GAME NOTES:
Delta State @ NCAA South Region Tournament (3.14-17.14)
CLEVELAND, Miss. - It's time to go dancing. The Lady Statesmen (24-5) of Delta State University punched their ticket to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament, their 25th appearance in program history.
Delta State earned the No. 4 seed and will open region play in quarterfinal action against the No. 5 seed Albany State (19-5) on Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. For the second year in a row, the South region tournament will be held on the campus of Nova Southeastern University at the Don Taft University Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
TIPOFF
The Lady Statesmen are coming off of a heartbreaking finish at the Gulf South Conference Tournament but look to bounce back at the NCAA South Region Tournament.
Delta State fell to West Florida in its 22
nd finals appearance at the GSC tournament, 67-59, for the Argos to take their first championship in school history.
Career-high performances rained down from
Anissa Jackson,
Shanae Govan, and
Chelsey Rhodes in the three games Delta State played at the tournament.
Senior
Shanae Govan dished out a career-high 10 assists in DSU's 73-43 win over West Alabama in the quarterfinals.
True freshman
Anissa Jackson led the Lady Statesmen in the win over West Alabama with her second career-high in a week, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the field for 16 points.
Monticello, Ark., native
Chelsey Rhodes led all scorers in Delta's 66-58 semifinal win over North Alabama. Rhodes' career-high 33 points hoisted DSU past the Lions into the championship game. Her 33 point-night helped her reach 700-career points. She now has 720.
6-1 center
Seneca Walton earned her 14
th double-double of the season with her 14 points and 11 rebounds against North Alabama.
Although the Green-and-White fell short in the GSC Championship game, the season is far from over for Delta State.
For the second year in a row, the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament will be played on the campus of Nova Southeastern University, the home of the Sharks.
The Lady Statesmen earned the No. 4 seed in the region tournament and will open up play against the No. 5 seed Albany State on Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Don Taft University Center.
Delta State holds the overall series advantage, 15-0, over Albany State. The last time the two teams met was the 2007-2008 season when DSU took the 78-40 victory under head coach Sandra Rushing.
Walton and Rhodes earned All-Tournament honors for their performance at the GSC tournament.
Head coach David Midlick is in the record book for having the most wins by a head coach in the first two seasons. Midlick picked up win number 45 at the conference tournament in Birmingham.
LADY STATESMEN SEEK 7th NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
The tradition of women's basketball at Delta State coincides with the NCAA South Region Tournament. DSU holds six national titles under Lloyd Clark and Margaret Wade, four of those titles came in back-to-back season. The latest title came in the 1991-1992 season.
Season Record Coach Championship
1974-75 28-0 Margaret Wade AIAW
1975-76 33-1 Margaret Wade AIAW
1976-77 32-3 Margaret Wade AIAW
1988-89 30-4 Lloyd Clark NCAA
1989-90 32-1 Lloyd Clark NCAA
1991-92 30-4 Lloyd Clark NCAA
EXPERIENCE IS KEY IN REGION TOURNAMENT
Delta State has made nine appearances in the NCAA tournament in the last eleven seasons. The Lady Statesmen are 9-2 in the opening round. This marks the 25
th appearance in the NCAA Division II regional tournament. DSU boasts a 57-21 (.731) record all-time.
Opening Round (last 11 appearances)
Season Opponent Result
2000-01 Arkansas Tech W, 67-62
2001-02 Central Arkansas L, 89-98
2003-04 Henderson State L, 61-62
2005-06 Tampa W, 66-50
2006-07 Florida Tech W, 66-50
2007-08 Kentucky State W, 76-34
2008-09 Valdosta State W, 58-48
2009-10 Lynn University W, 69-50
2010-11 North Alabama W, 56-47
2011-12 Alabama-Huntsville W, 86-47
2012-13 North Alabama W, 51-41
DSU FALLS SHORT OF ELITE EIGHT
The finale to the 2012-13 season was hard to stomach for the Lady Statesmen as they fell one game short of an Elite Eight appearance.
Delta State came out firing in their 24
th appearance at the regional tournament. In the quarterfinals, DSU defeated North Alabama 51-41 to advance to the semifinals where they faced the Lady Chargers of Alabama-Huntsville. The Green-and-White thumped UAH 81-58, a little redemption from the Lady Chargers beating Delta in the semifinal of the GSC Tournament a week before.
The NCAA Division II South Region Championship game featured Delta State and the host team Nova Southeastern. The Lady Statesmen played the Sharks a close game but came up short, falling 78-56 and ending the season.
WELCOME TO NOVA SOUTHEASTERN
For the second year in a row, the Sharks of Nova Southeastern claimed the host site for the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament. The Don Taft University Center will be the home of this year's tournament.
The multi-purpose facility was completed in August 2006 and sits at 366,000 square feet. The 4,500-seat arena is the home of the NSU volleyball, women's, and men's basketball teams.
GULF SOUTH TOURNAMENT
The Lady Statesmen were the top seed in the 2014 Raymond James Gulf South Conference basketball championships in Birmingham, Ala. They made it all the way to the championship game, their 22
nd finals appearance in program history.
DSU opened up strong against West Alabama, ending the Tigers' season by a score of 73-43, sending Delta State to face North Alabama in semifinal action. The Lady Statesmen defeated the Lions 66-58, allowing them to play for the title.
Delta State lost a heartbreaker to West Florida, falling 67-59. It marked the second runner up title in the last four seasons and the first GSC Championship for the Argos.
POSTSEASON AWARDS
Following the completion of the Gulf South Championship game, the All-Tournament team was announced. Two Lady Statesmen received the honor in
Chelsey Rhodes and
Seneca Walton.
Chelsey Rhodes Delta State
Seneca Walton Delta State
Katie Bobos West Florida
Toynetta Johnson West Florida
Seandree Lee West Georgia
Janae Lyde North Alabama
Most Outstanding Player: Tessah Holt, West Florida
