Game Notes | UNA Live Stats | UAH Live Stats

CLEVELAND, Mississippi –  Head Coach Craig Roden and the Delta State University women's basketball ring in the New Year with a pair of Gulf South Conference road contests beginning Saturday against the University of North Alabama at 1:00 p.m. in Florence, Alabama.
 
The Lady Statesmen are off to a 4-6 start, 2-4 in the GSC, but appear to have turned a corner in the last two games before the Christmas break.  Chelsey Rhodes scored 30 points, three shy of her career-high, to lead the Lady Statesmen to a 76-46 win over Valdosta State on Thursday, Dec. 18 before dropping a 73-69 overtime decision to defending GSC Champion West Florida on Saturday, Dec. 20.
 
As a team, DSU enters the game holding opponents to 57.2 points per game and 39 percent from the field, ranking third and fourth in the GSC.  The Lady Statesmen are shooting just over 40 percent and are averaging 58.8 points per contest.
 
Rhodes' 15 points per game leads the Lady Statesmen scoring efforts, eighth in the GSC, and she has scored in double figures in eight of her last nine games.  The Monticello, Arkansas, native is the team's top shooter from the charity stripe at 84.3 percent (Third/GSC) and has made 17 of her last 21 free throws. 
 
Rhandi Ball missed the West Florida game for personal reasons, is second on the team with 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.  Seneca Walton, who has battled a high ankle sprain the last two games, leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per game and has 10 blocks (1.0 bpg).    
 
North Alabama is 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the GSC and is one of the top scoring teams in the conference with 80.7 points per game and 38.9 rebounds per game.  Delisa Mabry's 15.9 points and Makena Randle's 6.8 rebounds per game lead the Lions.
 
The Lady Statesmen have won the last four meetings and hold a 47-7 lead in the series.  DSU captured the two regular season meetings before eliminating the Lions, 66-58 in last year's GSC Tournament Semifinals in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
Following the UNA game, the Lady Statesmen travel to the University of Alabama in Huntsville on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in UAH's Spragins Hall.  Alabama-Huntsville, 6-6 overall and 3-3 in league play, hosts Mississippi College on Saturday at 2 p.m. before welcoming the Lady Statesmen.
 
Delta State captured a 78-69 win at UAH and 60-58 win in Walter Sillers last season and won the last three games to hold a 16-6 lead in the series.
 
The Chargers are averaging 57.6 points while allowing 61 points per contest and are getting out rebounded by 5.5 boards entering the weekend.  Halle Jarnigan is averaging 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds to pace UAH.
 
Both contests will air on 107.5 FM in Cleveland and streamed online at www.gostatesmen.com with Phillip Tang calling the play-by-play. Fans can also find a live and view stats beside the schedule listing on gostatesmen.com.