Box Score CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Lady Statesmen basketball team (7-3, 3-1 GSC) won its third consecutive league game on Saturday afternoon, defeating Auburn University Montgomery (3-5, 1-2 GSC) 77-66 at Sillers Coliseum.
 
The first quarter of play featured two ties, but only one lead change when Auburn-Montgomery took the early 2-0 lead. When MaKenzie Hill made a jumper at the 7:36 mark, giving the Delta State the 6-4 lead, the lead stayed in DSU's possession. Delta State jumped out to its largest lead of the first quarter at the 3:46 mark on an Olivia Allen driving layup to go up 15-5.
 
The Warhawks closed the gap, 34-32, with :02 left in the first half, but the third quarter included stellar Delta State offense.
 
DSU used a 7-minute, 17-2 run to take a commanding 55-36 lead with just over a minute to play in the third quarter.
 
Auburn-Montgomery made it interesting midway through the final quarter, narrowing the deficit to four, but the Lady Statesmen maintained the edge and won by a final 77-66.
 
The Lady Statesmen shot 56% from the field on 28-of-50 shooting, including 8-of-15 from beyond the arc. The bench played an integral part in the victory, as DSU outscored the Warhawks 21-11 in bench points. Three Lady Statesmen scored in double figures. Led by Grace Watson with 17 points, Hill and Wakirya Daniels added 15 points each. Hill added five assists and three steals.
 
Delta State will travel for a two-game conference road swing to close out 2024. The Lady Statesmen face off against the Tigers of West Alabama on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Livingston, Ala.