JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University women's basketball team defeated Delta State University 74-58 in the Gulf South Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Tuesday night at Fred DeLay Gymnasium. Union, ranked No. 15 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll and No. 8 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, improved to 26-3 on the season. The Statesmen finished their season 12-15 overall. Union is now 2-1 versus Delta State in GSC Tournament games. 

No. 1 seed Union advances to the semifinals where they will face the fourth-seeded Lee University Lady Flames. It will be the third meeting of the season between Union and Lee, with Union winning both regular season games. The game will be Saturday, March 3 at 12:00 p.m. in Birmingham, Ala. at Samford University. 

The two teams played close throughout the first quarter. Delta State had a couple of early leads of two points, while Union managed only couple of four point leads in the first quarter. Union led 14-12 at the end of the first 10 minutes. Delta State tied the game for the last time with the first basket of the second quarter. With Union leading 23-19, the Lady Bulldogs began an 11-0 run at the 3:57 mark to go up by 15 points, 34-19, with 44 seconds left in the half. Chelsey Shumpert scored 12 of her 16 points to lead Union in the first half. Union led 35-22 at the break.  

Union pushed their lead up to 17 points early in the third quarter, 45-28, with 5:0-2 left following a layup from Bria Gaines. Gaines scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half for Union. Delta State stormed back over the rest of the period. Over the next six minutes that bled over into the fourth quarter, Delta State outscored Union 19-8 to cut the Union lead down to six points, 53-47 with nine minutes left in the game. Union responded with a 6-0 run to get the lead back to double figures. Union outscored Delta State 17-6 over the next seven minutes to regain control. Union led by as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter, 73-55, before taking the 74-58 victory. 

Union was led by Sara Lytle with 18 points and six rebounds. Chelsey Shumpert and Gaines both had 16 points, and Jada Perkins had 11 points and seven assists. Union was 46 percent from the field, 19 percent (4-21) from three-point range, and 52 percent (10-19) from the foul line. 

Delta State was led by Takisha Jordan with 20 points and nine rebounds. Rush had 17 points. Delta State was 43 percent (20-46), 23 percent (3-13) from three-point range, and 75 percent (15-20) from the foul line. 

Listen to Union's semifinal game on 93.1 FM or online at www.uuathletics.com/live. 

-UNION-