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Delta State Lady Statesmen vs. UNION/NORTH ALABAMA (2.7-9.13)

CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Lady Statesmen (12-6, 7-3 GSC) of Delta State University return to Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 7 for the first time since January 19 to host the Union University Lady Bulldogs for a key Gulf South Conference contest. DSU will then hit the road again on Saturday, Feb. 9, traveling to Florence, Ala., to take on the University of North Alabama Lions. The Lady Statesmen knocked off Union 77-67, and fell 59-58 to North Alabama, earlier this season. DSU outscored the Lady Bulldogs 49-36 in the second half in the win. The Lions erased a 24-point lead by the Green-and-White to shock the Lady Statesmen 59-58 on January 5.
 
QUICK SCREENS
 
Delta State, who owns the league record with 15 conference championships, continues league play with an amazing 671-13 GSC record.
 
Delta State enters this week leading the GSC in scoring at 66.7 points per game and boast the second best field goal percentage with a 41.1 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 56.1 points and 36.7 percent shooting per game this season. Opponents are managing just 29.9 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 11.8 points per game, which is good for 11th in the GSC. She also leads the GSC in 3-point FG% at 42.3 percent on 30-of-71 3-pointers made.
 
Junior guard Brooke Rhodes has turned her scoring average up in GSC play, as the Pelahatchie, Miss., native is averaging 10.1 points per game, 17th in the GSC. She is also pulling down a career-high 5.4 rebounds per game for the Lady Statesmen.
 
Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (13.2) and rebounds (8.2) per game through the first 18 games of the season. The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently ninth 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 Pontotoc, Miss., native, who was named the GSC Freshman of the Year last season is averaging a career-high 11.3 points and 7.4 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 13.1 points and 8.5 boards per contest. The former Pontotoc High School standout has led the Lady Statesmen in scoring three times this season, including the last two games.
 
ON THE AIR
 
This week's games with Union and North Alabama 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 return to Walter Sillers Coliseum for a pair of home dates, as Shorter University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville invade Cleveland, Miss. DSU held on for a 65-59 victory over the Hawks on January 10, and fell 60-64 at UAH on January 12.
 
LADY STATESMEN READY FOR REMATCHES
 
The Lady Statesmen will welcome Union University at Sillers Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 7, before traveling to Florence, Ala., to take on the North Alabama Lions. DSU split with the two teams earlier this season. DSU met Union on Jan. 3, and outscored the Lady Bulldogs 49-36 to pull away with a 77-67 win. The Lions shocked the Sillers crowd on Jan. 5, erasing a 24-point DSU lead to defeat the Lady Statesmen 59-58.
 
LADY BULLDOGS AND LIONS BATTLE DSU FOR POSITION
 
In its first year as a provisional Gulf South Conference member, the Union University Lady Bulldogs are on top of the GSC standings with a 9-2, while the Lions are one game back of DSU at 7-4. However, as a transitioning GSC team, Union is not eligible for postseason play.
 
A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK'S LADY STATESMEN RESULTS
 
The Lady Statesmen held off a late run by Christian Brothers to hold on for a 54-45 victory at Canale Arena. After trailing by as many as 13 points in the second half, the Lady Bucs used an 18-8 run to close the gap to 46-43 with 2:08 left. Brooke Rhodes answered the run hit a big three-point shot to help keep the Lady Statesmen on top. Rhandi Ball had 16 points and 12 rebounds to earn her third straight double-double. Seneca Walton had 10 points and 11 rebounds, which was her fifth double-double of the season.
 
LADY STATESMEN QUITE OFFENSIVE UNDER MIDLICK
 
Delta State continues to lead the league in scoring at 66.7 points per game. The Lady Statesmen lead the league in assists (13.8), turnover margin (+3.50), scoring margin (+10.6) and rebounding defense (36.8). DSU ranks second in field goal percentage (41.1) and 3-point FG percentage (31.3)
 
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 18 games, the Lady Statesmen have six players averaging 20+ minutes per game and nine totaling 10+ minutes per contest. Brooke Rhodes (31.1) and Chelsey Rhodes (27.7) 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 leads the GSC, allowing opponents just 56.1 points per game. The Green-and-White also lead the GSC with 11.4 steals per contest.
 
WALTON DEVELOPING INTO DOMINANT POST
 
Sophomore center Seneca Walton leads the Lady Statesmen in scoring (13.2) and rebounds (8.2) per game through 18 games this season. The Clarksdale, Miss., native is currently ninth in the GSC in scoring and fourth in rebounding. The Clarksdale native 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 13.2 ppg (9th). Chelsey Rhodes ranks 11th (11.8 ppg), Rhandi Ball 12th (11.3 ppg) and Brooke Rhodes 17^th (10.1 ppg).
 
BETTER PROTECT THE BALL
 
The Lady Statesmen enter the week with leading the GSC in steals per game (11.4) DSU has swiped 206 steals in 18 games.
 
COOKING LIKE THE FOOD NETWORK
 
The Lady Statesmen have “dished” out some quality stats this season, averaging 13.8 assists per game thanks in part to Rhandi Ball, Shanae Govan and Brittany Roberts. The trio ranks sixth, seventh and 11^th respectively in assists per game. Their efforts have put the Lady Statesmen atop the assists per game category. Ball also ranks No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio.

TWO DIFFICULT RHODES
 
Junior All-GSC guard Brooke Rhodes (11.0 ppg/5.4 rbg) and freshman guard Chelsey Rhodes (11.8 ppg/2.3 rpg) combine to form one of the top backcourts in all of the GSC. The duo accounts for 22.8 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 66.7 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 75-of-240 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.