Game Notes - Delta State At Union, CBU

CLEVELAND, Miss. -- Delta State University women's basketball (10-5, 5-4 GSC) heads to the Volunteer State for a pair of Gulf South Conference matchups starting against No. 7/9  Union University (15-1, 7-1 GSC)  at Fred Delay Gym on Thurs., Jan. 17 at 5:30 pm in Jackson, Tenn. The Lady Statesmen close out the road trip against Christian Brothers (5-8, 2-6 GSC) at Canale Arena on Sat., at 1 pm in Memphis, Tenn.  The Lady Statesmen enter the week ranked No. 8 in the D2SIDA South Region Poll.

ABOUT THE LADY STATESMEN: The Lady Statesmen are 3-2 in their last five games and are coming off a 69-60 home loss to Valdosta State on Sat., Jan 12, 2019 which was preceede by a 63-52 win over West Florida on Thurs., Jan. 10. Delta State is a tied with West Florida and Valdosta State for 3rd in the GSC standings, two games behind GSC leaders Union and Lee and one game behind Montevallo. The Green and White are averaging 64.8 points per game (7th GSC) and allowing 60.9 points per game (5th GSC).  From the charity stripe. the Lady Statesmen are 2nd in the GSC in free throw percentage (71.3 %) and are knocking down 78 percent in the final five minutes of games.  Delta State is 4th in the GSC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.6 %), assists (13.4 gm) and steal (9.5 gm).  Nia Johnson averages 12.5 points (13th GSC) followed by Quantesha Patterson's 11.8 points per game (15th GSC).  Frederica Haywood ranks 4th in the GSC with 8.5 rebounds per game and Patterson grabs 6.8 boards per game (13th GSC). Haywood ranks 7th with 37 offensive rebounds and 74 defensive boards. Alondrea Rush 2.0 3-point field made goals per game rank 6th while ranking 11th assists (2.5) and 13th in steals (2.4). Ernesha Chatman is 3rd in the conference with 2.4 steals per outing.

UNION NOTES: No. 7/9 Union has reeled off three straight wins after a 56-51 home loss to GSC co-leader Lee University. The Bulldogs rank 1st or 2nd in eight GSC statistical categories entering this week.  Union is 1st in scoring (76.5 ppg), scoring margin (20.8), 3-point field goal percentage (36.1), and assist/turnover ratio (1.22) and ranks 2nd in scoring defense (55.7 ppg.), field goal percentage defense (34.8), field goal percentage (45.0) and turnover margin (4.27).  Morgan Martin is 4th in the GSC averaging 16.2 points per game and 3rd with 9.2 rebounds per game.

CBU NOTES: Christian Brothers has lost 4 of its last 5 game entering its home game against Mississippi College on Thursday. The Bucs are coming off a 96-59 loss at Montevallo but got a 34 point performance from Brynne Lytle in a 77-63 upset at West Alabama last week. Kenzie Jones (13.8 ppg.),  Lytle (12.7 ppg.) and Kelsey Adkins (12.3 ppg.) pace the CBU scoring which averages 64.5 points per game. Adkins and Lytle average 5.6 and 5.4 rebounds, respectively for the Bucs.

NOTES, SIDEBARS & STORYLINES 

vs. The Bulldogs: Union has won the last three meetings, claiming a 71-65 win in Cleveland, Miss., on Dec. 17.  The series is tied 8-8 going and the Lady Statesmen are 2-4 at Fred-Delay Gym.

vs. CBU: Delta State has won the last three meetings to hold a 44-4 series lead, heading into the first of two meetings this season. The Lady Statesmen swept the season series last season claiming both wins by a combined five points. Delta State claimed a 59-57 win in its last trip to Canale Arena on Feb. 14, 2018, and currenlty own an 18-4 all-time road record in the series. 

Records Watch:  Alondrea Rush is 33rd on the Lady Statesmen career scoring chart with 1,084 points, 10 points behind Pam Taylor (1094 pts/1998-91). The Horn Lake, Miss., native has made 190-of-564 career 3-pointers and ranks  4th in career 3-pointers made (190) and 3rd  in 3-pointers attempted (564). 

Picking It Up: The Lady Statesmen are averaging 34.7 points and shooting 44 percent in the second half as compared to 28.3 points and 39 percent shooting in the first half.  The Green-and-White have a 3.5 rebound in margin in the second half and a -.5 in the first half. From beyond the arch, DSU in increases from 23.4 percent to 36.9 percent from the first half to the second half.  

On The Road: Delta State is 4-2 away from Walter Sillers in 2018-19, averaging 65.5 points and shooting 41.5 percent from the floor. On the defensive side, the Lady Statesmen are holding opponents to 62.4 points and 29.3 percent from 3-point range.  On the glass, the Lady Statesmen hold a +5.3 rebounding margin and are shooting 78.7 percent in enemy territory.

Down The Stretch: The Lady Statesmen are shooting 78.1 percent while making 57-of-73 shots and hold a +2 in steals margin in the final five minutes of games. Alondrea Rush is 20-for-23 (87 %), Nia Johnson is 11-for-13 (84.6 %), Ernesha Chatman is 10-for-12 (83.3 %) and Kirstin Brown is 8-for-11 (72.7 %) from the line in the final five minutes of games.