JACKSON, Tenn.- Delta State University women's basketball drops a tough conference contest on the road at Fred Delay Gymnasium to Union University, 67-63.
 
Delta State (3-5, 1-3 GSC) started the game with a layup from Mary Carol Davis. Carly Keller knocked down a three followed by an Anissa Jackson jumper that gave the Lady Statesmen the early 7-0 lead.
 
The Lady Statesmen opened up the first half with a 16-10 run, holding the Lady Bulldogs under double-digits until the 6:39 mark, when Amy Philamlee connected on a layup.
 
DSU maintained the halftime advantage, 24-22. Rhandi Ball led all scorers with 11 first half points. The Lady Statesmen were 10-of-24 from the field shooting 41.7 percent. Delta State held Union to shooting 32 percent from the field on 8-of-25.
 
Union (7-1, 4-1 GSC) took their first lead of the game to open the second half from a Kelsey Risner three. Jackson nailed three consecutive jumpers to bring the score back in favor of DSU, 30-25, at the 17:46 mark.
 
The Lady Bulldogs reclaimed the lead on a 6-0 run to take a two-point lead, 40-38, with 14 minutes remaining in the game. Becca Ruckes would answer with back-to-back layups including a free throw to score five consecutive points for the Lady Statesmen and regaining the lead, 43-40. DSU rounded out the 8-0 run with Ball going 1-for-2 from the line and driving through the lane for a layup making the score 46-40.
 
Union's Amber Rechis would knock down a three at the 5:25 mark to give the Lady Bulldogs their final lead of the game, 55-52. The Lady Statesmen chipped away at the lead but could never regain the advantage when Ruckes brought it back to a two-point deficit with less than a second to play, 65-63. Philamlee cemented the Union victory with a pair of free throws.
 
Ball led three Lady Statesmen in double-digit scoring with 19 points and shooting 6-of-8 from the floor. Ball also led DSU with seven rebounds and five steals.  Ruckes finished with 13 points and six rebounds, while Jackson scored 12 points. Chelsey Rhodes topped the Green-and-White dishing out five assists. The Lady Statesmen shot 23-for-51 (45.1 percent) while connecting on two 3-pointers in the game. DSU outscored UU 12-6 in points off turnovers,  while maintaining a 24-18 advantage in the paint.
 
Union's Philamlee led all scorers with 20 points. Risner finished with a double-double, as she scored 17 points and had 13 rebounds. The Lady Bulldogs connected on 22-of-50 (44 percent) from the floor, while making 9-of-28 (32.1 percent) from behind the arc.
 
Delta State will return to action from home at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Dec. 18 versus Valdosta State in Gulf South Conference action. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.