GAME NOTES: Valdosta State @ Delta State (2.27.14) | West Florida @ Delta State (3.1.14)
CLEVELAND, Miss. - No. 17 Delta State Lady Statesmen wrap up regular season action this week at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Delta State (20-4, 15-3 GSC) will host Valdosta State (11-13, 6-12 GSC) and West Florida (16-7, 11-6 GSC). Three Lady Statesmen and one manager will be recognized on Saturday, March 1 before tipoff at 2:00 p.m. for Senior Day.
TIPOFF
Delta State women's basketball picked up three important wins this week over Christian Brothers at home and North Alabama and Union on the road.
With three straight wins, DSU clinched the Gulf South Conference Regular Season Title with two games left in the season.
This week, the Green-and-White face another tough test as they host Valdosta State and West Florida to wrap up the 2013-14 regular season. The Lady Blazers played DSU a close game at the Complex, and West Florida gave DSU one of its only three conference losses this season at the UWF Field House.
Sophomore
Chelsey Rhodes got back to her normal self in all three games after working back from a knee injury late in January. Rhodes contributed 17, 18, and 19-point games respectively against Christian Brothers, North Alabama and Union to lead the Lady Statesmen in all three wins.
5-8 guard
Chadisty Hickman has put up her biggest numbers of the season in her last two outings. Putting up 11 points at UNA and 10 points at UU, Hickman combined for 21 points over a two-game period, just in time for postseason action.
Junior center
Seneca Walton continues to be the driving force behind the Lady Statesmen offense and defense. Averaging just under a double-double at 14.7 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game, Walton is on the verge of reaching two more career milestones.
Walton has eclipsed several career milestones in her junior year. In the 2013-14 season, Walton has surpassed 700 and 800 career points and 500 career rebounds. She is games away from reaching 900 career points and 600 career rebounds. Walton currently has 887 career points and 595 career rebounds.
As a team, the Lady Statesmen lead the GSC in scoring defense (53.6 ppg), field goal percentage (43.7%), field goal percentage defense (33.1%), rebounding defense (33.7 rpg), assist/turnover ratio (0.93), and assists (14.6).
Saturday, March 1 represents Senior Day for Delta State. Three Lady Statesmen will be honored who have dedicated their talents to the tradition Delta State women's basketball holds.
Shanae Govan,
Chadisty Hickman, and
Aubree Ray will be honored. Manager
Brittney Holmes will also be recognized.
PREVIOUS PERFORMANCES
Delta State University picked up three important wins this week to improve to 20-4 on the season and 15-3 in Gulf South Conference play, clinching the conference regular season title. DSU took the 66-61 home win against Christian Brothers on Monday.
Chelsey Rhodes and
Seneca Walton led the Lady Statesmen in the win with 17 points each as DSU shot 46.9 percent from the field. Game two on the week was another win for DSU over North Alabama at Flowers Hall, 60-58. Rhodes guided Delta State to the win with 18 points, while
Chadisty Hickman added 11 and Walton contributed 10. The Lady Statesmen shot 37.9 percent from the field in the victory over the Lions. Big games from Rhodes, Walton, and Hickman helped DSU to the 60-46 win over Union. Rhodes contributed 19 points, 2 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal and one block to lead Delta State. Walton added 13 points and 5 boards, while Hickman supplied 10 points and 4 rebounds. DSU closes out the regular season this week with home games against Valdosta State and West Florida.
The Lady Blazer Basketball team fell to West Florida 53-67 in a makeup contest on Monday night in Pensacola and then again at home to West Georgia on Thursday, as the Wolves' Nicole Fasick hit a game winning shot at the buzzer to give UWG the 62-59 win. In the game, VSU's Amy Duke hauled in 12 rebounds and tallied 16 points for her first double-double of the season. In the week's third contest, Valdosta State capped off the week and their home schedule on a high note with a 48-43 win over the Shorter Lady Hawks in a defensive struggle on Saturday night at the Complex. Next up for the Lady Blazers is a challenging stretch on the road for VSU, as the squad enters their longest road trip of the year in the week prior to the GSC Tournament. The trek begins with a trip to Mississippi to face Delta State, followed by a trip up to Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday to square off against Christian Brothers.
The West Florida women's basketball team extended its winning streak to three in a 66-48 win over Shorter Thursday night at the UWF Field House. Senior Raquel Miller and freshman Katie Bobos just missed double-doubles in the game. Miller recorded nine rebounds and nine points, and Bobos scored nine points with a team-high 14 rebounds. UWF defeated West Georgia 78-71 in double overtime on Saturday afternoon. West Florida completed the regular-season sweep over UWG en route to its fifth consecutive win of the season. UWF fell to Lee University 58-54 on Monday night. West Florida (16-8, 11-7 GSC) cut the lead to one point with 13 seconds on the clock but the Flames would end the game on a 3-0 run to secure victory.
EARLIER THIS SEASON
This week marks the second go-around of the season for Delta State's conference matchups with Valdosta State and West Florida. Both teams played the Lady Statesmen in close games with a combined margin of victory of 11 points.
DSU traveled to The Complex in Valdosta, Ga., in late January and defeated the Lady Blazers 65-61.
Chelsey Rhodes guided Delta State to the win with 25 points, while
Seneca Walton added a double-double, 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Shanae Govan contributed 12 points. VSU's April Thomas led the Lady Blazers with 20 points, Reshaundra Owens added 11, and Maggie Davis had 10. DSU shot 50 percent from the field and held VSU to 41.5 percent from the field. Two lead changes and two ties occurred but Delta State came away victorious.
Two days later, the Green-and-White traveled to Pensacola, Fla., to the UWF Field House, a place where Delta State had lost all three of the losses in the 12-3 record against West Florida. After the meeting in January, make that a 12-4 record. Seven lead changes and four ties outlined the intense matchup that ultimately gave DSU its first conference loss of the year with UWF taking the 65-58 win. Rhodes led Delta State again with 23 points.
Seneca Walton added a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards, while
Rhandi Ball contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds. West Florida's Tessah Holt guided the Lady Argos to the win with 20 points and 8 rebounds, while Jenny Menz joined her in double figures with 12 points. Delta State shot 41.5 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc and held West Florida to 40 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from downtown but were not able to pull away with the win.
SENSATIONAL SENIORS
This weekend's matchup with West Florida represents Senior Day for three Lady Statesmen.
Shanae Govan,
Chadisty Hickman, and
Aubree Ray will be honored on Saturday, March 1 before tipoff of the women's game at 2:00 p.m.
Govan has played two years for Delta State after transferring from Arkansas Tech University. In her time at DSU, Govan has played in 53 games and started in 24, including playing and starting in 22 games this season as a point guard. The Crossett, Ark., native is two steals shy of having 100 career steals and currently has 161 career assists. She has scored 223 points for the Lady Statesmen in the last two seasons.
Hickman, a 5-6 guard from Preston, Miss., transferred to DSU as a junior from East Mississippi Community College. Since her transfer, Hickman has played in 49 games and started in 17, all this season. She has 34 career steals, 56 career assists, 242 career points, and is a tremendous defender for the Green-and-White.
Ray, out of Hernando, Miss., played for Delta State from 2010 to 2012 as her career was cut short due to knee injuries. In two seasons, Ray has played in 58 games with 31 starts. She has recorded 181 rebounds, 73 blocks, and has put up 253 points for the Lady Statesmen.
WALTON DOES WORK
The success of Delta State's season lies heavily with the paramount contributions of junior
Seneca Walton. The 6-0 center out of Clarksdale, Miss., continues to be the driving force for the Lady Statesmen on both sides of the ball.
Walton leads the Gulf South Conference in rebounding with 9.9 rebounds per game with the closest contender having 8.0, while also leading in field goal percentage (50.9 %). She is currently averaging just shy of a double-double, 14.7 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game, which has also given her 12 double-doubles on the season.
Career milestones have been reached and eclipsed by Walton as she has reached several already this season just as a junior. Walton reached 800 career points against West Alabama and 500 career rebounds against North Alabama. She will reach career milestones 900-career points and 600-career rebounds in the next game as she currently has 887-career points and 595-career rebounds.
