CLEVELAND, Miss. – Mulerider Women's Basketball got its three-game week started down in the delta, as Southern Arkansas took on its former Gulf South Conference foe in Delta State for the second-straight season. Last season, the group combated in a low-scoring affair that saw the Lady Statesmen pull a victory out late with a last-second shot to claim the lead; this season saw much of the same, as Delta State defeated SAU 56-52.

The Muleriders were led in scoring by senior forward Elena Lijo-Rodriguez. Leading the game in scoring, the Spanish native accounted for 18 points while on the road. Lijo-Rodriguez tallied up those points after shooting 8-13 from the field and 2-5 from the charity stripe. Elena was also responsible for her first double-double of the season and the third of her SAU career after recording 10 rebounds in the outing. The senior was also tied for the game lead in blocks with two.
 
Tying Lijo-Rodriguez for the game lead in blocks was Kadia Ward (KD). The junior transfer also tallied a double-digit scoring day with 10 points, thanks to a last-second three-pointer. Ward had an impressive defensive day, after the Duncanville, Texas native accounted for three steals, two blocks, and seven rebounds (all defensive). KD led the group in three-pointers made against the Lady Statesmen, after the junior made two of her three attempts from beyond the arc.
 
Delta State came out with a hot start for its home opener after going up 17-7 at the end of the first quarter, thanks in part to an early 8-0 lead with two three-pointers and a made jumper. The Muleriders brought the deficit down to three (10-7), but would surrender seven points unanswered to end the period.
 
To begin the second quarter, SAU scored the first six points with a layup from Blythe Crawley, two free throws by Johnna Brockman, and a made jumper from Kennedy Moss. Bringing the Lady Statesmen's lead down to 17-13. Delta State finally broke its silence in the period with a three ball to go back up seven, but was responded to with a Moss layup. The Blue and Gold went on to close the gap to two points, only down 21-19, after a pair of Hope Bump free throws. To close out the half, the two squads accounted for countering two-point scores (23-21), but then saw DSU end the second period with a layup, 25-21.
 
Delta State started up hot once again after the intermission, nailing a three-pointer to begin the half and going up 28-21. Just over a minute after that, Hope Bump tacked on a jumper to close the deficit back to five (28-23), but would be stumped by another DSU three-ball not even a minute later. After back-to-back jumpers made by Moss and Lijo-Rodriguez, the Muleriders went on the bring the game back within four points, at 31-27. After a couple of back-and-forth jumpers, Delta State hit another three-pointer to increase its lead back to seven (36-29). From then on, Southern Arkansas hit the gas, as the Muleriders went on a 7-2 stretch to tie the game just 12 seconds before the end of the third. The Lady Statesmen didn't just go into the fourth period quietly, though, as the group made one last jumper to go up 41-39 to enter the final period.
 
DSU started the scoring once again in the final ten minutes with a layup, but was countered by a Crawley three-pointer to cut the lead down to one (43-42). The Lady Statesmen then went on to knock down an and-one with a foul on Marlee Bright, as DSU also knocked down the freebie to go up four (46-42). Bump was then fouled just after and went 1-2 from the stripe, bringing the game back within three (46-43). After another 1-2 trip to the charity stripe by Bump, Ward recorded a layup to tie the match at 46-46. The junior then took the lead for the Muleriders' first lead of the game with her second three-pointer of the game (49-46). Delta State followed this up with a couple of free throws, bringing the lead down to one (49-48), and then went on to reclaim its lead with a three-pointer to go up 51-49 with 16 seconds to go. After a technical foul was called on SAU, the Lady Statesmen then went up to the charity stripe and knocked down both free throws (53-49). The Muleriders then fouled DSU, giving the group two more shots at the line, making both (55-49). After another SAU foul, the Lady Statesmen took two more shots at the line and went 1-2 (56-49). To finish the game, Ward accounted for her second three of the game. The score did not affect the outcome, as the Muleriders acquired their first loss with a final score of 56-52.
 
Up Next:
Southern Arkansas' next bit of action comes this weekend in Lubbock, Texas, where the Muleriders will compete in two games for the Fairfield Inn Classic, hosted by Lubbock Christian. The Blue and Gold will face the University of Texas-Permian Basin on Friday (Nov. 21) at 3:30 PM and will then take on Lubbock Christian for a 6:00 PM tip on Saturday (Nov. 22).
 
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