Box Score CLEVELAND, Miss. – Brittany Roberts scored 14 points and dished out four assists to lead the Delta State University women's basketball to a 65-53 victory over the University of West Florida Thursday, Feb. 28 at Walter Sillers Coliseum.  The Lady Statesmen claimed at least a share of the Gulf South Conference Regular Season title with the win and moved to 17-8 overall and 12-5 in league action.  The Argonauts slipped to 6-19 and 3-14 in GSC play. 

DSU scored a season-high 34 points off UWF's 28 turnovers to help propel the Lady Statesmen to the victory.  The Green-and-White shot just 39.3 percent for the game, while the Argonauts shot 43.5 percent.  UWF outrebounded DSU 37-33, but the tenacious defense employed by the Lady Statesmen proved to be the difference. 

Chelsey Rhodes led the Lady Statesmen and all scorers with 18 points, including a blistering 14 in the first six minutes of the second half.  Rhandi Ball finished with 12 points and six rebounds.  Jaquecia Chaney closed with eight points and Seneca Walton chipped in seven points and six boards. 

UWF had three players finish with 11 points each including Hanna Vette, Jaymie Druding and Gabrielle Wigfall. 

After building a 16-6 lead with 13:41 to play in the first half, the Lady Statesmen went cold from the field over the final 10 minutes of action to go into the locker room tied at 27-27 with the Argonauts.  UWF used a 17-6 run over an eight-minute span to get back into the contest and, with 2:28 remaining in the half, took a brief 23-22 lead.

The Lady Statesmen shot 34.5 percent on 10-of-29 attempts from the field, while the Argonauts shot 42.3 percent on 11-of-26 from the floor.  DSU was just 1-of-8 from 3-point range and UWF was 0-for-3.  The Argonauts had 13 first-half turnovers leading to 12 DSU points, but the Lady Statesmen's 11 turnovers converted into seven UWF points.

Roberts led all scorers and DSU with 10 points.  Wigfall led UWF with nine.  

The second half was a near carbon copy of the first, as the Lady Statesmen raced out to an 8-point lead with 17:03 to play.  UWF roared back to cut the lead to two points, 49-47, with 6:36 to go in the game. 

DSU pulled away with a 16-7 run over the final 6:02 to claim the 65-53 victory.

The Lady Statesmen will hit the court for the final time in the regular season on Saturday, as Delta State plays host to Valdosta State University on Senior Day.  Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum.  The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network with Matt Jones and Eric Gallo on the call.