CLEVELAND, Mississippi – The Delta State University women's basketball team held Southern Arkansas University to just six fourth quarter points and held on for a 60-54 victory in its home opener on Tuesday night at Lloyd Clark Court-Walter Sillers Coliseum.
 
Inside the Matchup:
 
    Score:  Delta State  | Southern Arkansas
    Records:  Lady Statesmen (1-2) | Lady Muleriders (1-3)
    Series: DSU leads series 32-4
    Location: Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss.
 
How It Happened:
 

• After falling behind 8-5 with 6:28 left in the first quarter, the Lady Statesmen held Southern Arkansas without a field goal for the next 6:23 seconds of the opening period to take a 13-12 lead after the first 10 minutes.
• The visitors then went on a 8-0 run over the next 4:25 to take a 20-13 lead with 6:20 left in the half.
• DSU responded with a 7-0 run of its own during the next minute to tie the contest at 20 with 5:17 left in the second quarter.
• The teams traded buckets, as DSU took a narrow 31-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.
• Anissa Jackson and Alondrea Rush led DSU with nine points apiece in the opening half. Anna Djedjemel led SAU with seven first half points. Both teams collected 16 first half boards. DSU took advantage of 11 SAU miscues by scoring nine points.
• DSU shot 34.5 percent (10-of-29) from the floor in the first half, including 4-of-10 from three-point range.
• The visitors were 8-for-19 (42.1 percent) in the opening half.
• SAU started strong in the third quarter, making five of its first seven shots to lead by as many as five points.
• The Lady Statesmen responded by closing the quarter with a 6-0 run to take a 49-48 lead into the fourth quarter.
• After taking a brief 50-49 lead less than one minute into the fourth quarter, the Lady Muleriders had a five-minute scoring drought.
• Following a layup by Kimberly Crown to bring SAU to within, 56-54, neither team scored until an offensive rebound and basket by Aspriona Gilbert with just 39 seconds remaining.
• DSU finished just 2-for-8 from the line over the final 39 seconds, but did not allow a point the rest of the way.
• The Lady Statesmen finished 21-of-56 (37.5 percent) including 5-of-18 from three point range, while Southern Arkansas was 17-of-40 (42.5 percent).
• Jackson led DSU with 13 points, while Rush finished with 12. Alexis Ross and Kaelin Kneeleand finished with nine apiece. Kneeland led DSU with 10 boards. Crown led the visitors with 19 points.

Notables:     
       

• The Lady Statesmen have led at the half in all three of their games.
• Jackson was just three points away from matching her career high, and Ross was just one away.
• The 23 turnovers forced by DSU were a season high.

Who's Next:
 

• Delta State welcomes Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference member Miles College for a non-conference matchup on Monday, Nov. 28. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.