CLINTON, Mississippi – Mississippi College outscored the Delta State University women's basketball team 32-14 and held on for an 82-77 victory in the Gulf South Conference opener, on Thursday night at A.E. Wood Coliseum.
 
Inside the Matchup:
 
    Score:  Mississippi College 82 | Delta State 77
    Records:  Lady Statesmen (2-3, 0-1 GSC) | Lady Choctaws (2-1, 1-0 GSC)
    Series: DSU leads series 52-9
    Location: A.E. Wood Coliseum | Clinton, Miss.
 
How It Happened:
 

• After the Lady Statesmen opened the game on a 10-3 run in the opening 3:51, MC answered with a basket and a free throw to cut the lead to four. DSU answered with an 8-3 spurt to take an 18-9 lead after the opening quarter.  
• The Lady Statesmen held a trio of 11-point advantages in the second quarter, but MC responded with a 15-8 run, cutting the DSU lead to 37-33 at halftime.
• Anissa Jackson and Alondrea Rush led DSU with eight first half points. Toni Woods and Kelley Allen paced MC with nine apiece.
• DSU shot a blistering 17-of-25 (68 percent) in the opening half, while holding MC to just 29 percent (12-of-41).  
• MC scored 15 points off 10 first half turnovers by the Lady Statesmen. The Lady Choctaws also took advantage of a 22-16 edge on the boards by scoring 14 second chance points.  
• The Lady Choctaws stormed out of the locker room following halftime, going on a 15-2 run over the first 5:28 of the third quarter, and closed out the period with another 17-7 run.
• MC shot 90 (9-of-10) percent in the third quarter, including 3-for-4 from three-point range.
• After trailing 73-55 with 6:45 remaining the Lady Statesmen responded with a 22-4 run over the next 5:25 to cut the lead to 77-72. A three-point bucket by Carly Keller cut the deficit to 80-77 with 17 seconds left, but MC hit its next two free throws to hold on for the victory.
• Allen, who finished with 22 points and seven rebounds, led the Lady Choctaws.
• Five Lady Statesmen scored in double figures, including Jackson who tied her career-high with 16 points. Kaelin Kneeland narrowly missed a double-double, as she finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.
• MC finished 25-of-60 (41.7 percent) from the floor, including 13-for-19 (68.4 percent) in the second half. The Lady Choctaws were 27-of-36 (75 percent) from the free throw stripe, while DSU was 14-of-19 (73.7 percent). The Green-and-White finished 29-of-52 (55.8 percent from the floor).

 
Notables:            

• The Lady Statesmen have led at the half in all five of their games.
• DSU was outrebounded (38-28) for the first time this season.
• The Lady Statesmen suffered their first loss in a GSC opener since a 50-42 setback at Valdosta State on Jan. 5, 2012.

 
Who's Next:
 

• Delta State returns to non-conference action when it travels to Birmingham, Ala., to take on Miles College. DSU defeated Miles 76-52 on Nov. 28.