GAME NOTES: Lady Statesmen Basketball versus Christian Brothers (2.2.13)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Lady Statesmen (11-6, 6-3 GSC) of Delta State University have an off day on Thursday, before hitting the road for a Gulf SouthConference road game at Christian Brothers University. DSU travels to Memphis, Tenn., to take on the Lady Bucs (5-12, 2-7 GSC). The Lady Statesmen defeated Christian Brothers 60-50 to open Gulf South Conference play on December 1.
 
QUICK SCREENS

Delta State, who owns the league record with 15 conference championships, continues league play with an amazing 670-135 GSC record. Delta State enters this week leading the GSC in scoring at 67.4 points per game and boast the top field goal percentage with a 41.2 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 56.8 points and 36.4 percent shooting per game this season. Opponents are managing just 30.0 percent 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 12.2 points per game, which is good for 11th in the GSC. She also leads the GSC in 3-point FG% at 42.0 percent on 29-of-69 3-pointers made.

Junior guard Brooke Rhodes has turned her scoring average up in GSC play, as the Pelahatchie, Miss., native is averaging 10.0 points per game, 17th in the GSC. She is also pulling down a career-high 5.6 rebounds per game for the Lady Statesmen.
 
Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (13.4) and rebounds (8.0) per game through the first 17 games of the season. The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently seventh in the GSC in scoring and fifth 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 11.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this year. Ball scored a career high 21 points in the 52-48 win over Valdosta State. In GSC play, Ball is averaging 12.8 points and 8.1 boards per contest.
 
ON THE AIR
 
This week's game with Christian Brothers will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network. Air time is 15 minutes prior to tipoff
with the DSU Alumni Association Tipoff Report. Matt Jones and J.T. Webb will have the call.
 
UP NEXT
 
Delta State will have a rematch with the Union University Lady Bulldogs, before traveling to Florence, Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 9
to take on the University of North Alabama Lions. The Lady Statesmen defeated Union 77-67 to open the 2013 portion of the GSC
schedule on January 3. The Lions erased a 24 point DSU lead to defeat the Lady Statesmen 59-58 on January 5. Both games 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 again this Saturday for a much shorter trip compared to last week, completing its longest road trip of the regular season, which added to a combined 1,094 miles, which is 48 miles longer than a trip from Delta State University to Albuquerque, N.M. The trip to Memphis, Tenn., is 977 miles shorter. DSU met the Lady Bucs earlier in the season, opening GSC play with a 60-50 victory on Decmber, 1. Seneca Walton had 16 points for DSU.
 
LADY BUCS IMPROVING
 
The 2012-13 edition of the Christian Brothers Lady Bucs have matched its 2011-12 win total through only 17 games. CBU finished with a 5-22 mark last season, including a 2-12 record in GSC play. The Lady Bucs have also match its conference win total from last season, with two wins in its last three GSC contests.
 
A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK'S LADY STATESMEN RESULTS
 
The Lady Statesmen finished last week with a 1-1 mark, splitting a pair of road contests last week, dropping a 66-51 decision at the University of West Florida, before defeating Valdosta State University 52-48 on Saturday. UWF opened the contest on a 10-0 run and did not look back, leading all 40 minutes. The Lady Statesmen, who tied a season low 51 points, and were held to the lowest field goal percentage of the season (26.8). In the victory over the Lady Blazers, the Lady Statesmen took 6:59 to score against a stingy VSU defense, and trailed by as many as nine points, before going to the half down 25-19. The Lady Statesmen defense was dominant in the second half, holding the Lady Blazers to
only six field goals in the second half, as VSU finished 6-of-25 in the final 20 minutes. DSU used a career best 21 points from Rhandi Ball, and Chadisty Hickman tied her career high with 10 points, as DSU outscored VSU 33-23 in the second half to earn the tough victory.
 
LADY STATESMEN QUITE OFFENSIVE UNDER MIDLICK
 
Delta State continues to lead the league in scoring at 67.4 points per game. In fact, the Lady Statesmen lead the league in field goal percentage (41.2), scoring margin (+10.6) and rebounding defense (36.8). DSU also ranks second in 3-point FG percentage (31.3).
 
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 (31.3) and Chelsey Rhodes (27.4) lead the way for 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 ranks second in the GSC, allowing opponents just 56.8 points and 36.4 percent shooting per game this season. Opponents are managing just 30.0 percent from 3-point range as well.
 
WALTON DEVELOPING INTO DOMINANT POST
 
Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (13.4) and rebounds (8.0) per game through 17 games this season. The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently seventh in the GSC in scoring and fifth 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 20 in scoring, led by Seneca Walton's 13.4 ppg (7th). Chelsey Rhodes ranks 11th (12.2 ppg) with Rhandi Ball 15th (11.1 ppg) and Brooke Rhodes 17th (10.0 ppg).
 
BETTER PROTECT THE BALL
 
The Lady Statesmen enter the contest with CBU leading the GSC in steals per game (11.3) DSU has swiped 192 steals in 17 games.
 
COOKING LIKE THE FOOD NETWORK
 
The Lady Statesmen have “dished” out some quality stats this season, averaging 13.9 assists per game thanks in part to Rhandi Ball, Shanae Govan and Brittany Roberts. The trio ranks sixth, seventh and 11th respectively in assists per game. Their efforts have put the Lady Statesmen atop the assists per game category. The duo of Govan and Ball also ranks No. 3 and No. 4 respectively in assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
TWO DIFFICULT RHODES
 
Junior All-GSC guard Brooke Rhodes (10.0 ppg/5.6 rbg) and freshman guard Chelsey Rhodes (12.2 ppg/2.6 rpg) combine to form one of the top backcourts in all of the GSC. The duo accounts for 22.2 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 67.4 points per game. The Lady Statesmen rank second in the GSC in 3-point FG percentage as well at 31.3 percent. DSU has connected on 73-of-233 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 seen 15 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.