Seneca Walton VSU
Elisabetta Zengaro
50
Valdosta State VSU 14-15, 10-12 GSC
60
Winner Delta State University DSU 18-9, 15-7 GSC
Valdosta State VSU
14-15, 10-12 GSC
50
Final
60
Delta State University DSU
18-9, 15-7 GSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Valdosta State VSU 24 26 50
Delta State University DSU 29 31 60

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Fred Sington

Late Free Throws Help Lady Statesmen Advance Past Valdosta State

  • Women's Score:  Delta State 60, Valdosta State 50  (Final)
  • VisitSpaceCoast.com Gulf South Conference Women's Basketball Tournament First-Round
  • Records: Delta State Lady Statesmen (18-9); Valdosta State (14-15)
  • Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2015 | 6:30 p.m. (CST) Tipoff
  • Location: Lloyd Clark Court-Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Mississippi
  • Series: Delta State leads series 39-5; 20-2 at Lloyd Clark Court-Walter Sillers Coliseum
  • Short Story: Delta State University made 8-of-10 free throws over the final 2:13 to upend Valdosta State University, 60-50, in the first round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Tuesday. Chelsey Rhodes, who made 5-of-6 free throws down the final stretch, scored 18 points, and Seneca Walton added 15 points and eight rebounds. The Lady Statesmen advance to the GSC Women's Basketball Tournament semi-finals to play No. 7 seeded Shorter University on Friday at noon or 2:30 p.m. at Samford University's Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham, Alabama. 
     
How It Happened
  • Trailing 10-9, Delta State went on a 10-2 run to take a 19-12 lead after a Chelsey Rhodes 3-pointer with 7:49 left in the first half. During the run, Valdosta State had a 4:57 scoring drought that ended on a Rashundra Owens layup with 11:43 to go.
  • The Lady Statesmen used a 10-3 run to stretch a 21-17 lead into a 29-20 lead before the Lady Blazers cut the lead to 29-24 at halftime.
  • Valdosta State shot 31 percent (9-of-29) while Delta State shot 33 percent (10-of-30) in the first half. The Lady Statesmen went 7-of-10 from the free throw line in the half.
  • Chelsey Rhodes scored six of DSU's first eight points of the second half to help the Lady Statesmen build a 35-27 with 15:40 left.
  • Leading 42-40, DSU went on a 6-2 run to open up the second half and take the 50-42 lead on an Anissa Jackson layup at the 4:07 mark.
  • Valdosta State cut the DSU lead to 52-48 with 2:47 remaining, but Delta State made 8-of-10 free throws in the final 2:13 to secure the 60-50 win.
  • Delta State shot 50 percent, and Valdosta State connected on 45 percent in the second half.
  • Chelsey Rhodes led the Lady Statesmen with 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal followed by Seneca Walton with 15 points, eight rebounds and a block. Rhandi Ball added eight points and Anissa Jackson tallied seven.
  • Maggie Davis had 21 points and nine rebounds, while April Thomas scored 10 points with three steals to pace the Lady Blazers.
     
Beyond the Numbers
  • Delta State is 26-2 all-time in GSC Tournament opening round games and has won nine straight GSC Tournament openers dating back to a 2002-03 first round loss to Lincoln Memorial (3.6.03).
  • Tonight's matchup is the third meeting between the two schools this season and the 44th overall. The Lady Statesmen captured a 76-46 win in Cleveland (12.18.14) and a 62-53 win in Valdosta, Georgia (2.7.15). Delta State is 7-1 in eight GSC Tournament meetings against Valdosta State.
  • The Lady Statesmen have won seven straight games and finished 12-2 overall at Lloyd Clark Court-Walter Sillers Coliseum this season.
  • Seneca Walton's eight rebounds pushed her career rebounds to 815, 13th on the school's all-time rebounding list.
  • Chelsey Rhodes has scored in double digits in 21-of-27 games with her 18 points versus VSU.
  • 1,000 Points Club: Junior guard Chelsey Rhodes is 31st on the all-time scoring list with 1,164 points after her 18-point outing against Valdosta State. Senior forward Seneca Walton had 15 points versus VSU and has 1,261 career points which ranks 25th. Senior forward Rhandi Ball added eight points versus VSU and has 1,071 career-points, 33rd on the all-time scoring list.
  • Rhandi Ball had one steal and ranks eighth in career steals with 233.
  • First-Year Head Coach Craig Roden notched his 514th career win.
     
Who's Next
  • The Lady Statesmen advance to play No. 7 seeded Shorter University in the VisitFloridasSpaceCoast.com GSC Women's Basketball Tournament semi-finals at noon/2:30 p.m. on Friday at Samford University's Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

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