Game Notes: Lady Statesmen at Golden Suns

CLEVELAND, Miss.- Delta State University women's basketball is heading to Russellville, Arkansas to take on a familiar foe this Friday, Nov. 21 in Arkansas Tech. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at Tucker Coliseum. It's been four years since two of the nation's most successful programs have squared off on the hardwood.  
 
Although these two teams facing off are very familiar, the rivalry has been put on pause since the close of the 2011 season. It has nearly been four years since these teams have shared the same court.
 
The Lady Statesmen basketball team is well aware of how things ended the last time these two sides clashed. Dave Wilber, long-time head coach of the Golden Suns, has been a part of the rivalry from the beginning, but since that last match-up, Delta State has made two coaching changes.
 
Lady Statesmen head coach, Craig Roden, may be in his first season with the team, but is well aware of the rivalry.
 
"Any time Delta State and Arkansas Tech faced off it was a hard fought game, especially those late season match-ups. Every game could have gone either way", said Roden.
 
In the last meeting Delta State, under then head coach Sandra Rushing, fell to the Golden Suns in the NCAA Sweet 16, 85-77, in Russellville. ATU also defeated DSU in the Gulf South Tournament Championship game.
 
Arkansas Tech also ended Delta State's NCAA Tournament run in the 2010 season. ATU defeated DSU in the Sweet 16 in Russellville, 73-62.
 
The Lady Statesmen own the overall record of 28-20, but the Golden Suns have gotten the better of DSU in the last three meetings.
 
Since Arkansas Tech left the GSC at the conclusion of the 2011 season for the Great American Conference, both teams have been at the top of their respective conferences but have not matched up since that 2011 NCAA Tournament.
 
Both teams are early in their 2014-15 season campaigns and will tip-off for the 48th time in program history. Delta State is looking to rebound and pick up their first win of the season after Harding defeated them in the season opener, 65-40.