CLEVELAND – Veronica Walker scored a game-high 23 points and blocked five shots as the No. 12 Delta State Lady Statesmen held off a second-half charge by No. 5 Arkansas Tech to claim a 71-61 win Saturday at Sillers Coliseum.

Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) posted her ninth double-double of the season as she also hauled in a game-best 15 rebounds.

Delta State (21-2, 10-2 Gulf South Conference) pulled back into a tie with the Golden Suns for first place in the GSC West Division standings. Arkansas Tech (23-2, 10-2 GSC) beat Delta State in Russellville, Ark. in January.

Natalia Santos scored 20 points for the Golden Suns.

The Lady Statesmen got out of the gate quickly and claimed an early double-digit lead when Moe Bell (Madison, Miss./Madison Ridgeland Academy) knocked down a 3-pointer off an assist from Bug Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) with 12:58 remaining to give DSU a 20-9 lead.

In a matchup between two of the conference's top teams, it was only fitting that a Lady Statesman would claim a piece of conference history, as Cooper became the all-time conference leader in assists when she set up Bell's 3-ball.

Cooper finished the game with nine assists to bring her career total to 608. She broke the previous record of 603 held by Jana Bright, who finished her career at former GSC member school Jacksonville State in 1991. Cooper also scored 12 points in the game.

The Lady Statesmen kept pouring it on in the first period, eventually stretching their lead to 21 points when Shameka Russell (Waynesboro, Miss./Southeastern Louisiana) converted a layup off a pass from Jessica Collins (Jackson, Miss./Itawamba CC) to make the score 31-10 with 9:38 remaining in the first half.

Delta State kept the Golden Suns at bay throughout the first half and took a 41-27 lead into halftime.

The Golden Suns began putting a scare into Delta State's hopes for an upset after a 9-0 run between the 18:43 and 16:11 marks cut the lead to 45-38. Arkansas Tech would get as close as six points in the second half, but would get no closer.

While Walker scorched the Golden Suns for 18 points in the first half, it was Cooper who provided the points in the second half. With Arkansas Tech focusing its defense effort on Walker, Cooper kept DSU's margin from shrinking by scoring all 12 of her points during a five-minute span late in the second half.

Delta State shot 45 percent (26-of-57) from the floor and sank 76 percent (16-of-21) of its free throws. The Golden Suns shot 47 percent from the field, but made only five out of their nine free throw attempt (56 percent).

Collins and Russell both scored 12 points for the Lady Statesmen, followed by Bell, who added nine points.

The Lady Statesmen won their 47th consecutive home game in front of an announced crowd of 2,192 as part of Delta State's “White Out Sillers Coliseum” promotion.

In addition to having an effect on the national Division II rankings, Delta State's win over Arkansas Tech could shake up the South Region rankings, as DSU entered the week ranked No. 3, while the Golden Suns were ranked second.

The Lady Statesmen return to action Thursday when they travel to Harding for the final regular-season road trip of 2010. Tipoff against the Lady Bisons is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.