GAME NOTES: Lady Statesmen Basketball at Valdosta State/West Florida (1.5-7.12)
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CLEVELAND, MISS. - The Lady Statesmen (6-3, 0-0 GSC) of Delta State University begin their quest for a 16th Gulf South Conference title this week with a pair of league games at Valdosta State University (9-2, 0-0 GSC) and University of West Florida (4-8, 0-0 GSC).  Both games will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network with J.T. Webb and Clayton Coffman on the call.    

Two of the most successful programs in GSC history renew their conference rivalry on Thursday, Jan. 5 and this time it's not in the GSC or NCAA Tournament.  The Lady Statesmen and Lady Blazers have met 33 times previously with DSU owning a 29-4 edge in the series standings.  DSU ended VSU's seasons in 2008, 2009 and 2010 in the NCAA Division II South Region or Gulf South Conference Tournament.

All of the previous 10 meetings between the Lady Statesmen and Argonauts have come in either non-conference matchups or GSC Tournament games.  Saturday's clash in Pensacola, Fla., will mark a change in the history of the series as the two clubs meet in GSC regular season play.  DSU has dominated the series over the years with an 8-2 edge in the series.   

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 (19.9) and rebounding (9.2).  The senior from Indianola, Miss., ranks fifth on the career scoring charts at DSU with 1,844 points and eighth 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 53.1 points per game and 35.4 field goal percentage defense.  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 five times, including three-straight games, all wins for the Lady Statesmen.

Sophomore shooting guard Brooke Rhodes is off to a fast start for the green-and-white.  The Pelahatchie, Miss., native is averaging 14.9 points and 2.4 assists per game for DSU this season. 

Since taking over the program in 2002-03, Lady Statesmen head coach Sandra Rushing is 238-54 (.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.

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DSU returns to Sillers Coliseum next week for a pair of games versus West Georgia (1.12/6 p.m.) and West Alabama (1.14/4 p.m.).