GAME NOTES: Delta State Lady Statesmen vs Shorter University (3.6.15) GSC Tournament - Semifinals)CLEVELAND, Mississippi – Delta State University's bid for a 16th Gulf South Conference Women's Basketball Tournament continues in VisiitSpaceCoast.com GSC Tournament semifinals against Shorter University at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at the Samford University's Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The No. 3 seed Lady Statesmen advanced with a 60-56 win over No. 6 seed Valdosta State ehilr No. 7 seed Shorter upset No. 2 seed West Florida in Pensacola on Tuesday night. IN THE PAINT vs Shorter: This is the third meeting between the two schools this season and the eighth overall. The Lady Statesmen captured a 58-36 win in Cleveland (1.12.15) and a 47-42 win in Rome, Georgia (2.19.15). The Lady Statesmen are facing the Hawks of Shorter University for the second time in postseason play in the semifinals of the Gulf South Conference Tournament. Their first postseason clash came way back in 1975-76 in the AIAW Region III Tournament at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Led by All-American Lusia Harris-Stewart, the Lady Statesmen edged the Hawks, 83-72. Delta State would go on to win the AIAW National Championship with 69-64 victory over Immaculata in the title game.
vs. Tourney Field: Delta State is 1-1 versus Union University and 1-1 against West Georgia this season. The Lady Statesmen lost to Union, 67-63, in Jackson, Tennessee and won a 74-71 in overtime (1.29.15) in Cleveland. West Georgia won the first meeting this season against the Lady Statesmen, 55-47, in Cleveland, Mississippi, while the Lady Statesmen earned a 64-59 win over the Wolves (1.24.15) in Carrollton, Georgia.
All-GSC: Seniors
Seneca Walton and
Rhandi Ball and junior
Chelsey Rhodes earned All-Gulf South Conference honors. Walton and Rhodes earn first-team honors for the second straight season and Ball is Second-Team All-GSC for the second time in her career. All three are three-time All-GSC honorees. wD-II South Region Rankings: The Lady Statesmen are ninth in the NCAA Division II South Regional rankings. Union is No. 1 followed by Nova Southeastern, Florida Tech, Eckerd, West Florida, Kentucky State. Rollins, Benedict, DSU and Tampa.
1K Point Club: Seneca Walton is 25th on the all-time scoring list with 1,261 points.
Chelsey Rhodes is 28th on the all-time scoring chart with 1,164 points following her 18 point outing against Valdosta State.
Rhandi Ball scored eight points, and has 1,071 points.
GSC/NCAA Stats: Scoring Defense (1st/55.1 | 5th/NCAA); FG Percentage Defense (1st/38.0); 3-point FG Percentage Defense (2nd/28.0); Turnover Margin (5th/.96); Steals (4th/8.1); Assists (3rd/12.8); FG Percentage (3rd/42.7); Assist-Turnover Ratio (3rd/.83); 3-point FG Percentage (4th/32.7)
Rhandi Ball: 2.6 steals per game (2nd GSC/ 34th NCAA), 2.6 assists per game (6th GSC), 6.2 rebounds per game (8th/GSC); 11.1 ppg (10th/GSC). Ball is ninth with 232 career-steals. The Pontotoc, Mississippi, native recorded her first double-double this season with 21 points and 11 rebounds against Mississippi College (2.26.15).
Chelsey Rhodes: 81.7 FT percentage 2(2nd/GSC); 15.6 ppg (6th/ GSC); 40.4 FG Percentage (7th/GSC); 36.4 3-point FG Percentage; 2.0 3-point FG/gm (3rd/GSC); 2.5 assists/gm (9th/GSC); 1.4 Steals (11th/ GSC); 34.2 Minutes Played (5th/GSC); The Monticello, Arkansas, native has scored in double digits in 21-of-27 games, including seven games with 20-plus point. Rhodes' is sixth in the career 3-point field goals made (143) and fourth in career 3-pointers attempted (410).
Seneca Walton: 6.9 rebounds/gm (7th/GSC); 12.3 ppg. (11th/ GSC; 48.1 FG percentage (3rd/GSC); 0.9 blocks/gm (7th/GSC); The Clarksdale, Mississippi, native has scored in double figures in 18-of- 25 games, including four games with 20-plus points. Her 119 career blocks rank seventh and her 813 career rebounds rank 13th. She has three double-doubles this season: against Union (1.29.15), at West Georgia (1.24.15) and at Shorter (2.19.15).
DSU SEEKING 16th GSC CROWN Delta State boasts 15 league titles, which are 11 more than the next closest league member. Arkansas Tech, who is no longer in the GSC, had four with Valdosta State and West Georgia having two each.
