GAME NOTES WEEK 3: Lady Statesmen at Montevallo/West Alabama (11.23-25.19)
CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University women's basketball team (4-0, 0-0 GSC) embarks on a two-game road trip to play the University of Montevallo and the University of West Alabama to open Gulf South Conference play this weekend. The Lady Statesmen take on Montevallo at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Trustmark Arena in Montevallo, Ala., before taking on West Alabama on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Pruitt Hall in Livingston, Ala.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES: Delta State and Montevallo meet for the 18th time with the Lady Statesmen holding a 16-1 record in the series. The Lady Statesmen have won the last 12  meetings winning 65-45 in Cleveland, Miss. (12.1.18) and  76-58 at Montevallo (2.28.19) last season. Delta State and West Alabama will meet for the 60th time with the Lady Statesmen holding a 52-7 lead in the series. The Green-and-White won 81-80 in overtime at Walter Sillers in the only meeting betweem the two schools last season. Delta State has won the last three meetings in the series.  

PATTERSON EARNS GSC WEEKLY HONOR: Patterson helped the Lady Statesmen to a 2-0 week with wins over SIAC and region foes Lane College and Paine College at the Lady Bears Tipoff Classic in Fairfield, Ala. Patterson posted a pair of double-doubles in the two wins for her third straight double-double and the 9th of her career. The Maben, Miss., averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds over two games while shooting 72.2 percent from the floor (13-of-18). Patterson scored 21 points with 11 boards and a steal, making 6-of-9 field goals and 9-of-12 free throws against Lane College. Patterson scored 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting while grabbing 12 rebounds with two steals and two blocks against Paine.  

POST IT: Quantesha Patterson and Zyaire Ewing have proving to be a tough duo in the paint for the 2019-20 Lady Statesmen. The duo is averaging a combined 32 points and 22.7 rebounds per contest. Patterson leads the GSC and ranks 5th in the GSC in total rebounds (54) and ranks 8th in the NCAA and 1st in the GSC in rebounds per game (13.5). The Maben, Miss., native leads the NCAA with 7.0 offensive boards per game whileranking 9th in the GSC in scoring (15.5). Ewing ranks 6th in the GSC in scoring (16.5), 3rd in rebounds (37) and 6th in rebounds per game (9.3). Ewing ranks 2nd in defensive rebounds (7.) and blocked shots (7) and 4th in blocks per game (1.75).

GSC OPENERS: Delta State owns a 24-9 record which includes a 12-3 mark at home and 12-6 on the road in GSC openers since 1985-86. The Green-and-White are 4-2 under seventh-year Head Coach Craig Roden in GSC openers. The Lady Statesmen claimed an 81-80 overtime win over West Alabama (11.29.18) to open their 2018-19 GSC slate.

STEALING THE SHOW: Nia Johnson leads the GSC and ranks 6th in the NCAA with 18 steals and is 2nd in the GSC and 10th nationally with 4.25 steals per game. Ernesha Chatman is 4th in the GSC with 3.25 steals per game and 2nd with 13 steals while Zyaire Ewing is 11th with seven steals. The Lady Statesmen have a GSC best 60 steals, ranking 5th in the NCAA, and their 15.0 steals per game rank 8th nationally and 2nd in the GSC.

D-FENCE: The Green-and-White appears to be returning to its defensive roots, yielding 54.8 points per game which ranks 3rd in the GSC. West Alabama is allowing 38.5 points followed by Auburn-Montgomery at 50.8 points per game. The Lady Statesmen led the NCAA in 2015-16 (50.3) and 2013-14 (53.7), ranked 2nd in 2011-12 (51.4), 5th in 2014-15 (55.7), 10th in 2017-18 (56.5) and 16th in 2016-17 (57.1). Since 2011-12, the Lady Statesmen have ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense five of the last eight years.

NOTES, SIDEBARS & STORYLINES
MORE D-FENSE: In 16 quarters played, the Lady Statesmen have held opponents to single digits in five quarters.  The Lady Statesmen yielded a quarter-low five points in the fourth quarter against Lane College (11.15.19).  Delta State held Paine College (11.16.19) to nine points in the third and seven points in the fourth quarter for a season-low 16 points in a half. As a team, the Lady Statesmen are 2nd in the conference in turnover margin (8.25) and 3rd in blocked shots (3.5).

FREEBIES: Delta State ranks 2nd in the GSC in free throw percentage (71.3) following Christian Brothers (75.0) and Lee University (71.4). The Lady Statesmen lead the GSC in free throws made and attempted, ranking 27th in free throws made and 28th in free throws attempted in the NCAA.  Zyaire Ewing is 22-of-26 from the charity stripe, ranking 4th in the GSC at 84.6 percent while Quantesha Patterson is 11th at 75.0 percent (18 of-24).

DOUBLE-DOUBLES (Career):  Quantesha Patterson (9) has posted three straight double-doubles and ranks No. 1 in the GSC and NCAA in double-doubles entering this week. 2019-20 Double-Doubles - 3: 16 pts. | 19 rebs. (Career-High) vs. Nova Southeastern (11.9);  21 pts. | 11  rebs. vs. Lane College (11.15); 17 pts. | 13 rebounds vs. Paine (11.16); Zyaire Ewing (3): 2019-20 Double-Doubles - 1: 28 pts. (Career-High) | 15 rebs. vs. Nova Southeastern (11.9).   ''

NATIONAL POLLS:  The Lady Statesmen are receiving votes in this week's WBCA Coaches Poll and have jumped in at No. 15 in the D2SIDA National Poll after not being ranked in the preseason poll. Lee is ranked 10th in the D2SIDA and WBCA Polls while Union is ranked 23rd (D2SIDA) and 24th (WBCA). Nova Southeastern(WBCA/D2SIDA) and Valdosta State (D2SIDA) is receiving votes.

D2SIDA REGION POLL:  Delta State is ranked second behind top-ranked Lee University in this week's D2SIDA South Region Poll. Union is ranked third followed by Valdosta State and Barry tied for fourth.