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Delta State Lady Statesmen vs. Shorter/UAH (2.14-16.13)

CLEVELAND, Miss. -  The Lady Statesmen (13-7, 8-4 GSC) of Delta State University return to Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 14 to host the Shorter University Lady Hawks (13-8, 8-5) for a key Gulf South Conference contest. DSU will then host the University of Alabama in Huntsville (10-13, 7-6) Saturday, Feb. 16. The Lady Statesmen knocked off Shorter 65-59, and fell 69-64 to Alabama-Huntsville, earlier this season.The back-to-back home dates marks only the second time this season that the Lady Statesmen will play two straight GSC games at home.

QUICK SCREENS

Delta State, who owns the league record with 15 conference championships, continues league play with an amazing 672-136 GSC record.

Delta State enters this week second in the GSC in scoring at 64.6 points per game and boast the second best field goal percentage
with a 40.5 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 55.4 points per game, which ranks second in the GSC.

Freshman guard Chelsey Rhodes is making an immediate impact on the Lady Statesmen this season. The Monticello, Ark., native is
averaging 11.3 points per game, which is good for 11th in the GSC. She also leads the GSC in 3-point FG% at 41.0 percent on 32-of-78 3-pointers made.

Junior guard Brooke Rhodes has turned her scoring average up in GSC play, as the Pelahatchie, Miss., native is averaging 9.7 points per game, which ranks 17th in the GSC. She is also pulling down a career-high 5.3 rebounds per game for the Lady Statesmen.

Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (13.1) and rebounds (8.0) per game this season. The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently eighth 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 10.7 points and 7.0 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 11.8 points and 7.5 boards per contest.

ON THE AIR

This week's games with Shorter and Alabama-Huntsville 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 hit the road for a pair important Gulf South Conference contests. DSU will have a road date with the West Alabama
Tigers, before traveling to Carrollton, Ga., on Saturday, Feb. 23 to take on the University of West Georgia Wolves. The Lady Statesmen defeated UWA 58-32 on January 17. The Wolves outscored the Lady Statsemen 37-29 in the second half, but the Lady Statesmen held on for a 65-54 victory on January 29. Both games will be carried live on the Statesmen Sports Network with Eric Gallo and Herb Brooks on the call.

LADY STATESMEN READY TO DEFEND HOME FLOOR

The Lady Statesmen return to Walter Sillers Coliseum this week to host the Shorter University Lady Hawks and the University of Alabama in Huntsville Lady Chargers. The two game GSC homestand marks only the second time this season that the Lady Statesmen have two straight league games in the friendly confines. DSU held off a late Lady Hawks rally for a tough 65-59 win Lady Hawks on January 10, while UAH outscored the Lady Statesmen 39-30 to record a 69-64 win on January 12. Rhandi Ball had 17 to lead the way against Shorter. Seneca Walton had 20 in the loss at UAH to pace DSU.

LADY HAWKS READY IN YEAR ONE

The 2012-13 edition of the Shorter women's basketball team has been quite competitive during its first season competing agains
Gulf South Conference competition. The Lady Hawks currently sit in fourth place in the GSC with an 8-5 mark in conference play. As a transitioning team in NCAA Division II, the Lady Hawks are not eligible for postseason play.

LADY CHARGERS TRYING TO FIND GROOVE

The University of Alabama in Huntsville women's basketball team was picked to win the 2013 Gulf South Conference. The Chargers (10-13,7-6) have had two tough losing streaks this season, losing six straight in the month of December, and four straight following the win over the Lady Statesmen in January. UAH has two of the top three scorers in the league in Jasmnine Hammon (18.2) and Jordan Smith (15.6).

A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK'S LADY STATESMEN RESULTS

The Lady Statesmen finished last week with a 1-1 mark, defeating Union University at home 49-46, only to fall 52-42 at North Alabama two days later. Brooke Rhodes scored 12 points, while playing all 40 minutes to help lead DSU. In the loss at North Alabama, Seneca Walton led the Lady Statesmen in scoring for the eighth time this season with 13 points. DSU defeated the Lady Bulldogs for the second time this season.The Lady Statesmen have accounted for two of Union's three GSC losses. The setback at UNA was the first time the Lady Statesmen have been swept by a GSC opponent in the regular seson since the 2005-06
season, when DSU was swept by Henderson State University.

WAVES AND WAVES AND WAVES

Coach David Midlick's philosophy is a simple one, fresh players equalsbetter results and this season Delta State is certainly putting that plan into place. Through the first 20 games, the Lady Statesmen have six players averaging 20+ minutes per game and nine totaling 10+ minutes per contest. Brooke Rhodes (31.5) and Chelsey Rhodes (28.0) lead the way the Green-and-White in minutes played this season.Brooke Rhodes and Chelsey Rhodes each played 40 minutes in the 59-56 win over Union on Feburary 7.

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 55.4 points per game. The Lady Statesmen allow opponents 53.9 per contest in GSC play, including a 36.2 percent clip from the floor.

WALTON DEVELOPING INTO DOMINANT POST

Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (13.1) and rebounds (8.0) per game through 20 games this season.The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently eighth in the GSC in scoring and fourth in rebounding. The former Clarksdale Lady Wildcat ranks fourth in the GSC with five double-doubles.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 (8th). Chelsey Rhodes ranks 11th (11.3 ppg) with Rhandi Ball 15th (10.7 ppg) and Brooke Rhodes 17th (9.7 ppg).

BETTER PROTECT THE BALL

The Lady Statesmen enter the contests with Shorter and UAH leading the GSC in steals per game (11.1) DSU has swiped 221
steals in 20 games.

COOKING LIKE THE FOOD NETWORK

The Lady Statesmen have “dished” out some quality stats this season, averaging 13.0 assists per game thanks in part to
Rhandi Ball, Shanae Govan and Brittany Roberts. The trio ranks seventh, eighth and 11th respectively in assists per game.Their
efforts have put the Lady Statesmen atop the assists per game category.

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 64.6 points per game, which is second best in
the league. The Lady Statesmen rank third in the GSC in 3-point FG percentage as well at 30.7 percent. DSU has connected on
78-of-268 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.