WEEK 7 GAME NOTES
CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The No. 16 Delta State University women's basketball (11-1, 3-1 GSC) embarks on a key Gulf South Conference road swing against University of West Florida (4-10, 0-6 GSC) and Valdosta State University (12-2, 4-2 GSC) The road trip starts at West Florida on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Pensacola, Fla. and concludes against Valdosta State on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Valdosta, Ga.
INSIDE THE SERIES: The series is tied 13-13 coming into the 26th meeting between the Lady Statesmen and Argonauts UWF claimed a 77-55 win in the last meeting and hold an 8-2 advantage at the UWF Fieldhouse. The Lady Statesmen hold a 13-5 advantage at The Complex Valdosta, Ga., and are 38-10 heading into the 49th meeting in the series. Delta State used a 14-5 run to erase a seven-point deficit in the final 2:41 to earn a 70-66 win over Valdosta State in the last meeting in Valdosta.
APPROACHING MILESTONE WINS: Lady Statesmen Head Coach
Craig Roden collected career win number 594 in DSU's 82-61 win over West Georgia on Sat., Jan. 4, 2020. Roden needs six wins to earn his 600th career and four away from 400 Division II wins. The Guntersville, Ala., native has 96 wins at Delta State and with four more wins will become the first coach in GSC history to have 100 wins at three different GSC member schools.
DOWN LOW: The Lady Statesmen lead the GSC in offensive boards per game (17.3/9th NCAA), rebounds per game (49.04/2nd NCAA) and rebound margin (11.3/10th NCAA) and 3rd in rebounds (589/23rd NCAA). The duo of
Quantesha Patterson and
Zyaire Ewing are proving to be a formidable foe in the paint, averaging a combined 27.5 points and 24.9 rebounds per contest. Patterson leads the GSC and NCAA in rebounds per game (14.1/1st NCAA) and offensive rebounds (6.0/1st NCAA) while ranking 2nd in the GSC and NCAA in total rebounds (169/2nd NCAA). The Maben, Miss., native also ranks 2nd in the GSC in defensive rebounds (8.1 /8th NCAA) while ranking 11th in the GSC in scoring (14.9). Ewing tops the GSC in defensive rebounds per game (8,2/6th NCAA), 3rd in rebounds per game (11.5), and rebounds (138). Ewing is 2nd in blocked shots per game (2.2/ 21st NCAA) and blocked shots (26/23rdNCAA).
D-FENCE: The Green-and-White are 3rd in the GSC in scoring defense (57.1/40th NCAA) while ranking 1st in 3-point field goal percentage defense (22.5/ 8th NCAA) and field goal percentage defense (32.8/9th NCAA). West Alabama leads the GSC allowing 52.0 points followed by Lee (54.6). Delta State allowed 68.0 points per game through the first two games but is allowing 54 points per game in the eight games since. 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.
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES: Quantesha Patterson leads GSC in field goal percentage (62.5/9th NCAA), and 9th in field goals made (55).
Nia Johnson is 6th in the GSC in field goals attempted (147), and 10th in field goal made (56).
MORE D-FENSE: In 48 quarters, the Lady Statesmen have held opponents to single digits in 13 times, most recently a 9 points third quarter West Georgia (1.4.2020). The Lady Statesmen yielded a quarter-low five points in the fourth quarter against Lane College (11.15.19). Delta State held Miles College (12.7.19) to six points in the first quarter and seven points in the second quarter for a season-low 13 points in a half. As a team, the Lady Statesmen are 4th in the conference in turnovers forced per game (18.2), and 2nd in blocked shots per game (4.8/15th NCA) and 1st in blocked shots (58/19th NCAA).
DOUBLE-DOUBLES (Career): Quantesha Patterson (14) has recorded 8 double-doubles in 12 games which is 2nd the GSC and 7th nationally. 2019-20 Double-Doubles - 8: 20 pts. | 17 rebs. vs. Shorter (1.2.2020); 12 pts. | 13 rebs., vs. West Georgia (1.4.2020); 13 pts. | 13 rebs. vs. Miles (12.7.19), 18 pts. | 16 rebs. at LeMoyne Owen (12.5); 18 pts., 17 rebs vs. Montevallo (11.23); 16 pts.| 19 rebs. (CH) vs. Nova SE (11.9); 21 pts. | 11 rebs. vs. Lane College (11.15); 17 pts. | 13 rebounds vs. Paine (11.16);
Zyaire Ewing (8): 2019-20 Double-Doubles - 6: 14 pts. | 15 reb. vs. Shorter (1.2.2020); 25 pts. | 13 rebs. vs. West Georgia (1.4.2020); 13 pts. | 15 rebs. vs. Miss. College (12.21.19), 21 pts. | 10 rebs. vs. Arkansas-Monticello (12.18.19), 13 pts. | 10 rebs. vs. Paine College (11.156.19), 28 pts. (Career-High) | 15 rebs. vs. Nova Southeastern (11.9).
Kirstin Brown (3) 10 pts. | 11 rebs. vs. West Georgia (1.4.2020) 14 pts. 12 rebs. vs. West Alabama (11.25.19).
DROPPING DIMES: Ernesha Chatman is 2nd assists (57), 3rd in assists per game (4.8) and 4th in assist/turnover ratio (1.33).
PICKING POCKETS: Nia Johnson ranks 5th steals (32) and 6th steals per game (2.6).
Ernesha Chatman ranks 16th in the GSC in steals per game (1.83) and 14th in steals (22).
D2SIDA REGION POLL: Delta State is ranked 2nd in this week's D2SIDA South Region Poll behind top-ranked Lee University with Union University, . Valdosta State, Montevallo and Tampa following the Lady Statesmen. The Lady Statesmen jumped up 16th from 25th in the latest D2SIDA Top 25 and is receiving votes in the WBCA Division II National Poll.
HALL OF FAME '19: DSU officially named its honorees on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019. Lady Statesmen basketball player Nicole Trotter Francis (Women's Basketball) will join her husban Rodney Francis (Class of 2018) in the DSU Sports Hall of Fame.
