Veronica Walker scored 20 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the nationally eighth-ranked Delta State Lady Statesmen to a 69-55 win over the Lynn University Fighting Knights in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament South Regional at Arkansas Tech University on Friday.
Delta State (26-3) closed the first half on a 12-2 run to take a 32-23 lead at halftime.
Lynn got back to within 36-32 on a Marquis Lee layup with 17:05 left in the game, but the Lady Statesmen responded with a 15-0 run to claim a 51-32 lead with 13:27 to go.
That 15-0 spurt turned out to be the decisive blow for Delta State, which improved to 52-19 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Statesmen are the two-time defending NCAA Division II South Region champions.
Shameka Russell scored 17 points and Joncyee Sanders notched a career-high 14 points for Delta State.
Chelsea Patterson led Lynn (19-11) with 18 points.
Delta State advances to the regional semifinals at 1 p.m. Sunday against Valdosta State.
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