CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Delta State University women's basketball team (17-10, 15-7 GSC) will be hosting a Gulf South Conference Championship Quarterfinal game tomorrow evening against the Blazers from Valdosta State University (16-12, 13-9 GSC).
 
The game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. (CT) from Lloyd Clark Court in Walter Sillers Coliseum on the campus of Delta State University. The winner of this matchup will move on to the semifinals against the winner of the no. 7 seeded Argonauts from the University of West Florida, and the no. 2 seeded Lady Bulldogs from Union University on Thursday at a time TBD.
 
Braden Treaster will provide the play-by-play commentary on the Statesmen Sports Radio Network, on Rejoice 1490 WCLD AM, and on the FloCollege Network.
 
The Lady Statesmen split the season series with Valdosta State with both teams winning on their home court. The Blazers won 70-62 in early January while the Lady Statesmen defeated Valdosta State in mid-February 63-49.
 
Scouting the Lady Statesmen

• Delta State enters the post season as the number three seed in the Gulf South Conference Championship Tournament with a 17-10 overall record while holding a 15-7 record in conference play. The Lady Statesmen enter post season winning nine of their past 11 games. The Lady Statesmen defeated the Lady Choctaws from Mississippi College 56-45 to clinch the three seed Friday night in Walter Sillers Coliseum.
• Delta State enters the postseason as one of the top defensive teams in the Gulf South Conference. The Lady Statesmen hold their opponents to 60.6 points per game which marks third in the conference. The Lady Statesmen are in the top three in the GSC in three-point field goal percentages shooting .318 from beyond the arch.
• Jariyah Williamson has led the Lady Statesmen in scoring, averaging 11.8 points per game in the 2025-26 regular season. Williamson has been phenomenal for the Green and White down the stretch for the Lady Statesmen. The Henderson Tenn., native averaged 15.6 points per game in the month of February, scoring 20-plus points in three of the eight games played for Delta State including a 21-point performance in Friday night's win against Mississippi College.
• Senior forward Dakiya Toney has been an impact player for the Lady Statesmen in the 2025-26 season in the front court. The Lake Village, Ark., native leads the Lady Statesmen in rebounding, averaging 6.7 per game and blocked shots with 19 on the season. Toney is in the top ten in the Gulf South Conference in each category.
• Last time against Valdosta State, the Lady Statesmen outscored VSU 26-9 in the fourth quarter to take a 63-49 win on Thursday, Feb. 12^th in Walter Sillers Coliseum. Toney was the leading performer in the win, posting one of her six double-doubles of the season scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Williamson added 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Kennedee Shelton added 11 points off the bench, only missing one field goal and going a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe. Shelton would earn Gulf South Player of the Week Honors during that week.

Scouting the Blazers

• Valdosta State enters the Gulf South Conference Championship Tournament as the six seed after going 16-12 in the regular season and 13-9 in conference play. The Blazers defeated the Falcons from Montevallo 72-54 last Friday in Montevallo. The Blazers won the tie break against West Florida on tiebreak number six going to the Coin Flip.
• The Blazers enter the postseason as one of the top three teams in the conference in team field goal percentage shooting .436 from the field. VSU is fifth in the conference, averaging 69.6 points per game and is giving up 64.4 points per game putting their scoring margin at 5.2.
• Aryana Hicks and Erin Whalen are leading the conference in certain stat categories. Hicks leads the conference in assists averaging 5.1 per game. Whalen is the team's leading scorer averaging 13.9 points per game and is tied for the lead in the conference averaging 2.4 steals per game and has 66 on the season.