CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State University women's basketball protected home court Thursday night inside Walter Sillers Coliseum, defeating No. 22 Union University 67-62 in a hard-fought Gulf South Conference matchup.

The Lady Statesmen controlled the game for more than 32 minutes and led by as many as 12, but Union surged late to tie the contest at 57–57 with under three minutes remaining in the contest. Delta State responded with clutch execution down the stretch, highlighted by a go-ahead three-pointer from MadiKate Vuncannon, her first basket of the night, with 46 seconds left to reclaim the lead for good.

Olivia Allen powered the DSU offense with 17 points, shooting 7-for-12 from the field, adding two assists and three steals. Kennedee Shelton delivered efficiently as well, posting 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

On the interior, Dakiya Toney anchored the defense with a dominant 12-rebound performance to go along with seven points and two blocks, pacing DSU to a 40–39 rebounding advantage over the Bulldogs.
Defensively, Delta State forced 16 Union turnovers and turned them into 20 fast-break points, a key separator in the contest.

The Lady Statesmen shot 44.3% from the floor and secured a perfect first half from the free-throw line, helping build a 35-29 halftime advantage.

Though Union hit big shots in the fourth, DSU answered with poise, going 5-for-8 at the line in the final period to close out the win. Delta State's balanced scoring and defensive toughness secured the victory.

Entering Thursday's contest, Union had won 11 straight games versus Delta State. The win marks the first for Delta State over perennial powerhouse Union since February 13, 2021, when the Lady Statesmen were victorious in Cleveland, 62-60.

Delta State returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Walter Sillers Coliseum, as the Lady Statesmen face off against Christian Brothers. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring a stuffed animal to toss on the court when DSU scores its first points. All toys will be donated.