GSC-SSC GAME NOTES
CLEVELAND, Miss. -- Delta State University women's basketball opens the 2019-20 season, welcoming Union University, Nova Southeastern and Barry University for the Gulf South Conference/Sunshine State Conference Crossover on Friday and Saturday at Walter Sillers Coliseum in Cleveland, Miss..

The Lady  Statesmen went 18-10 overall and finished fourth in the GSC with a 13-7 mark in 2018-19. Friday's schedule features Nova Southeastern vs. Union University at 5:30 p.m.followed by Delta State vs.Barry University at 7:30 p.m. Saturday's schedule has Union taking on Barry at 6 p.m. followed by the Lady Statesmen vs. Nova Southeastern at 8 p.m.

WELCOME HOME: If the opening weekend of women's basketball season is not BIG enough, the Lady Statesmen are also hosting an Alumni Reunion which begins Friday at  5 p.m. in the Margaret Wade Room at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Saturday's schedule starts with registration at 10:45 a.m and a luncheon at noon in the State Room of  the Nowell Student Union Building. The Lady Statesmen Alumni will get together at 1 p.m. at Parker Field-McCool Stadium before the Statesmen host West Georgia for Homecoming at 2 p.m. More than 140 Lady Statesmen are expected to be in attendance for the weekend festivities.

GSC PRESEASON POLL: The Lady Statesmen are picked fourth the Preseason GSC Coaches poll behind defending GSC Tournament Champion Lee University, Union University and West Florida.

PRESEASON ALL GSC: Seniors Nia Johnson and Quantesha Patterson were selected to the Preseason All-GSC Women's Basketball team. Johnson and Patterson earned All-GSC Second-Team honors in 2018-19.  Abby Bertram (Lee), Tazsa Garrett-Hammett (West Alabama), Haley Schubert (Lee) and Jada Smith (Union) join Patterson and Johnson on the team.

SOLID NUCLEUS RETURNS:  In addition to Johnson and Patterson, Ernesha Chatman (Sr./Guard), Aliyah Herod (Sr./Guard), Zyaire Ewing (Jr./Forward), Kirstin Brown (So./Forward), and Raven Johnson (Jr./Forward) make up seven returnees that accounted for 79.2 percent of its scoring and 59.6 percent of its rebounding last season. Johnson led the Lady Statesmen with 14.7 points (9th GSC), 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists (10th GSC) and 1.4 steals per game. The Sandersville, Ga., native shot 45.3 percent from the floor (6th GSC) and led the GSC with an 85.2 free throw percentage. Johnson scored in double figures 21 times, including six games with 20-plus points. Patterson averaged 11.5 points (17th GSC) and 7.6 rebounds (10th GSC) per contest and shot a GSC leading 63.6 percent from the floor (124-of-195). Patterson scored in double-figures 16 times and had six games with double-digit rebounds and six double-doubles. Chatman averaged 6.2 points and 2.3 boards per game while Ewing averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 points per game. Brown averaged 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while Johnson, whose season was cut short due to injury, averaged 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 points per contest. Aliyah Herod chipped in 3.1 points and 1.5 boards per game.

NEWEST LADY STATESMEN:  Guards Shaniyah Buford (Jr./Abbeville, Miss./Itawamba CC) and T'Kyra Hicks (Jr./Benoit, Miss./Co-Lin CC) represent Delta State's newcomers on the GSC Top Newcomers list. Four junior college transfers and two high school signees make up the Lady Statesmen newcomers. Kaylyn Wilson (Jr./G/Columbus, Miss./Itawamba CC), Taneshia Miller (Jr./G/Greenville, Miss./Itawamba CC) join Buford and Hicks as junior college transfers. Andrea Duran (Fr./G/Queretaro, N.M./Germantown (Miss.) HS) and Gracelyn Jones (Fr./G/Yazoo City, Miss./Manchester Academy) round out the newcomers.  

HALL OF FAME '19:  One of the most decorated classes in the history of Delta State University is set  for induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame, as DSU officially named its honorees on Monday, Nov. 4. Eight Statesmen and Lady Statesmen are featured in this year's class, including Jennifer Artichuk (Women's Swimming), Michael Eubanks (Football), Nicole Trotter Francis (Women's Basketball), Lardester Hicks-Green (Football), Mark Hudspeth (Football/Coaches HoF), Edwin Maysonet (Baseball), Dr. Clyde Muse (Men's Basketball), and Jeremy Richardson (Men's Basketball).

SEASON OPENERS: The Lady Statesmen are 40-11-1 overall in season openers, including a 21-0-1 mark at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Delta State is 10-9 on the road and 9-2 at neutral venues in season openers.

IN THE GSC/SSC CROSSOVER: The Lady Statesmen are hosting the GSC/SSC Crossover for the first time, seeking their first win entering the fourth year of the event. Delta State is 0-6 overall, 0-3 versus Barry (0-1 Away | 0-2 Neutral) and 0-3 versus Nova Southeastern (0-1 Away | 0-2 Neutral).

RETURNING DOUBLE-DOUBLES:  Quantesha Patterson registered a team-high 6 double-doubles last season: @ Barry (18 pts. | 12 rebs.); @ Miss. College (18 pts. |12 rebs.); @ Union (17 pts | 14 rebs.); @ Christian Brothers (11 pts. | 13 rebs. & 25 pts. | 13 rebs); @Montevallo (20 pts. |, 15 rebs.); Zyaire Ewing posted 2 double-doubles: vs. Lane (13 pts. | 10 rebs.) and AUM (20 pts. | 11 rebs.); Kirstin Brown had 1 double-double: @ Arkansas-Monticello (11 pts. | 10 rebs.).

D2SIDA REGION POLL:  Delta State is ranked ninth in the D2SIDA Preseason Region rankings while Nova Southeastern is first followed by Union (TN) University and Florida Southern tied for second.  Lee University and West Florida round out the top five in the poll.

SSC COACHES POLL:5  Nova Southeastern was picked voted second behind top pick Tampa with Barry University coming in at No 9 in the Sunshine State's Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released Tues., Oct. 29. 

NATIONAL POLLS:  The Lady Statesmen will face three opponents this season ranked in either the WBCA or the D2SIDA Preseason National polls. Nova Southeastern is ranked 15th in the WBCA Preseason Coaches Poll and 10th in D2SIDA Women's Baskeball Preseason National Poll. Union (TN) University is ranked 20th by D2SIDA and received votes in the WBCA Coaches Poll. Lee (TN) University is ranked 14th by the WBCA and received voteds in the D2SIDA.