CLEVELAND – Moe Bell scored a game-high 20 points and Veronica Walker added 16 points for Delta State as the No. 12 Lady Statesmen cruised to a 73-37 win over Ouachita Baptist on Thursday at Sillers Coliseum.
Bell (Madison, Miss./Madison-Ridgeland Academy) was 5-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc and sank all five of her free throws to lead Delta State (17-2, 6-2 Gulf South Conference).
Ouachita Baptist (10-11) fell to 2-6 in GSC play.
The Lady Statesmen led from start to finish, but it was their quick start to the second half that quelled any chance of an OBU upset. After taking a 32-19 lead into halftime, the Lady Statesmen scored the first 22 points of the second half while holding OBU without a point until the 12:11 mark.
Walker (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) scored her 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 8-of-8 from the free throw line.
Bell’s five triples pulled her to within one 3-point field goal of the Delta State career record in that category, currently held by Tanya Redmond, who suited up for the Statesmen from 1995 to 1998.
The 3-point record would be the second DSU career record to fall within a two-week span, as Bug Cooper (Indianola, Miss./Gentry HS) was honored before the game for breaking the school’s record for career assists in the NCAA era. Cooper set the new record of 566 assists in DSU’s loss at Henderson State on Saturday, and eight more Thursday to bring her career mark to 574.
Cooper, who also added seven points in the game, is now 30 assists away from breaking the all-time GSC record for career assists.
Jessica Collins (Jackson, Miss./Itawamba CC) scored eight points for the Lady Statesmen, followed by Joncyee Sanders (Brandon, Miss./Brandon HS) and Shameka Russell (Waynesboro, Miss./Southeastern La.), who both scored seven points apiece.
Denesha Henderson (Guy, Ark./Guy-Perkins HS) led the Lady Statesmen rebounding effort by pulling in eight boards to go along with four points.
The Lady Statesmen shot 92 percent (22-of-24) from the free throw line. They also helped their cause by holding Ouachita Baptist to 27 percent (13-of-49) from the field.
A’Laeshia Adams scored 11 points to lead the Lady Tigers, but was held to 3-of-15 shooting from the floor.
The win was the 45th consecutive home triumph for the Lady Statesmen.
The Lady Statesmen return to action Thursday, February 11 when they host Arkansas-Monticello. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.