RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The No. 2 seeded Lady Statesmen (26-3) of Delta State University will square off with the Lady Blazers (20-8) of Valdosta State University in the semifinal round of the NCAA South Region Women's Basketball Tournament.  Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Tucker Coliseum on the campus of Arkansas Tech University.  The game will be broadcast on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network starting at 12:45 p.m.  Matt Jones and Alan Wiederhold will have the call. 

Coach Sandra Rushing and the Lady Statesmen will be making their fifth-straight NCAA South Region Tournament Semifinal appearance on Sunday, as Delta State meets Valdosta State at 1 p.m. inside Tucker Coliseum.

The Lady Statesmen defeated Lynn University 69-55 behind Veronica Walker's 20 points and 15 rebound performance. It was the 13th double-double of the year for the GSC West Player of the Year and the third in a row.

Freshman Joncyee Sanders turned in a career best 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists in her first ever start for the green-and-white. Shameka Russell also played a major role with 17 points and eight boards, while Sarita “Bug” Cooper cashed in with eight points, six rebounds and six assists.

VALDOSTA AND DELTA - NCAA TOURNAMENT PART THREE
Over the past few seasons, postseason basketball wouldn't be complete without a Delta State vs. Valdosta State NCAA Tournament showdown. Sunday at 1 p.m., the Lady Statesmen and Lady Blazers will meet for the third straight time in NCAA regional action.

In 2007-08, the Lady Statesmen defeated the Lady Blazers 62-44 to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight in Kearney, Neb.. In 2008-09, the two clubs met in the first round last year, with DSU posting a 58-48 win en route to the NCAA Elite Eight in San Antonio, Texas.

This season, two of the GSC's oldest rivalries have met twice previously with Delta State winning at Valdosta State 54-41 on Dec. 15, 2009 and the Lady Statesmen claiming a 72-60 win over the Lady Blazers in last week's GSC Tournament Semifinals.

Sunday's meeting will be the 32nd meeting all-time between the two schools. Delta State leads the all-time series standings 27-4.

DSU vs. VSU ALL-TIME NCAA MEETINGS OUTCOME
1994-95 NCAA South Regional Semifinals -  VSU 80 - DSU 75
2007-08 NCAA South Regional Finals -  DSU 62 - VSU 44
2008-09 NCAA South Regional Quarterfinals - DSU 58 - VSU 48

WALKER CONTINUES TO FLOURISH
Veronica Walker (6-1/Indianola, Miss.) proved to be too much Lynn in DSU's South Region first round game, scoring 20 points and grabbing 16 rebounds – her 13th double-double of the season and her seventh in Delta State's previous nine games.

As the season has progressed, Walker has continued to get better. The sophomore has scored at least 20 points in each of the Lady Statesmen's last nine games.

In Delta State's two previous meetings with Valdosta State this season, Walker has averaged 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest.

BIG GAME ON THE BIG STAGE
The spotlight and the pressure of the postseason didn't get the best of freshman guard Joncyee Sanders (5-8/Brandon, Miss.) Sanders made the most of her first collegiate start in the Lady Statesmen's South Region victory over Lynn on Friday, scoring a career-high 14 points and grabbing six rebounds and handing out four assists.

Sanders was on the court for 36 minutes (also a career high) and scored in double-figures for the first time since Dec. 5, when she scored 10 points against NAIA opponent Tougaloo.