GAME NOTES: Delta State at MC/AUM

CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University women's basketball team (18-6, 11-6 GSC) is set to make its final road trip in Gulf South Conference play as it heads to Mississippi College and Auburn University at Montgomery.

The Lady Statesmen will play the Lady Choctaws in Clinton, Miss. at A.E. Wood Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 20, and then travel to Montgomery for a tilt with the Lady Warhawks on Saturday, Feb. 22. Delta State returns to the floor after sweeping a GSC weekend over West Florida and Valdosta State. The Lady Statesmen notched a narrow 71-67 win over UWF, then got a career night from Quantesha Patterson (career-high 32 points, 16 rebounds) to topple the Lady Blazers 73-51.
   

INSIDE THE SERIES: Delta State owns a 55-10 record heading into the 66th meeting against in-state rival Mississippi College. The Lady Statesmen hold a 5-2 advantage heading into the eighth meeting against the AUM Lady Warhawks. 

MILESTONE WINS MARK:  Lady Statesmen Head Coach Craig Roden posted his 600th career win as DSU took down West Florida 71-67 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Guntersville, Ala., native also capturing his 400th NCAA Division II victory in the Lady Statesmen's 66-41 win over Auburn Montgomery earlier in the year and became the first coach in GSC histroy to win 100-plus games at three different GSC institutions. 

IN THE PAINT: Delta State has done most of its work in the paint this season. The Lady Statesmen lead the GSC in offensive boards per game (15.2/24th NCAA) and rebounds per game (44.8/13th NCAA) while ranking 3rd in rebound margin (7.2/28th NCAA) and 2nd in total rebounds (1075/18th NCAA). The duo of Quantesha Patterson and Zyaire Ewing are a force in the painted area for the Green-and-White, combining for 30.2 points and 24.1 rebounds per game. Patterson leads the GSC in rebounds per game (13.1/4th NCAA) and offensive rebounding (5.6/2nd NCAA), ranks 2nd in total rebounds (314/5th NCAA) and 4th in defensive rebounds (7.5/19th NCAA).  The Maben, Miss., is 7th in the GSC in scoring (16.8). 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 134 offensive rebounds on the season. Ewing is 3rd in the GSC defensive rebounds per game (7.8/19th NCAA), 4th in rebounds per game (11.0/16th NCAA), and 3rd in total rebounds (263/ 15th NCAA). Ewing is 2nd in blocked shots per game (1.8/35th NCAA) and total blocked shots (43/35th NCAA).
 
D-FENCE: The Green-and-White are 4th in the GSC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.9%), 2nd in scoring defense (60.1/58th NCAA) and 3rd in field goal percentage defense (35.7/36th NCAA). The Lady Statesmen led the NCAA in scoring 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 the GSC in field goal percentage (63.9/4th NCAA) and 6th in field goals made (149). Ewing ranks 14th in field goals made (121) and 8th in field goals attempted (319).