.
Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) posted a double-double as she hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds to lead the Lady Statesmen (19-2, 8-2 Gulf South Conference West). She was 10-of-12 from the field during the game.
Russell (Waynesboro, Miss./Southeastern Louisiana) came off the bench to score 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. She also added eight rebounds, marking the second time in as many games she as rebounded that many shots.
The Lady Statesmen won their third consecutive game and notched their first win on the road since mid-January.
“I saw some great effort and some great focus,” head coach Sandra Rushing said. “I thought our defense was solid. I got to play a lot of people and I'm very proud of this win.”
Delta State held the Lady Buccaneers (14-8, 5-5 GSC West) to 27 percent shooting (14-of-52) from the field, and were particularly stifling to their hosts in the first half, as CBU sank only 17 percent (4-of-24) of their shots before halftime.
Briley Milfeld, who finished the game with a team-high 11 points for Christian Brothers, was 3-of-4 in the first half, while the rest of the Lady Bucs shot 1-of-20 (5 percent) during the first 20 minutes.
The Lady Statesmen built their lead to double-digits barely six minutes in which Walker sank one out of two free throws to make the score 15-5 at the 13:58 mark before halftime. DSU used another 17-5 run over the next eight and a half minutes to seize firm control of the game with a 34-10 advantage.
The Lady Statesmen took a 41-17 lead into halftime.
Walker's missed free throw after putting DSU ahead by 10 was the only charity shot the Lady Statesmen missed, as they shot 94 percent (17-of-18) from the line. From the field, the Lady Statesmen shot 53 percent (31-of-58).
Bug Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) scored 10 points and handed out eight assists. Moe Bell (Madison, Miss./Madison-Ridgeland Academy) added six points.
With a solid lead that never dipped below 22 points after halftime, Rushing was able give everyone on her roster some playing time, and every Lady Statesmen player scored at least two points. Jessica Collins (Jackson, Miss./Itawamba CC), Tamara Reed (Bay St. Louis, Miss./Wayne County HS) and Dominique Sutton (Jackson, Miss./Pensacola JC) scored five points apiece.
Sutton's performance in five minutes of action was particularly encouraging, as it was her first game since December after missing two months for non-athletic health reasons.
Joncyee Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon HS) and Jimisha Washington (Cleveland, Miss./Coahoma CC) scored four points apiece for the Lady Statesmen. Jasmyne Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon HS) and Denesha Henderson (Guy, Ark./Guy-Perkins HS) chipped in with two points each.
“I think we're playing good basketball right now,” Rushing said. “We're playing better as a team and I'm getting to play a lot of people.”
The Lady Statesmen return to action Thursday when travel to Magnolia, Ark. to face the Lady Muleriders of Southern Arkansas. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
