CLEVELAND, Miss. - Valdosta State University outscored the Delta State University women's basketball team 35-13 in the second half to earn a 48-38 Gulf South Conference victory, on Saturday at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
 
Inside the Matchup:
    Score:  Valdosta State 48 | Delta State 38
    Records:  Blazers (14-8, 11-5 GSC) | Lady Statesmen (8-12, 5-10 GSC)
    Series: DSU leads series 38-7
    Location: Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss.

How It Happened:

• Both teams traded buckets at the onset of the game, as Valdosta State took a 5-4 lead to the first quarter media timeout. 
• Delta State snapped a five-plus minute scoring drought on an Alondrea Rush floater as DSU took a 6-5 lead with 3:00 left in the first quarter. 
• Ieysha Mays got a steal and converted a transition layup with 47 seconds left in the first to tie the game at 8-8.
• Mays then beat the buzzer on a put-back layup to give the Lady Statesmen a 10-8 advantage at the end of the first quarter. 
• Rush banked in a three-pointer as the shot clock expired, with 6:48 to go before the half, to give the Lady Statesmen a 17-8 lead. 
• DSU snared its largest lead of the half on an Anissa Jackson jumper, as the Lady Statesmen led 25-11 with 45 seconds left before intermission.
• The Lady Statesmen outscored the Blazers 15-5 in the second quarter to hold a 25-13 halftime advantage. 
• Delta State shot 12-of-30 (40 percent) from the floor in the first half, including 1-of-8 from three while not attempting a free throw. DSU was led by Kneeland, who tallied 10 first half points. Rush totaled seven points, four rebounds and three assists in the opening half. 
• Valdosta State was limited to 5-of-15 shooting, while going 0-for-5 from three-point territory and knocking down just 3-of-6 from the charity stripe. Sonya Franklin posted seven points to lead the way for the Blazers.
• Sparked by five points from Franklin, the Blazers opened the third quarter on an 8-2 run to cut the lead down to six points, 27-21. 
• Mays rattled in a bucket and drew a foul with 4:10 left in the third quarter. She missed the free throw, and DSU led 29-22. 
• VSU outscored the Lady Statesmen by a slim 7-5 margin to close the third quarter, and both teams headed to the fourth with DSU holding a 34-29 lead. 
• The Blazers outscore the Lady Statesmen 16-9 in the third quarter. 
• Aliyah Herod hit a driving layup for Delta State, giving the hosts a 38-34 lead with 6:49 to play, but VSU responded as Madi Mitchell's layup tied the game at 38 for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. 
• Mitchell hit another layup, this time in transition, as part of a 6-0 run to take the 40-38 lead with 4:08 to play.  
• Valdosta State's defense held DSU scoreless for the final 6:49 of the game, while putting the game away at the free throw line. 
• Delta State shot 16-for-55 for the game (29 percent), including going 1-of-10 from three-point range. DSU went just 5-of-12 at the free throw line. Valdosta State was 16-of-36 (44 percent) from the field and 0-of-6 from three, while knocking down 16-for-22 at the free throw line. 
• Kneeland tallied 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the way for DSU. Rush added eight points, five rebounds and three assists. Ieysha Mays added seven points and nine rebounds. Tori Mallory (five points), Anissa Jackson (four points), and Herod (two points) rounded out the scorers for Delta State. 
• Madi Mitchell and Sonya Franlin led the Blazers with 17 points each, while Kenya Simone Dixon added 10 points and six rebounds. 

Notables:          

• The Lady Statesmen held the Blazers to a mere five points in the second quarter. 
• The score was tied twice, and the lead changed five times in the first half. 
• Valdosta State scored 35 second half points while holding Delta State to 13. 
• The defeat marked the first time DSU has lost a game this year when holding an opponent under 50 points. 
• Delta State's 10 losses in GSC play marks the most since 2004-05 (9).
• The loss also marked the fewest points scored in a game in program history for DSU. 

 
Who's Next:

• The Lady Statesmen host Mississippi College on Monday, Feb. 6. The first 400 fans will get free #BeatMC t-shirts, and fans are encouraged to bring their white towels back to Walter Sillers in order to earn rewards. All of Delta State's student-athletes that achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher will also be recognized on Monday night. The women's game will tip at 5:30 p.m., with the men to follow.