CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Delta State University women's basketball team fell to No. 1 ranked Union University, 71-65, on Monday, Dec. 17 at Walter Sillers Coliseum in Gulf South Conference play after the Lady Bulldogs ewrased a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Nia Johnson led the Lady Statesmen with 18 points while
Quantesha Patterson chipped in 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Jada Smith led all scorers with 28 points for Union.
THE BASICS:
Score: Delta State 65 | Union (No. 1) 71
Records: Lady Statesmen 7-3, 3-1 | Lady Bulldogs 11-0, 4-0 GSC
Series: Tied 8-8
Location | Time: Walter Sillers Coliseum | 5:30 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- Union jumped out to an early 9-2 lead thanks to five points from senior center Morgan Martin.
- The Lady Bulldogs built a 16-6 lead at the first media timeout of the first quarter.
- Delta State answered with an 11-0 run to take a brief 17-16 lead with 49.1 seconds remaining in the quarter, but Union's Martin connected on a lay-in with 12.1 seconds left to lead 18-17 at the end of the quarter.
- Zyaire Ewing's 16-footer gave the Lady Statesmen their first lead, 23-21, with 8:15 to go in the second quarter.
- Quantesha Patterson's six points and Kirstin Brown's four gave the Lady Statesmen a 33-32 lead at the half.
- Patterson led the Lady Statesmen with 12 points and five rebounds at the half. Union's Jada Smith had 11 at the break.
- DSU held UU to 38.2 percent (13-of-34) from the floor in the first half while shooting 40.0 percent (14-of-35).
- The Lady Statesmen opened the second half on an 8-3 run to take a 41-35 lead with 5:34 to play in the third quarter.
- Delta State kept the pressure on the No. 1 ranked Lady Bulldogs, leading 55-49 at the end of the third.
- Union's Smith led the Bulldogs out quickly in the fourth, outscoring the Lady Statesmen 10-4 in the first 5:05 to play, to tie the game at 59-59 with 4:55 remaining.
- Kennedy Childers driving lay-up gave Union their first lead of the second half, 61-59, with 4:34 to play.
- Patterson and Johnson answered with back-to-back baskets to reclaim the lead, 63-61, with 2:59 left.
- Smith's 3-pointer with 2:10 left on the clock gave Union the 65-63 lead.
- After Ermesha Chatman's steal and lay-up tied the game at 65-65, the Lady Bulldogs scored the final six points of the game to claim the 71-65 come-from-behind victory.
TURNING POINT
- Union erased a six-point, fourth quarter deficit by outscoring the Lady Statesmen 22-10 in the final 10 minutes of play.
STAT OF THE GAME
- The Lady Bulldogs committed just two turnovers in the second half after having eight in the opening half.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Three Lady Statesmen scored in double figures led by Nia Johnson's 18 points. Patterson finished with 16 points and eight rebounds while Ewing closed the game with 10 points and seven rebounds.
- Jada Smith led all scorers with 28 points for Union. Morgan Martin turned in a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds.
- Rush, who ranks fourth in career 3-pointers made with 180, added to her career point total with five points. The Horn Lake, Miss., ranks 36th on the Lady Statesmen's career scoring list with 1,026 points.
- Delta State owns an all-time record of 1,152-317-1, including 409 wins in Gulf South Conference play since 1984-85.
UP NEXT
- The Lady Statesmen will travel to Monticello, Ark., on Wednesday, Dec. 19 to face the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Steelman Fieldhouse.
