LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Nia Johnson's 17 points led three players in double figures and helped the No. 15 Delta State Women's basketball team (5-1, 1-1GSC) claim a 67-55 win over the University of West Alabama (3-2, 0-2 GSC) on Monday at Pruitt Hall.
 
Delta State outscored the Tigers 12-5 during a stretch in the fourth quarter to take a 61-50 lead en route to the win.
 
Kirstin Brown followed Johnson with a season-high 14 points and 12 rebounds for her second career-double while Shaniyah Buford equaled her career-high with 13 points.
 
Zyaire Ewing grabbed 16 rebounds to go along with three blocked shots while Patterson added eight points and 15 rebounds (7 offensive rebounds).

THE BASICS:
Score:  No. 15 Delta State 67 | West Alabama 55
Records:  Lady Statesmen (5-1, 1-1 GSC) | Tigers (3-2, 0-2 GSC)
Series: Delta State leads 53-7
Location | Time: Livingston, Ala. (Pruitt Hall) | 5:30 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• West Alabama scored the first five points of the game to take an early 5-0 lead after a Jada Golden 3-pointer just under 1:30 into the opening quarter
• Delta State answered with an 8-0 run to take an 8-5 lead following a two Buford 3-pointers.
• A Brown layup and a T'Kyra Hick 3-pointer gave the Lady Statesmen an 18-12 lead heading to the second quarter.
• Patterson opened the second quarter with a layup to open up a 20-12 lead with 9:12 to go.
• Hicks dialed up a 3-pointer at the 8:05 mark and a Buford layup with 7:24 to go in the second quarter pushed the lead to 25-16.
• Tazsa Garrett-Hammett layup and two Naelyn Rios free throws cut the DSU lead to 27-22 with 6:24 left in the second quarter.
• A Brown layup gave the Lady Statesmen a 29-22 lead before the Tigers went on a 9-0 run to take a 31-29 with 3:12 remaining.
• Bria Dent sank two free throws for a 33-30 UWA lead only have Buford nail a 3-pointer to tie the game at 33 with 1:16 left.
• Miya Kimber jumper in the paint gave UWA a 35-33 lead at halftime.
• Delta State got baskets from Ewing and Aliyah Herod to take a 37-35 lead just over one minute into the third quarter.
• Johnson made a jumper and two frees to break a 39-39 tie and give the Lady statesmen a 43-39 lead with 5:39 left in the third quarter.
• Dent cut the DSU lead to 43-41 before Brown made scored DSU's final six points of the third quarter for a 49-43 lead heading to the final stanza.
• The Lady Statesmen took a 54-45 lead on a 5-0 run with 5:30 left in the fourth quarter. Ewing made two free throws followed by a Patterson free throw and a Chatman fast-break layup.  
• Patterson had a layup and then followed it up with a 3-point-play to help DSU push the lead to 61-50 with 2:31 to play in the fourth quarter.
• A Buford layup followed by a Johnson free throw and a 3-pointer pushed the lead to 67-53 with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
• Two free throws by Rios closed out the scoring to make the final scored 67-55.

TURNING POINT

• The Lady Statesmen went on a 12-5 run to build a 61-50 lead with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter.

STATS OF THE GAME

• The Lady Statesmen outscored UWA 16-8 in the third quarter while limiting
• UWA shot 20 percent (7-for-34) in the second half including a 2-of-15 stretch during the second half.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Lady Statesmen outscored UWA 16-8 in the third quarter, holding an opponent to single digits in a quarter for the sixth time in 24 quarters this season.
• Brown's notched her second career double-double with a season-high 14-points and 12 rebounds.
• Ewing recorded 16 rebounds for her second straight game with double-figure rebounds and for the fourth time this season.
• Patterson grabbed 15 rebounds, seven offensive boards, for her fifth straight game with double-figure rebounds while adding eight points.
• The Lady Statesmen made a season-high seven 3-pointers on 20 attempts.
• Rios led UWA with 14 points followed by Garrett-Hammett with 11 points and nine rebounds.

UP NEXT

• Delta State travels to play LeMoyne-Owen College on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in Memphis, Tenn.