CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University women's basketball team ended its 2019-2020 regular season with a 97-90 victory over the University of Montevallo on Senior Day at Walter Sillers Coliseum as the Lady Statesmen secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Gulf South Conference tournament.
Quantesha Patterson and
Nia Johnson posted career-highs with 33 and 29 points, respectively, to lead the Lady Statesmen to their highest scoring game since 2013.
The win marked the fifth straight for the Lady Statesmen and locks up a GSC Super Tuesday home game on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. against the University of West Georgia at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
THE BASICS:
Score: Delta State 97 | Montevallo 90
Records: Lady Statesmen (21-6, 14-6 GSC) | Lady Falcons (17-10, 11-8 GSC)
Series: Delta State leads 16-2
Location | Time: Walter Sillers Coliseum | 2:00 PM
Get Social: Twitter - @DeltaStateWBB | Facebook – DSUStatesmen | Instagram – DSUAthletics
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Delta State took a 9-4 lead to the first quarter media timeout, but Montevallo used an 8-3 spurt to take a 12-11 lead with 2:54 to go in the opening period.
- A pair of T'kyra Hicks free throws with 1:30 left in the first quarter gave the Lady Statesmen back the lead, 15-14.
- Quantesha Patterson's three-point play pushed the Lady Statesmen lead to four, 20-16, heading into the second quarter of action. Patterson scored 12 points in the first to lead DSU.
- The Lady Falcons opened the second period on a 5-0 run, taking the lead 23-22 with 7:14 left in the first.
- A three from Shaniyah Buford gave the Lady Statesmen back the lead, 31-30 heading into the under five media timeout.
- A buzzer beater layup by Montevallo's Kourtnie Smith gave them a 47-46 advantage going into halftime.
- The Lady Statesmen got 18 in the first half from Patterson, while Aaliyah Rice led Montevallo in first-half scoring with 17.
- The Lady Statesmen opened the second half with a 10-3 run to grab a 55-50 lead with 7:40 remaining in the third period.
- A Hicks three-pointer gave the Lady Statesmen a 62-53 edge with 4:46 remaining in the third.
- With 2:55 left in the third, Patterson grabbed an offensive board to record her 17th double-double of the season.
- Montevallo's second buzzer-beater of the game was a three ball at the end of the third quarter that cut the Delta State lead to five, 72-67.
- The Lady Falcons got back-to-back three-pointers to start the fourth and take a 73-72 lead before Delta State tied the game 76-76 with 7:08 to go.
- Delta State used a 12-2 run to grab a 90-85 lead with 3:08 to go and Montevallo hit a late three to cut the lead to 93-90.
- The Lady Statesmen closed the game at the free throw line, however, to seal the 97-90 win.
TURNING POINT
- A 12-2 run late in the game gave Delta State a lead that they would not relinquish.
STAT OF THE GAME
- The Lady Statesmen outscored Montevallo 54-36 in the paint.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The win was the Lady Statesmen's fifth straight to close the regular season. The win secures a first-round GSC Tournament home game.
- Johnson and Patterson set new career-highs in scoring. Johnson finished with 29, while Patterson scored 33. Patterson also tied her career-high in steals with three.
- Patterson recorded her 17th double-double of the season, finishing the game with 33 points and 16 rebounds.
- Zyaire Ewing tied her career-high in steals with three.
- 97 points is the highest scoring output the Lady Statesmen have recorded this season. This is the most points scored by the Lady Statesmen since they defeated Selma 99-37 on Nov. 12, 2012. It is also the highest scoring game in the NCAA era for the Lady Statesmen.
UP NEXT
- The Lady Statesmen host a GSC Super Tuesday home game on Tuesday, March 3 at 5:30 p.m. against the University of West Georgia at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
TICKETS
Tickets for the Super Tuesday GSC quarterfinal round game are $12 for reserved seats (all ages), $10 for adult general admission, $3 for youth general admission, and free for all students courtesy of Delta State's Student Government Association. In accordance with GSC policy, there is no senior price for postseason tickets.
All current Delta State season ticket holders will have until Mar. 2, at 12 p.m. to purchase their current seats. Season ticket holders must purchase their seats either by phone, (662) 846-4300, or in person at the Delta State Athletics Ticket Office. Hours for the Ticket Office are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday thru Friday.
Any reserved tickets not purchased by Monday, Mar. 2 at 12 p.m., will be released for purchase to the general public. Should the Lady Statesmen advance past Mar. 3, they will travel to the GSC Championship semifinals on Saturday, March 7 in Birmingham, Ala. The GSC Championship game is then slated for Sunday, March 8.
