Delta State advances to GSC title rematch

3/4/2016 7:04:08 PM

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – GSC Player of the Year Chelsey Rhodes played all 40 minutes and scored 25 points to lead No. 2 Delta State to a 54-48 victory over No. 3 in the 2015-16 VisitSpaceCoast.com Gulf South Conference semifinals at Samford University’s Pete Hanna Center. The win sets up a rematch of the 2015 GSC final against top-seed Union.

BY THE NUMBERS

Teams	1	2	3	4	Total
Shorter (20-8)	7	10	11	20	48
Delta State (21-6)	9	19	10	16	54

Game Leaders	Delta State	Shorter
Points	Chelsey Rhodes \| 25 Alondrea Rush \| 14	Taylor Adams \| 22
Rebounds	Mary Carol Davis \| 6	Taylor Adams \| 12
Assists	Alondrea Rush \| 6	Jackie Hudson \| 3

KEY MOMENTS
Delta State used a 10-0 run midway in the second quarter to create some separation against Shorter. The Lady Statesmen used a second 10-0 run in the first seven minutes of the third quarter to create its largest lead of the night at 19 points, 38-19. Shorter’s Taylor Adams scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter to pull the game back to a two-possession game with under four minutes to play. Adams grabbed a defensive rebound and cut it to two points, 50-48, with 21 seconds left, but Chelsey Rhodes and Alexis Ross each hit a pair of free throws in the final 20 seconds to put the game away.

NOTABLE
-Delta State improves to 24-4 all-time in GSC Tournament semifinals to advance to its third straight championship game.
- The Lady Statesmen are looking to win its 16^th GSC title and first since 2008-09.
- Alondrea Rush tied her career high for assists (6).
- Chelsey Rhodes made 3-of-5 3-pointers to become the second DSU player to make 200 3s in her career (201-of-602).
- Shorter’s Taylor Adams produced her 15^th double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds, including 11 on the defensive glass.
- Delta State leads NCAA Division II in scoring defense and held Shorter to 16 points below its season average. It is the 26^th time this season DSU has held an opponent below its average.
- DSU turned the ball over a season-high 22 times.
- The game was a rematch of the 2014-15 VisitSpaceCoast.com GSC Women’s Basketball Championships semifinals, which DSU won 75-65.

UP NEXT
Delta State will now meet top seed and defending GSC Tournament champion Union in the 2015-16 VisitSpaceCoast.com GSC Championship title game Saturday, March 5 at 1 p.m. CT. It will be a rematch of the 2014-15 championship game, which Union won 62-50.