GAME NOTES: Lady Statesmen vs. Harding/Ouachita Baptist (2.12-14.11)
Complete Weekly Release in PDF

CLEVELAND - It seems like the same song, different verse each week, but with first place in the Gulf South Conference West Division on the line, the No. 3 Lady Statesmen (19-1,7-1 GSC) of Delta State University begin their week Saturday, Feb. 12, due to Thursday's postponement, as the Lady Bisons (14-6, 5-3 GSC) of Harding University stampede into Sillers Coliseum. Harding handed DSU its lone loss of the season in a 68-66 victory at Rhodes Fieldhouse in Searcy, Ark., on Jan. 15, 2011. The two schools will be facing off for the 23rd time in series history with DSU dominating the series 19-3.

Originally scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 10, the Lady Statesmen travel to Vining Arena on Monday, Feb. 14 to square-off with the Lady Tigers (15-5, 6-2 GSC) of Ouachita Baptist University. The game marks the 26th meeting all-time between the conference foes with DSU holding a 22-3 edge, including a 68-61 win at Sillers Coliseum on Jan. 13, 2011.

DSU will jump right back into GSC play next Thursday versus Henderson State at Sillers Coliseum before traveling to Russellville, Ark., on Saturday, Feb. 19 for a showdown with No. 5 Arkansas Tech. 

Delta State continues to add to its home win streak. The Lady Statesmen defeated Christian Brothers 84-49 to push the streak to 60 games. DSU established a new school record for consecutive home wins (59) with a 68-55 victory over Arkansas Tech on Saturday, Jan. 22. The win snapped a tie with the legendary Lady Statesmen squads coached by Hall of Famer Margaret Wade, who won 58 from March 9, 1974 (Auburn - W, 78-58) to February 23, 1976 (Immaculata - L, 53-64).

Senior point guard Sarita “Bug” Cooper joined a very elite club last Thursday - 1,000 points/800 assists Club - at Southern Arkansas with her 10 point and 11 assist effort in DSU's 87-40 win. Cooper has led the NCAA in assists each of the last two seasons and she has picked up right where she left off last year at No. 1 in 2010-11. Through 20 games, Cooper has dished out 181 assists/9.01 apg and her 865 assists rank No. 1 all-time in Gulf South Conference history.

Veronica Walker, a 6-foot-1 junior and top candidate for the WBCA's National Player of the Year, has turned in 10 double-doubles for the Lady Statesmen. Walker ranks fourth in the GSC in scoring (17.6) and second in rebounding (9.6) while leading the GSC in blocks per game (2.4). She had her 10th double-double of the season with 24 points and 13 boards at Southern Arkansas (2.3.11).

COOPER JOINS ELITE 1,000 POINT/800 ASSIST CLUB
It's a rare club. So rare in fact, that Sarita “Bug” Cooper is only its second member; joining Ramona Von Boeckman, who scored 1,278 points and dished out 1,005 assists in the height of Lady Statesmen dominance in the A.I.A.W. Era.

Cooper, who holds the DSU NCAA Era and Gulf South Conference record for career assists with 865, became the 32nd player in school history to score 1,000 points in a career with 10 points at Southern Arkansas (2.3.11). In 122 career games, Cooper has scored 1,002 points.

DELTA STATE HOLDS AT NO. 3 IN WBCA; NO. 1 IN SOUTH REGION
There were no major changes in the top three of the latest WBCA Division II Top 25 Poll, as the Lady Statesmen (19-1) held firm at No. 3. DSU held the No. 1 spot for six weeks before slipping two weeks ago. Lander University (23-0) remained No. 1 with Clayton State (21-0) second. DSU did take No. 1 last week in the all-important NCAA South Region Poll.

LADY STATESMEN ADDING TO SCHOOL RECORD 60-GAME HOME WIN STREAK; CHASING NEBRASKA-KEARNEY'S MARK
Delta State continues to add to its home win streak. The Lady Statesmen defeated Christian Brothers, 84-49, on Thursday, Jan. 27 to push the streak to 60 games. DSU established a new school record for consecutive home wins (59) with a 68-55 victory over Arkansas Tech on Saturday, Jan. 22. The win snapped tie with the legendary Lady Statesmen squads coached by Hall of Famer Margaret Wade, who won 58 from March 9, 1974 (Auburn - W, 78-58) to February 23, 1976 (Immaculata - L, 53-64).

Nebraska Kearney owns the NCAA record with an amazing 87 game streak that stretched nearly six years. The current streak began after dropping a 52-49 loss to Southern Arkansas on Jan. 18, 2007 and coach Sandra Rushing and the green-and-white hope to continue to defend Sillers Coliseum until the record is theirs.

RUSHING TOPS 100 GSC WINS
Head coach Sandra Rushing topped the 100-GSC victories plateau with an 84-49 win over Christian Brothers on Thursday, Jan.22. In nine successful seasons, Rushing is 102-26 in conference play. Rushing has not lost more than two conference games since the 2005-06 season and lost only one conference game in both the 2006-07 and 2008-09 seasons. The Biloxi native has led the Lady Statesmen to be West Division champions for the past five years and counting.

THE RETURN OF THE DIRTY DELTA “D”
Through 20 games in the 2010-11 season, the Lady Statesmen have held opponents to a measly 34.7 percent clip from the floor, which ranks first in the Gulf South Conference. The Lady Statesmen lead the GSC and rank second in the NCAA allowing opponents a measley 51.8 points per game. Sandra Rushing's club is not just playing solid defense, they rank second in the GSC with a 47.9 FG percentage and are averaging 72.4 points per game.

WALKER INCHING TOWARDS TOP 10
Junior All-American power forward Veronica Walker has continued her assault on the DSU record books. The Indianola native is currently No. 13 on the career scoring charts with 1,424 points.

With 352 points on the year, Walker is averaging 17.6 ppg, including 10 double-doubles. She ranks fourth in the league in scoring and second in rebounding (9.6) per game.

GET THAT MESS OUTTA HERE...
Junior forward Veronica Walker tied the school record for blocked shots in a game with nine in DSU's 76-50 win over Southern Arkansas (1.8.11). Walker tied the mark held by Vickie Jackson, who set the record versus Troy State on Feb. 10, 1986. The Indianola native leads the GSC in blocks per game at 2.4 and is chasing the school's career record for blocked shots. In two-plus seasons, Walker has swatted 176 shots to rank third all-time at DSU. She needs 56 blocks to break the school record of 232 held by former Lady Statesmen Pam Lockett (1987-90).

INSIDE THE OBU/DSU SERIES
The Lady Statesmen hold a commanding 22-3 edge in the all-time series versus the Ouachita Baptist Lady Tigers, but that's not to say the series has not been intense recently. OBU defeated the Lady Statesmen inside Vining Arena on Feb. 5, 2009, which was the same year OBU lost a 50-49 decision to DSU in the NCAA South Region Championship at Sillers Coliseum. The Lady Tigers are 7-1 in the home confines of Vining Arena for the 2011 campaign. Their lone loss was an 82-79 setback to Arkansas Tech.

REVENGE IS A DISH BETTER SERVED COLD
The Delta State University Lady Statesmen will look to avenge the first loss of 2011 on Saturday, when the Harding Lady Bisons visit Walter Sillers Coliseum. Harding jumped out to a commanding 25 point first half lead on Jan. 15 at Rhodes Field House, and hung on to defeat DSU, 68-66. The Lady Statesmen hold a commanding 19-3 lead in the all-time series.

ONE AWAY FROM 20
The Lady Statesmen are on the verge of their sixth straight 20-win season under coach Sandra Rushing. At 19-1, DSU needs just one win to hit the mark. In her nine seasons, Rushing has led DSU to at-least 20 wins seven times, including three 30-win seasons and two 25-win seasons. In nine seasons, Rushing is 223-48 at DSU.

RINGING THE BELL
Moe Bell is not wasting a single game in her last season with the Lady Statesmen. The shooting guard as topped the record book in career 3-point attempts (609), career 3-points made (259), 3-pointers made in a single game (10) and 3-pointers made in a season (99). Her 42.5 3-point field goal percentage ranks second all-time in Gulf South Conference history behind Becky Mauck's (UNA) 45.7 percent.

DELTA DOMINANCE
There is no doubt the Delta State women's basketball team has run the table in the Gulf South Conference. Since the 1985-86 season, the Lady Statesmen have won 16 Gulf South Conference Championships. No other team in the West or East Division comes close to that number. Arkansas Tech has the second most titles with three. Until last season, they had not won a championship since 2003. Jacksonville State, West Georgia and Valdosta State each have won two GSC Championships. Central Arkansas, Henderson State and North Alabama come in with one Championship apiece.

THE BUG...NOT A BUG
Senior Bug Cooper will deliver, whether its scoring her 1,000th point against Southern Arkansas last week, or more often than not, in the assist column. Cooper leads NCAA DII with 9.1 assists per game, on pace to lead all divisions for the third year in a row (8.7 assists per game in 2008-2009 and 8.4 assists per game in 2009-2010). The accurate passer ranks sixth in NCAA DII history with her 865 assists., which is of course is #1 in GSC history. She protects the ball as well, leading the conference in assist to turnover ratio at 2.78.

SOUTH REGION POLL ALL GREEN-AND-WHITE
The Lady Statesmen enjoy the view, at the top of the NCAA DII South Region rankings for a third straight week. Looking to bring the regional back to Cleveland, the Ladies will have big tests at home against Harding (2.12.11) and on the road against Arkansas Tech (2.19.11). Those games will help bolster that top spot. The rest of the field looks like this: #2 Florida Tech, #3 Arkansas Tech, #4 Rollins, #5 Florida Southern, #6 North Alabama, #7 Tampa, #8 Ouachita Baptist, #9 West Alabama and #10 Harding.

OUR VERY OWN ISSAC NEWTON...
Junior Veronica Walker goes stretches where it seems like she won't miss. At 59.9% from the field, Walker took back the top spot in field goal percentage in the GSC from ATU's Natalia Santos. That impressive mark puts her sixth in the nation and give her a chance to lead the nation in back to back years from the field (63.7% in 2009-2010).

RUSHING FOCUSED ON DELIVERING TITLE TO CLEVELAND
In the last six years, coach Sandra Rushing has guided the Lady Statesmen to a 166-20 (.891) record, four Gulf South Conference championships, two NCAA South Region titles, five-straight NCAA Sweet 16 finishes and back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances; but it's still not enough. Rushing came to Delta State to do one thing, win a national championship. This year's goal is the same as the last five and the Biloxi native and former Alabama standout will take nothing less.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
The Lady Statesmen have turned in 14 double-doubles in 20 games this season. Junior Veronica Walker leads DSU with 10, while senior guard Bug Cooper has three.

PLAYER OPPONENT STATS
Brooke Rhodes Tougaloo (11.22) 18 pts/10 reb
Veronica Walker Tougaloo (11.22) 17 pts/10 reb
Veronica Walker Ala.-Huntsville (11.27) 16 pts/14 reb
Veronica Walker West Alabama (12.2) 20 pts/11 reb
Bug Cooper West Florida (12.12.10) 10 pts/12 ast
Veronica Walker Tougaloo (12.17) 30 pts/10 reb
Veronica Walker Sou. Arkansas (1.8.11) 30 pts/15 reb
Veronica Walker Ouachita Baptist (1.13.11) 16 pts/11 reb
Veronica Walker Harding (1.15.11) 13 pts/10 reb
Bug Cooper Arkansas Tech (1.22.11) 16 pts/11ast
Veronica Walker Arkansas Tech (1.22.11) 13 pts/17 reb
Veronica Walker Arkansas-Monticello (1.29.11) 20 pts/10 reb
Bug Cooper Southern Arkansas (2.3.11) 10 pts/11 ast
Veronica Walker Southern Arkansas (2.3.11) 24 pts/13 reb

LADY STATESMEN RUN THROUGH GSC EAST DIVISION
As the GSC Tournament draws near, the Lady Statesmen hope to carry the momentum from marching through the GSC East Division into this year's event. DSU defeated UA-Huntsville (60-52), North Alabama (63-44), West Alabama (58-56), West Georgia (67-31), West Florida (75-53) and Valdosta State (60-45).

WALKER AND COOPER CANDIDATES FOR WBCA NATIONAL POY
It's rare for one team to feature two players with the ability to earn the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's National Player of the Year Award, but the Lady Statesmen feature just that in point guard Sarita “Bug” Cooper and power forward Veronica Walker.

DEFENSE NAME OF THE GAME FOR LADY STATESMEN
DSU has historically been a dominant defensive basketball team and coach Sandra Rushing has hung her hat on the ability to stop the opposition. If you look back over Delta State's four-straight Gulf South Conference championship seasons, the Lady Statesmen finished first in the conference in scoring and field goal percentage defense, while finishing no lower than fourth in the NCAA in scoring defense.

Despite winning 27 games and advancing to the NCAA South Region Championship game, the Lady Statesmen got away from “Delta Defense” last season. DSU ranked 12th in scoring defense after ranking no lower than fourth in the previous four seasons.

RUSHING'S SCORING DEFENSE RECORD
YEAR NCAA RANK SCORING DEFENSE
2010-11 2nd 51.8
2009-10 12th 54.9
2008-09 4th 52.0
2007-08 3rd 51.6
2006-07 3rd 49.2
2005-06 3rd 46.8
2004-05 17th 56.1
2003-04 4th 53.1
2002-03 NR 64.8

THEY DON'T GO AWAY EASILY
Delta State opponents cannot rely on forcing a Lady Statesmen to foul out of a game too often. Through DSU's last two seasons, only six Lady Statesmen have registered a foul out.