CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Lady Statesmen (10-5, 5-2 GSC) of Delta State University hit the road for a pair of Gulf South Conference road games this week.DSU travels to Pensacola, Fla., to take on in the Argonauts (3-12, 0-7 GSC) of the University of West Florida on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 5:00 p.m. and the Lady Blazers (10-5, 3-4 GSC) of Valdosta State University on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 10:30 a.m.

Three teams, including Delta State are in a first place tie with a 5-2 mark in GSC play.


QUICK SCREENS

Delta State, who owns the league record with 15 conference championships, continues league play with an amazing 669-134 GSC record.

Delta State enters this week leading the GSC in scoring at 69.5 points per game and boast the top field goal percentage with a 42.9
average. The Lady Statesmen have topped 90 points twice, including wins over Selma (99-37) and Stillman (90-54).

The Lady Statesmen have been a defense-first program for the last 10 years and coach Midlick has kept the tradition rolling this season, as DSU is allowing opponents just 56.7 points and 36.2 percent shooting per game this season. Opponents are managing just 30.2percent from 3-point range as well.

Freshman guard Chelsey Rhodes is making an immediate impact on the Lady Statesmen this season. The Monticello, Ark., native is
averaging 12.7 points per game, which is good for 11th in the GSC. She also leads the GSC in 3-point FG% at 47.5 percent on 28-of-59 3-pointers made.

Junior guard Brooke Rhodes has turned her scoring average up in GSC play, as the Pelahatchie, Miss., native is averaging 10.6 points per game, 13th in the GSC. She is also pulling down a career-high 5.7 rebounds per game for the Lady Statesmen.

Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (14.2) and rebounds (8.3) per game through the first 15 games of the season. The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently sixth in the GSC in scoring and fourth in rebounding, including a 23 rebound performance versus West Alabama on Jan. 17, which was the third most in DSU history in a GSC game.

Sophomore forward Rhandi Ball has become a major scoring threat for DSU this season. The Ponotoc, Miss., native, who was named the GSC Freshman of the Year last season, is averaging a career-high 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game this year. In GSC play, Ball is averaging 10.4 points and 12.7 boards per contest.

ON THE AIR

This week's games with West Florida and Valdosta State will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network. Air time is 15 minutes
prior to tipoff with the DSU Alumni Association Tipoff Report. J.T. Webb and Herb Brooks will have the call. The VSU contest will be
televised live by the CBS Sports Network, marking the first time since the 2009 NCAA Elite Eight, when the Lady Statesmen were featured on ESPN 2 after advancing to the Final Four.


UP NEXT

Delta State will have off an off day on Thursday, Jan. 31, before the schedule flips and the Lady Statesmen travel to Christian Brothers University on Saturday, Feb. 2 Saturday's game at CBU is set for 2 p.m. The Lady Statesmen defeated CBU 60-50 to open GSC play on December 1. The game will be carried live on the Statesmen Sports Network with Matt Jones and J.T. Webb on the call.

LADY STATESMEN READY FOR THE ROAD

The Lady Statesmen hit the road this week for the longest road trip of the regular season, scheduled for a combined 1,094 miles, which is 48 miles longer than a trip from Delta State University to Albuquerque, N.M. The games are crucial for all three teams, as UWF is looking for its first GSC victory. VSU (3-4 GSC) is looking to escape from the bottom half of the GSC standings.

DSU met each of the opponents this week twice last season, claiming a 3-1 mark. The only loss for the Green-and-White in the four meetings was a 50-42 setback on Jan. 5, 2012 last season in Valdosta.

LADY BLAZERS TOUGH AT HOME

The Complex on the campus of Valdosta State University has historically been a difficult place for road teams. This season has been no different, as the Lady Blazers have a perfect 7-0 mark inside the friendly confines this season. Over the last three seasons, VSU is 31-4 inside its home arena.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK'S LADY STATESMEN RESULTS

The Lady Statesmen finished last week with a 2-0 mark, earning victories over West Alabama and West Georgia. DSU defeated UWA 58-32 and withstood a furious second half rally from UWG to hold on for a 65-54 win.The 32 points allowed by the Lady Statesmen in the victory over the Tigers was the fewest by a DSU team since a 67-31 win over West Georgia on December 4, 2010.

LADY STATESMEN QUITE OFFENSIVE UNDER MIDLICK

Delta State continues to lead the league in scoring at 69.3 points per game. In fact, the Lady Statesmen lead the league in field goal
percentage (42.9), scoring margin (+12.8), rebounding defense (34.9)and rebounding margin (+7.7). DSU ranks second in 3-point FG percentage (32.5).

WAVES AND WAVES AND WAVES

Coach David Midlick's philosophy is a simple one, fresh players equals better results and this season Delta State is certainly putting that plan into place. Through the first 15 games, the Lady Statesmen have five players averaging 20+ minutes per game and nine totaling 10+ minutes per contest. Brooke Rhodes (31.5) and Chelsey Rhodes (26.9) lead the way the Green-and-White in minutes played this season.

SMOTHERING DEFENSE

The Lady Statesmen have been a defense first program for the last 10 years and coach Midlick has kept the tradition rolling this season, as DSU is allowing opponents just 56.7 points and 36.2 percent shooting per game this season. Opponents are managing just 30.2 percent from 3-point range as well.

WALTON DEVELOPING INTO DOMINANT POST

Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (14.2) and rebounds (8.3) per game through the first 15 games of the season. The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently sixth in the GSC in scoring and fourth in rebounding.
In the 58-32 victory over the West Alabama on Jan. 17, Walton scored 15 points and pulled down a career high 23 rebounds. The 23
rebounds are the third most in DSU history in a GSC game.

POURING IN THE POINTS

The Lady Statesmen feature four players ranked in the GSC's top 16 in scoring, led by Seneca Walton's 14.2 ppg (6th). Chelsey Rhodes ranks 11th (12.7 ppg) with Brooke Rhodes 13th (10.6 ppg) and Rhandi Ball 15th (10.4 ppg).


BETTER PROTECT THE BALL

The Lady Statesmen enter this week's contests with West Florida and Valdosta State leading the GSC in steals per game (11.7). In fact, DSU has swiped 175 steals in just 15 games.

COOKING LIKE THE FOOD NETWORK

The Lady Statesmen have “dished” out some quality stats this season, averaging 14.4 assists per game thanks in part to Brittany Roberts, Rhandi Ball and Shanae Govan. The trio ranks sixth, seventh and 10th respectively in assists per game.
Their efforts have put the Lady Statesmen atop the assists per game category. The duo of Ball and Govan also ranks No. 3 and No. 4 respectively in assist-to-turnover ratio.

TWO DIFFICULT RHODES

Junior All-GSC guard Brooke Rhodes (10.6 ppg/5.7 rbg) and freshman guard Chelsey Rhodes (12.7 ppg/1.6 apg) combine to form one of the top backcourts in all of the GSC. The duo accounts for 23.2 points per night for coach Midlick and the Lady Statesmen offense, which ranks No. 1 in scoring in the GSC.

3-BALL

Delta State has used the 3-point shot to ints advantage this season, averaging a league-high 69.5 points per game. The Lady Statesmen rank second in the GSC in 3-point FG percentage as well at 32.5 percent. DSU has connected on 66-of-203 3-point
attempts this season.

LADY STATESMEN PICKED 4TH IN GSC COACHES POLL

Delta State found itself in unfamiliar territory, as the Lady Statesmen were picked fourth in the annual Preseason Gulf South Conference Coaches' Poll. DSU has not been picked lower than second in any preseason league poll since the 2003-04
season.

UAH claimed five first-place votes and two second-place votes, a total of 47 points, as it was the choice as the GSC's top team
in the preseason voting poll done by the conference's head coaches. Last year's surprise GSC Champions, West Alabama,
finished with a total of 42 points, three first-place votes and three second-place votes, while Valdosta State rounds out the
top 3 with a total of 35 points.

After a 22-7 season, including a 12-2 GSC record, Delta State is ranked fourth with 33 total points. North Alabama completes
the top five with 26 points.

LADY STATESMEN, NOT FIGHTING OKRA

Despite some rowdy student objections, athletic programs at Delta State University do not use the student-chosen submascot,
Fighting Okra. The Fighting Okra, the most vicious of all vegetables, was created by a band of students at DSU in the late
1980's and early 1990's. While some on campus embrace the scary veggie, DSU Athletics does not. Our programs have always been, and will continue to be the Statesmen and Lady Statesmen. If you have a problem with that, take it up with the vegetable in the corner with boxing gloves.

HISTORIC WALTER SILLERS COLISEUM

The Lady Statesmen begin their 38th season inside the historic confines of Walter Sillers Coliseum. The parquet floor has seen15 Gulf South Conference championships, three NCAA National Championships and 24 NCAA Tournament teams during its
tenure as the home of the Green-and-White.

The 4,000-seat arena offers fans a panoramic view from two different levels, including more than 1,000 chair-back seats in
the mezzanine level. During the spring of 1997 the bleachers on the lower east level were replaced with luxury seats for fans
and lowered almost to floor level in 1999. The famed floor that so many DSU greats played on was replaced by a state of the art
parquet floor following the 1998 season.