GAME NOTES: Lady Statesmen vs. UWF/Valdosta State
CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University women's basketball team (16-6, 9-6 GSC) returns to Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m. for its contest with The University of West Florida. The Lady Statesmen then play host to Valdosta State on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.
Delta State returns home after splitting a pair of road games in the Volunteer state, notching a 78-70 win over Christian Brothers in Memphis before falling to Union University in Jackson 80-66.
Senior forward
Quantesha Patterson returns to Sillers Coliseum with another Gulf South Conference Player of the Week honor, her fourth of the season. Patterson averaged 25.5 points per game, 14.5 rebounds per game and shot 68 percent from the field (21-for-31) on the road trip. She also added 1.0 assists per game, 1.0 blocks per game and 3.0 steals per contest for the Green-and-White.
INSIDE THE SERIES: Delta State has a 14-13 record heading into the 28th meeting with West Florida on the hardwood. The Lady Statesmen beat the Argonauts in Pensacola, Fla. 62-44 back on January 9, 2020. The Lady Statesmen and Lady Blazers last tangled back on January 11, when Delta State secured a 66-59 road victory over the Lady Blazers. DSU is 39-10 all-time against Valdosta as the two teams prepare to meet for the 50th time.
MILESTONE WINS MARK: Lady Statesmen Head Coach
Craig Roden posted his 100th win at Delta State while capturing his 400th NCAA Division II victory in the Lady Statesmen's 66-41 win over Auburn Montgomery (2.1.2020). The Guntersville, Ala., now set his sights on 600 career wins and is one shy of that mark with 599 career wins.
IN THE PAINT: The Lady Statesmen lead the GSC in offensive boards per game (15.6/24th NCAA) and rebounds per game (44.9/13th NCAA) while ranking 3rd in rebound margin (8.9/28th NCAA) and 3rd in total rebounds (987/18th NCAA). The duo of
Quantesha Patterson and
Zyaire Ewing are a force in the paint for the Green-and-White, combining for 30.0 points and 24.1 rebounds per game. Patterson leads the GSC in rebounds per game (13.3/4th NCAA), and offensive rebounds (5.8/2nd NCAA), ranks 2nd in total rebounds (292/5th NCAA) and 3rd in defensive rebounds (7.5/19th NCAA). The Maben, Miss., is 7th in the GSC in scoring (16.2). Ewing is 3rd in the GSC defensive rebounds per game (7.5/19th NCAA) and 4th in rebounds per game (10.8/16th NCAA), and 3rd in total rebounds (238/ 15th NCAA). Ewing is 2nd in blocked shots per game (1.8/35th NCAA) and total blocked shots (40/35th NCAA). Against CBU, Patterson passed Caroline Boclair for the best offensive rebounding season at DSU since the 1998-1999 season when Boclair had 113 . Patterson is up to 127 offensive rebounds on the season.
D-FENCE: The Green-and-White are 5th in the GSC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (29.9%) and 2nd in scoring defense (60.2/58th NCAA) and 3rd in field goal percentage defense (36.1/36th NCAA). The Lady Statesmen led the NCAA in field goal percentage defense 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 (63.3/4th NCAA) and 9th in field goals made (136). Ewing ranks 14th in field goals made (113) and 5th in field goals attempted (298).
