CLINTON, Miss. –The Delta State University Lady Statesmen (7-2, 3-0 GSC)  used a 7-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 57-51 Gulf South Conference win over Mississippi College (3-5, 0-3 GSC) at AE Wood Coliseum on Saturday.
 
Mississippi College went on 5-0 run to trim the Lady Statesmen lead to 50-49 before Nia Johnson scored the next seven points put DSU up 57-49 with 34 seconds left in the contest.
 
Quantesha Patterson equaled a career high with 18 points and 12 rebounds followed by Johnson with 14 points. Frederica Haywood chipped in eight points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Statesmen.
 
THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 57 | Mississippi College 51
Records: Lady Statesmen 7-2, 3-0 GSC | Choctaws 3-5, 0-3 GSC
Series: DSU leads 55-9
Location | Time:  AE Wood Coliseum | 2 pm
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HOW IT HAPPENED
•    The Lady Statesmen erased an early 2-0 deficit with an 8-0 run to take an 8-2 lead after a basket by Aliyah Herrod with 4:23 to go in the first quarter.
•    Mississippi College cut the lead to 8-7 on a Shanell Kitchens' layup with 3:31 left in the first quarter.
•    Delta State closed the quarter on a 7-1 run to hold a 15-8 lead after a Haywood with 14 seconds left.
•    A Zan Ratcliffe layup capped a 7-0 MC run to begin the second quarter and tie the game, 15-15.
•    The Choctaws outscored the Lady Statesmen 15-4 in the second quarter to take a 20-19 lead into halftime.
•    Delta State outscored MC 23-18 in the third quarter to hold a 42-38 lead going to the final quarter. The Lady Statesmen made 7-of-11 free throws and was 2-for-4 from 3-point range.
•    The Lady Statesmen held a narrow lead throughout the fourth quarter, leading by no more than four points until a Zyaire Ewing jump shot gave DSU a 50-44 lead with 1:54 to play.
•    Mississippi College cut the deficit to 50-49 on a Coco Hobson 3-point play at the 1:54 mark.
•    Johnson scored all seven points of DSU's 7-0 run to give DSU a 57-49 with 34 seconds left in the contest.
 
TURNING POINT
•    Delta State's 7-0 run over the final 1:54 of the fourth quarter sealed the win for the Lady Statesmen.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
•    Delta State scored 27 points off 29 Choctaw turnovers and added 17 chance points off 13 offensive rebounds.
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
•    The Lady Statesmen are 55-9 all-time against and 23-6 at AE Wood Coliseum against the Choctaws.
•    Quantesha Patterson equaled a career high with 18 points and 12 rebounds followed by Johnson with 14 points. Frederica Haywood chipped in eight points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Statesmen.
•    Alondrea Rush's six points moved the senior into a tie with Serita "Bug" Cooper" (2007-2011) for 36th on the Lady Statesmen's all-time scoring list with  1,027 points.
•    Rush went 1-for-6 from 3-point range and has made 182 career 3-pointers, six away from passing  Tanya Redmond (187/1995-1998) for third on the Lady Statesmen career 3-pointers made list. The Horn Lake, Miss., native ranks third with 545 career 3-pointers attempted.
•    Delta State owns an all-time record of 1,151-316-1, including 409 wins in Gulf South Conference play since 1984-85.      
 
UP NEXT
•    The Lady Statesmen return home for a GSC matchup against top-ranked Union University on Monday at 5:30 p.m. for. Philip Tang will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 5:15 p.m.