ROME, Ga. – The Lady Hawks captured their first conference win of the 2016-17 season with a 61-54 victory over the Delta State Lady Statesmen.

Taylor Adams recorded her fifth double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Kayla Tillie added 17 points and 5 assists, while Hudson scored nine.

"It was a really good win," head coach Vic Mitchell stated. "I've been pleased with the effort and intensity and desire to back each other up."

Delta State kept the game close throughout the first quarter, but a layup by Raven Fair, followed by a Roni Richardson three-pointer with 2:02 to go in the period, gave the Lady Hawks a 13-7 lead.

Shorter continued its run and Breana Thompson's layup with less than 50 seconds in the period gave the Lady Hawks their first double-digit lead of the contest, 17-7.

Shorter's advantage continued to hover around ten points until the trio of Jackie Hudson, Tilie, and Adams pushed the home team's lead to 15. Each time the Lady Statesmen converted, the Lady Hawks answered, maintaining their advantage.

A single Delta State free throw late in the quarter made the score 37-23 at the intermission, in favor of Shorter.

Tillie opened the second half by scoring the Lady Hawks first five points of the third period, but the Lady Statesmen battled to pull within nine.

DSU got no closer than 42-33 before Thompson, Tillie, and Adams pushed Shorter's advantage back to 16, 51-35, at the end of the third.

Adams' layup with 4:54 left in the game gave the Lady Hawks their largest lead of the game, 59-41, but the Lady Statesmen clawed back over the final minutes.

The visitors ended the game on an 11-2 run, with a pair of free throws by Adams being the only SU points during Delta State's comeback attempt.

The Lady Hawks managed to hold off the Lady Statesmen for a 61-54 victory.

The seven-point win moves Shorter's record to 2-5 overall and 1-1 in the Gulf South Conference. DSU falls to 3-4 on the season, with an 0-2 mark in conference action.

The Lady Hawks shot 43.1% from the field and missed only one free throw. Delta State made 44.4% of its attempts. Each team collected 31 rebounds.

Shorter will return to action on Saturday against Mississippi College. Tipoff between the Lady Hawks and Lady Choctaws is set for 2 p.m. est from the Winthrop-King Centre.