CLEVELAND, Ms. – A 29% shooting percentage hurt the Shorter Lady Hawks as they fell to the Delta State Lady Statesmen in Gulf South Conference action, 49-38.

The Lady Hawks shots failed to fall in the first quarter, as the team shot a mere 18.1%, converting only 2 of 11 attempts from the field. After two free throws by Shakierya McClendon made the score 4-2 in favor of Delta State (18-5, 15-5), Shorter did not score for over four minutes. The Lady Hawks scoring draught ended with 2:30 remaining in the opening period as Taylor Adams scored her first points of the game. She scored again just over 45 seconds later to pull Shorter (17-7, 14-6) within seven, 13-6. The quarter ended as the Lady Statesmen went on a 5-0 run to take an 18-6 advantage into the second quarter.

Both teams struggled to score in the second period, with the two teams combining to score seven points. The advantage in scoring went to the Lady Hawks who outscored Delta State 4-3 in the period. Turnovers doomed Shorter in the second quarter, as the visitors gave away the basketball eight times. The Lady Hawks shot a slightly improved 20% in the second; bringing their first half shooting total to 4 of 21. Delta State nearly doubled Shorter's shooting percentage, finding the bottom of the net on 9 of its 23 shot attempts for a 39% mark. At the half, the Lady Hawks trailed the Lady Statesmen, 21-10.

In the third, Shorter trailed by as many as 14 before pulling within six thanks to scoring from Adams and McClendon. Down 26-12, the Lady Hawks went on an 8-0 run. Adams scored the first four points of the run by making two free throws and a jump shot. McClendon followed suit, hitting a layup with 4:10 remaining, and nailing a jumper just 37 seconds later. Down six, SU once again fell behind by double-digits as Delta State's Chelsey Rhodes hit a 3-pointer with seven seconds left on the clock. That would not be the end of the scoring, however, as Jackie Hudson hit a three with one second remaining in the period. Her first points of the contest cut the Lady Hawks deficit to single digits once again, 31-23.

As the final period began, the teams traded baskets. After the Lady Statesmen pushed their advantage to 11, Tamarr Williams' jump shot made the lead 34-25. Delta State once again stretched its lead to double digits, with the Lady Hawks fighting to stay within ten. Adams' layup with 2:24 left in the contest pulled Shorter to within nine, 42-33, but over the final minutes, the Lady Statesmen took a double-digit advantage, this time for good. When the final buzzer sounded, the Lady Hawks fell, 49-38.

Adams led Shorter with 13 points, while McClendon added 11. The Lady Hawks pulled down 25 rebounds, while the Lady Statesmen collected 34. Rhodes led Delta State with 34 points on 10 of 18 shooting.

Shorter plays the final game of a two-game road trip on Saturday against Mississippi College. Tipoff between the Lady Hawks and Lady Choctaws is set for 3 PM EST from Clinton, Mississippi.