CLEVELAND – Despite their setback to undefeated Arkansas Tech, the No. 6 Delta State Lady Statesmen remained the highest-ranked Gulf South Conference team in the ESPN/USA Today Division II poll, released Tuesday by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
The Lady Statesmen (15-1, 4-1 GSC) fell from their No. 2 ranking after losing 56-47 at Arkansas Tech (18-0, 5-0 GSC) on Saturday. The Golden Suns climbed two spots to the No. 7 spot in this week's poll.
Franklin Pierce (N.H.) held on to the No. 1 ranking, while Indianapolis, Gannon (Pa.), Michigan Tech and Emporia State (Kan.) all moved up one place to occupy Nos. 2 through 5, respectively.
Fort Lewis College (Colo.) and West Texas A&M followed Arkansas Tech up two places to take No. 8 and 9 rankings, respectively. No. 10 California-San Diego rounded out the Top Ten after falling from the No. 7 ranking last week.
Veronica Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) leads the Statesmen with a scoring average of 18.4 points per game.
Bug Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) leads the nation with 8.1 assists per game, and now has handed out 548 for her career. She is only 16 assists away from Delta State's NCAA-era record (beginning 1982) of 563 career assists.
The Lady Statesmen return to action this week when they host Harding on Thursday for a 6 p.m. tipoff.