JACKSON, Tenn. — The Delta State University women's basketball season came to an end Thursday night as the Lady Statesmen fell to Union (Tenn.) 73–58 in the Gulf South Conference Tournament Semifinals at Fred DeLay Gymnasium.

Delta State finishes the 2025-26 campaign with an 18-11 overall record after advancing to the conference semifinal round.

The Lady Statesmen came out strong early, shooting 63.6 percent in the opening quarter and building a 19-15 lead after the first 10 minutes. Kennedee Shelton led the early push inside as Delta State used an efficient offensive start to grab momentum.

Union responded in the second quarter, holding Delta State to just seven points while taking a 29-26 advantage into halftime.

The two teams traded momentum throughout the third quarter in a tightly contested battle. Delta State shot an impressive 77.8 percent from the field in the period and briefly reclaimed the lead after a fast-break basket from Shelton made it 44-43 with 2:40 remaining. Union answered late in the quarter and took a narrow 48-46 edge into the final frame.

Union pulled away in the fourth quarter behind a strong offensive stretch, outscoring Delta State 25-12 over the final 10 minutes to secure the semifinal victory.

Shelton paced the Lady Statesmen with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Alyse Holliman added 11 points and five rebounds off the bench. Adyson Roberts and Jariyah Williamson each finished with 10 points, with Williamson also dishing out four assists.

Union was led by Olivia Lee, who scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Courtney Zensen added 13 points while Morgan Escobedo chipped in 11 for the Bulldogs.

Delta State shot 44.7 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range in the contest, but Union capitalized late and finished the game shooting 52.1 percent overall.

The appearance marked Delta State's run to the semifinal round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2021-22 season