Box Score CLEVELAND – Veronica Walker and the Lady Statesmen cruised to a 60-46 victory over West Georgia to open the home schedule of GSC play with a win for Delta State (8-4, 2-1 GSC).
 
Walker, a preseason player of the year candidate, led all scorers with 22 points. The senior forward from Indianola, Miss. also had 14 rebounds, picking up her sixth double-double on the season. The 14 rebounds were a season high for Walker.
 
Walker went seven-for-10 from the field for the game and seven-for-eight from the free-throw line. She also finished with two assists in the game in 33 minutes of action.
 
The Lady Statesmen entered the second half with a double-digit lead over the Wolves (6-8, 1-2 GSC), and never let it go, increasing the lead to as much as 25 points in the second half.
 
Brooke Rhodes got the night going early for the Lady Statesmen, hitting two 3-point shots in a 9-point run on her own. The run by the sophomore guard gave Delta State an 11-4 run to start the game and Rhodes led Lady Statesmen with 12 points in the first half.
 
Rhodes was held scoreless in the second half, but finished with 12 points and six rebounds.
 
West Georgia narrowed the gap and took the lead multiple times in the first half. The lead changed hands five times in the first 20 minutes.
 
Walker helped spread the gap back to 10 points in the closing minutes of the half. She went into the break with nine points and six rebounds.
 
The Lady Statesmen carried a 31-21 lead at the half.
 
Walker then sprung Delta State to an 11-1 run to open the second half. Walker scored seven straight points in the run followed by four points from Aubree Ray.
 
Ray finished with six points and three rebounds.
 
Seneca Walton and Brittany Roberts each had seven points in the game. Walton led all bench scorers and also had eight rebounds in 16 minutes of action.
 
As a whole, the Lady Statesmen were 19-of-26 from the free-throw line and were 50-percent from three-point range (3-6). Delta State was 19-of-50 (.380) from the field.
 
The Lady Statesmen dominated the boards against the Wolves, outrebounding West Georgia 45-23. Delta State also had 12 assists to West Georgia's six.
 
The Lady Statesmen defense stood tough, holding the Wolves to 33-percent from the field (16-48) and 27-percent (4-15) from three-point range. West Georgia was 10-for-18 (.560) from the free-throw line.
 
The Lady Statesmen will return to action Saturday against West Alabama (6-8, 1-2 GSC), who come off a one-point loss to Christian Brothers in their last game. The game will start at 4 p.m. at Sillers Coliseum.