Box Score ROME, Ga. - On the back of junior Seneca Walton, the No. 12 Delta State University women's basketball team holds down a three-game lead in the Gulf South Conference after beating Shorter University, 59-56, on Saturday Feb. 8 at the Winthrop-King Centre in Rome, Ga.
 
The Lady Statesmen (17-3, 12-2) didn't get a good lead on the Hawks (5-15, 3-11) until the second half, and Shorter brought the game back to a close one, but DSU pulled out the win.
 
From the get go, the matchup was a battle, with Delta State sophomore guard Chelsey Rhodes sitting out for the second game in a row, due to injury. The score was tied six times in the first half and the lead changed four times. Walton was the difference maker from the beginning, putting up 14 points in the opening half and pulling down eight rebounds. She shot 7-of-9 from the floor. Rhandi Ball helped out with seven points and Anissa Jackson stepped up to be a starter, adding five points in the first half.  
With three seconds to go before halftime, Shorter threw in a layup to tie the score, and going into the locker room it was 29-29. Neither team had a lead larger than five points in the first half and both teams shot about 46 percent from the field.
 
"To win a game on the road against a team that shot 45 percent against us and 45 percent from 3[-point range], I'm just extremely proud of our effort," said head coach David Midlick. "I know we definitely missed Shanae, and missed Chelsey both these games, and the team was disappointed with our effort on Thursday, and a completely different team tonight."
 
The second half was back and forth until the 15:28 mark when DSU's Chadisty Hickman hit a 3-pointer to give the Lady Statesmen the lead. Delta State took that momentum and pushed it to a 10-point lead at the 9:30 mark, 49-39.
 
But over the next seven minutes, Shorter chipped away at the lead and used a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game with just 2:17 to play. Made free throws from Jackson, Walton and Shanae Govan helped DSU hang on – though the Hawks did hit a last-second 3-pointer, it wasn't enough and Delta State beat Shorter 59-56.
 
"We gutted it out. Got some stops in the second half, held them in the 20s, both halves, scoring wise, against a team that is 3-11 in the conference, this team is not a 3-11 team," Midlick said. "Probably every one of their games has been this type of score. Their points per game are only two less than what their opponents are scoring in conference. They're right there, every single game. So, great win for our ladies, for the team."
 
In the second half, Shorter hit five 3-pointers, but the Lady Statesmen came through 9-for-9 at the foul line when it counted. Delta State scored 15 points off turnovers in the game, 22 points in the paint and 12 second-chance points.
 
Walton finished with yet another double-double, 20 points and 16 rebounds, 12 of which were rebounds on defense.
 
"It's amazing, looking there at the end, to have 16 rebounds, I wouldn't have thought that. I thought she'd be near 10," said Midlick of Clarksdale native Walton. "To have 20 and 16, it's kind of like, you don't appreciate her until she's probably not out on the floor. She's just putting up numbers that no one else in the conference is putting up, just fantastic play by her."
 
Starting in place of Rhodes, Jackson shot 4-of-9 from the floor, 5-of-5 from the charity stripe and put up 13 points for DSU. Ball contributed 10 points and three assists. Govan had eight points and Hickman added five.
 
The Lady Statesmen don't get much of a break. Delta State will be back at home on Tuesday, Feb. 11 to face rival Christian Brothers University and then the women play again Thursday, Feb. 13, hosting Lee University. Both tip offs are set for 5:30 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum in Cleveland.