JACKSON, Tennessee - The Delta State University women's basketball team posted 39 second half points, including a monster 33-point fourth quarter, but ultimately fell just short against Union University on Thursday night at Fred DeLay Gymnasium in Jackson, Tenn.
 
Inside the Matchup:
    Score: Union 59 | Delta State 56
    Records: Lady Bulldogs (14-11, 9-10 GSC) | Lady Statesmen (11-13, 7-11 GSC)
    Series: DSU leads series 8-5
    Location: Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss.
 
How It Happened:

• The Lady Statesmen opened the contest with a pair of jumpers from Kaelin Kneeland and Anissa Jackson. 
• Both sides went on a scoreless drought early in the opening period until a Chelsea Bodiford three-pointer sparked an 11-0 run for the home team.
• Aspirona Gilbert hit a layup late in the first quarter to help the Lady Statesmen but the Lady Bulldogs had another answer, as Union closed the opening quarter on a 6-0 run moving to the second quarter.
• Kneeland broke Union's scoring streak at the start of the second quarter, but the Lady Bulldogs continued their dominance in scoring seven consecutive points and extend the lead out to 17, at 25-8. 
• The Lady Statesmen started to battle back using a 9-0 run and trimming the Union lead to eight points with 3:18 to go in the half.
• Delta State locked down defensively, only allowing one point by Union for almost seven minutes as both teams went into the locker room with the Lady Bulldogs still leading, 26-17.
• Union shot 10-of-25 (40 percent) in the first half, while DSU was just 8-of-27 (29.6 percent). Sara Lytle led the Lady Bulldogs with seven points on 3-of-7 from the floor. Jackson led DSU with six points and two rebounds.
• The Lady Statesmen held a 19-17 edge on the glass, which included 13 defensive boards. DSU had three second chance points.
• Gilbert came out hot out of the locker room in hitting a layup and jumper, but a 14-0 run by the Lady Bulldogs extended the lead back to double-digits.
• Union clamped down on the Lady Statesmen defensively, only allowing six points from the visitors while shooting 5-for-7 from distance in the third quarter. 
• Alondrea Rush opened the final stanza with a layup and added a free throw on the foul that sparked an 11-4 run to cut the margin down to 14 points.
• The Lady Statesmen defense showed up in the final stanza, holding Union to four points for nearly seven minutes of the quarter. 
• Rush hit a huge three-pointer and got a layup to go to cut the Union lead back to five points, but Jada Perkins hit a layup with 40 seconds to go to make it a two-possession game.
• With three seconds to go, Rush hit a crucial three to make it a one-point game, but Perkins hit both free throws and Kneeland's last ditch effort to tie it up was stopped as time ran out.
• Union finished 20-of-45 (44.4 percent) from the floor, including just 8-for-19 (42.1 percent) from distance. The Green-and-White finished just 21-of-53 (39.6 percent from the floor), but held a 33-28 edge on the glass, including 26 defensive boards, helping lead to a 9-1 advantage in second chance points.
• Tiffany Rechis and Perkins led Union with 13 points.
• Rush and Gilbert led DSU with 15 points each and a combined eight boards, while Jackson secured 10 points and Kneeland had eight.

 
Notables:            

• DSU's 10 turnovers were their second lowest of the season.
• The Lady Statesmen outscored the Lady Bulldogs 33-13 in the final quarter, their largest scoring quarter in any game this season. 
• Tori Mallory career-high seven rebounds, including five on the defensive side.

 
Who's Next:

• The Lady Statesmen return to Cleveland for the final regular season home game against Christian Brothers University on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. as well as celebrating senior day.