Aspriona "Ace" Gilbert enters her second season as a graduate assistant coach for Coach Craig pm the Delta State women's basketball staff.
In her first season back in the Delta, Gilbert helped the Lady Statesmen to a 23-7 record and a 14-6 GSC mark. The Lady Statesmen finished runner-up to top seed Union University in the GSC Tournament while earning the first NCAA DII South Region tournament berth since 2015-16. Senior, foward Quantesha Patterson had a stellar year under Gilbert's tutelage, garnering First-Team All-GSC, D2SIDA Third-Team All-American and WBCA Honorable Mention All-American honors.
The duo of Patterson and Zyaire Ewing were a force in the painted area for the Green-and-White, combining for 30.7 points and 24.1 rebounds per game. Patterson led the GSC in rebounds per game (13.4/4th NCAA) and offensive rebounds(5.8/2nd NCAA), ranked first in total rebounds (375/4th NCAA) and third in defensive rebounds (7.6/20th NCAA). The Maben, Miss. , native is 4th in the GSC in scoring (17.3 points per game). Patterson grabbed 161 offensive rebounds besting Caroline Boclair's 113 offensive rebounds in 1998-99. Ewing finished ranked third in the GSC defensive rebounds per game (7.6/20th NCAA), fourth in rebounds per game (10.7/19th NCAA), and 4th in total rebounds (300/ 19th NCAA). Ewing was also third in the GSC in blocked shots per game (1.7) and second in total blocked shots (48/43rd NCAA).
Gilbert averaged 9.3 points and 3.7 rebounds over two seasons while leading the Lady Statesmen to the 2015-16 Gulf South Conference Tournament championship and an NCAA Division II South Region berth as a senior.
Gilbert's Career Statistics
Career Statistics
| Season |
GP |
GS |
Minutes |
Totals |
3-Point |
Free-Throws |
Rebounds |
PF |
FO |
AST |
AST/G |
T/O |
BLK |
STL |
PTS |
AVG |
| MIN |
AVG |
FG |
FGA |
PCT |
FG |
FGA |
PCT |
FT |
FTA |
PCT |
OFF |
DEF |
TOT |
AVG |
| 2015-2016 |
29 |
1 |
413 |
14.2 |
86 |
165 |
.521 |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
66 |
90 |
.733 |
43 |
69 |
112 |
3.9 |
78 |
2 |
20 |
0.7 |
44 |
19 |
11 |
238 |
8.2 |
| 2016-2017 |
28 |
8 |
497 |
17.8 |
103 |
184 |
.560 |
1 |
12 |
.083 |
87 |
124 |
.702 |
49 |
57 |
106 |
3.8 |
90 |
5 |
27 |
1.0 |
63 |
12 |
12 |
294 |
10.5 |
| Total |
57 |
9 |
910 |
16.0 |
189 |
349 |
.542 |
1 |
13 |
.077 |
153 |
214 |
.715 |
92 |
126 |
218 |
3.8 |
168 |
7 |
47 |
0.8 |
107 |
31 |
23 |
532 |
9.3 |
Gilbert started her collegiate career at at Austin Peat State in Clarksville, Tenn., where she redshirted in 2012-13 before missing the 2013-14 campaign with a knee injury. Gilbert then transferred and played two seasons for Coach Don Edwards at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Miss., where she played in 26 games, averaging 17.7 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 70 percent from the floor and 71 percent from free throw line. She also blocked 22 shots and had 16 steals and 24 assists.
Gilbert prepped at Myrtle High School under coach Chris Greer, where she averaged 23.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting 66 percent from the field as senior. The Myrtle, Miss., native averaged 22.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks as a junior. Gilbert ranked 11th among all Mississippi players in scoring and 15th in rebounding en route to All-State honors and aÂ
Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen selection. Gilbert was ranked sixth in the FILA Mississippi Class of 2012.
