CLEVELAND, Mississippi – Alondrea Rush's career-high 16 points led three Delta State University (3-0) women's basketball players in double figures en route to a 72-57 win over No. 15 Arkansas Tech (4-1) on Sunday at Lloyd Clark Court-Walter Sillers Coliseum.

Inside the Matchup

• Score:  Delta State 72 | #15 Arkansas Tech University 57
• Matchup:  Lady Statesmen (3-0) | Golden Suns (4-1)
• Series: DSU leads series 31-21
• Date:  Sunday, November 29, 2015 | 2 p.m.
• Location: Lloyd Cark Court-Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss.

How It Happened

• Trailing 6-2, Delta State went on a 6-0 run to take an 8-6 lead on a Becca Ruckes basket with 5:01 left in the first quarter.
• The Lady Statesmen closed the first quarter on a 9-2 run to take hold a 18-11 lead.
• Arkansas Tech cut the lead to 24-20 in the second quarter only to see the Green-and-White go on a 9-3 run to build a 33-23 lead, after a pair of free throws by Aspriona Gilbert with 3:43 remaining.
• The two teams would trade baskets in the final 30 seconds. Anissa Jackson made a jumper from the left side with 26 seconds left and ATU's Aujuana Davis buzzer beater cut the deficit to 37-28 at halftime.
• Delta State went 12-of-31 from the floor for 38.7 percent while the Golden Suns were 9-of-25 for 36 percent in the first half.
• Kaelin Kneelend made two free throws and then a layup with 26 seconds left to give the Lady Statesmen a 52-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
•  Arkansas Tech got within eight points in the fourth quarter on an Anissa Pounds 3-pointer at the 4:24 mark.
• The Lady Statesmen kept the lead at double digits throughout the rest of the final period highlighted by a three-point play from Ruckes to give DSU A 68-55 advantage with 1:45 left.
• The Lady Statesmen went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe over the final 3:01 of the contest.
• Ruckes followed Rush with 14 points while Rhodes added 13 points.

 
Notables              

• Delta State held Arkansas Tech to 35 points below its season average of 92 points and limited its third straight opponent to less than 60 points and 40 percent shooting.
• Delta State improved to 19-4 against Arkansas Tech at Lloyd Clark Court-Walter Sillers Coliseum.
• The win marked the Lady Statesmen first win over a ranked opponent since knocking off Union University on Jan. 29,^, 2015.
• Rhodes' 13 points gives her 1,260 career points (26^th) and is now 27 points away from tying Ramona Von Boeckman for 25^th.
• Freshman Alondrea Rush's 16 points and junior Kaelin Kneelend's nine points set career-highs for both players.
• Gilbert's nine rebounds tied her career-high set against Miles College (11.22.15) earlier this season.
• Rhodes' eight 3-point attempts gives her 448 career 3-pointer attempts, ranking fourth all-time at DSU.
• The Arkansas Tech game was Head Coach Craig Roden's 576^th NCAA game to coach and the win was number 518.

 
Who's Next

• Delta State begins Gulf South Conference play against the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Georgia, on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. central time.   The Lady Statesmen will play the University of West Alabama on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Pruitt Hall in Livingston, Alabama.