CLEVELAND, MS. — For three quarters, nothing separated Christian Brothers and Delta State. Each push from one side was answered by the other, and the lead traded hands repeatedly in a slow-paced, physical Gulf South battle. But in the fourth quarter, Delta State finally created the separation it couldn't find earlier, grinding out a 56–48 home victory.
The first half set the tone for what looked like a game destined to come down to the final minute. Christian Brothers opened with a 14-11 lead after the first quarter, powered by steady inside scoring and a strong defensive start. Delta State answered in the second quarter, tightening up defensively while attacking the paint for a 12-9 period of its own. At halftime, the score sat tied at 23–23, reflecting just how evenly matched the teams were.
The intensity only increased in the third quarter. CBU hit timely threes — including a momentum-boosting one from Teuila Faalogo, while Delta State continued to get second-chance looks and earn its way to the free-throw line. Both squads had brief leads, but neither could create more than a single-possession margin. Delta State's 20-15 edge in the third came only in the closing moments, and even then, Christian Brothers remained well within striking distance entering the fourth down just 43–38.
But the game's story changed in the final period.
Where the first three quarters were tight and back-and-forth, the fourth saw Delta State control the pace for the first time all afternoon. The Lady Statesmen used their size and rebounding advantage, finishing with 40 boards to CBU's 33, to limit Christian Brothers to just one shot per trip. Delta State's ability to get to the line also mattered, finishing 15-for-27 compared to CBU's 5-for-13, a gap that ultimately helped create late separation.
Offensively, Christian Brothers struggled to find the rhythm they had earlier. Turnovers added up, and Delta State turned those miscues into 18 points off turnovers, compared to CBU's 8. Though the Bucs continued to scrap defensively, they managed only 10 points in the fourth quarter, never pulling closer than two possessions as Delta State closed out the win.
Christian Brothers received 10 points from Alice Conrad and 9 from Faalogo, who also grabbed eight boards.
Though the final score shows an eight-point margin, the game was a one-possession battle for more than 30 of the 40 minutes, a gritty contest where each team had multiple chances to seize momentum. Only in the fourth did Delta State finally break through.
