GAME NOTES: Lady Statesmen Basketball vs. Alabama-Huntsville/North Alabama
Complete Weekly Release with full notes, stats and standings in PDF
CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Gulf South Conference lead is on the line this week, as the Lady Statesmen (9-4, 3-1 GSC) of Delta State University welcome in the University of Alabama-Huntsville (13-2, 4-0 GSC) to Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday, Jan. 19. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. DSU will wrap up the week at the University of North Alabama (10-5, 2-2 GSC) on Saturday, Jan. 21. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Flowers Hall in Florence, Ala. Both games will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network.
The GSC's top-scoring offense meets the league's most tenacious defense, as the Lady Statesmen welcome in the Chargers of Alabama-Huntsville to Sillers Coliseum. UAH leads the GSC in scoring at 80.4 points per game, while DSU is allowing a league-low 50.7 ppg. UAH enters the game as the lone unbeaten team in the GSC this season, while DSU boasts a 3-1 mark in league play. The game marks the 10th meeting all-time and the first in GSC regular season play. DSU leads the all-time series 8-1, including a 60-42 win at UAH (11.10.10).
With the departure of the Arkansas schools to a new conference, long-time rivals North Alabama and Delta State return to GSC regular season play. Saturday's game marks the 47th time the two GSC founding institutions tangle on the hardwood. The Lady Statesmen have dominated the series over the years, holding a 41-5 edge in the standings. DSU and UNA squared off twice last season, including a 63-44 win at Flowers Hall (11.29.10) and a 56-47 NCAA South Region Tournament victory in Russellville, Ark.
Veronica Walker, a two-time Gulf South Conference West Division Player of the Year and preseason candidate for WBCA National Player of the Year, enters the week leading the league in scoring (19.3) and rebounding (9.3). The senior from Indianola, Miss., ranks fourth on the career scoring charts at DSU with 1,916 points and sixth on the career list in the GSC.
Defense remains the name of the game for coach Sandra Rushing and the Lady Statesmen. The Lady Statesmen are once again setting the standard for defense in the Gulf South Conference, allowing a league-low 50.7 points per game and 34.9 field goal percentage. DSU has allowed an opponent over 60 points just three times, including a season-high of 65 in a 65-60 loss at Ouachita Baptist. In fact, opponents have been held below 50 points nine times, including a stretch of seven straight games.
Since taking over the program in 2002-03, Lady Statesmen head coach Sandra Rushing is 241-55 (.816) with four GSC championships, two NCAA South Region titles, two NCAA Final Four appearances and six-straight NCAA Sweet 16 finishes.
The Lady Statesmen were the unanimous choice as the GSC's top team in the preseason voting done by the league's head coaches. DSU earned seven first-place votes and finished with 49 points. Valdosta State finished nine points behind with 40 points. The remaining first-place vote went to Alabama-Huntsville, which placed third with 33 points. North Alabama (27), West Alabama (26), West Georgia (23), West Florida (17) and Christian Brothers (13) rounded out the voting.
One of the nation's most successful women's programs, Delta State holds Gulf South Conference records for GSC titles (15), NCAA postseason appearances (24), victories (52), Elite Eight appearances (13), Final Four berths (9) and NCAA National Championships (3). The Lady Statesmen's 54 NCAA Tournament wins are also a Division II record.
UP NEXT
DSU begins a new rivalry with Gulf South Conference newcomer University of New Orleans (1.24/4:30 p.m.) before closing out the week at Christian Brothers University (1.28/2 p.m.).
