Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Delta State University women's basketball team advanced to the second round of the Gulf South Conference tournament with a 61-58 victory over the University of West Florida inside the Pete Hannah Center on Thursday, March 7. Rhandi Ball paced the Lady Statesmen with 25 points and eight steals, which were both career-highs for the sophomore.

The Lady Statesmen (19-8) defense stood tall in the second half limiting the Argos (6-21) to just seven field goals and not allowing a field goal until 6:52 remaining in the contest.

West Florida streaked out to a 5-0 run to open the game against Delta State but Ball quickly found her shot scoring 7 points en route to a Lady Statesmen rally t0 take an 8-7 lead with 13:46 remaining.

Delta State took an 18-14 lead with 08:14 remaining on an 8-0 spurt lead by Chelsey Rhodes which was assisted by 12 Argonaut turnovers.

UWF closed out the half on a 12-3 run to take a 36-29 lead into the locker room.

The Lady Statesmen forced 15 West Florida turnovers in the half and Ball racked up 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting alongside four steals while Rhodes followed up with nine points and 2-of-2 from behind the arc.

The Argos used 15-of-23 shooting (.652) from the floor to take the lead into the locker room and was led by Tonyetta Johnson who tallied eight points at the end of the half with Jasmine Wigfall following closely behind with seven points.

Delta State opened up the second half on a 6-2 run led by Seneca Walton to close down the West Florida lead 38-35 with 15:41 remaining in the contest. Ball put the Lady Statesmen back on top 41-40 converting on an old-fashioned three-point play with 14:44 remaining.

West Florida found their first field goal of the second half at the 6:52 mark and closed the lead down to 48-45 with 5:02 left but never regained the lead.

Rhodes finished with 14 points 4-of-10 shooting, 2-of-3 from behind the arc and four rebounds. Ball also tallied six rebounds and three assists on the afternoon.

Johnson finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists with Hannah Vette contributed a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lady Statesmen return to action on Saturday, March 9, to face the winner between the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the University of North Alabama at 12:00 p.m. inside the Pete Hannah Center.