MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Ixana Winters led Mississippi Valley State University women's basketball with a team-high 13 points as the Delta Devils opened the 2026-27 regular season with an 80-42 setback against Marquette University on Tuesday evening inside the Al McGuire Center.
Despite a difficult shooting night, Mississippi Valley State (0-1) showed improvement offensively in the second half, scoring 29 of its 42 points over the final two quarters against the Golden Eagles (1-0).
Winters provided an offensive spark off the bench, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including one three-pointer. She also added two rebounds and two steals in nearly 25 minutes of action.
Ja'la Douglas and preseason All-SWAC selection
Sydnei Marshall contributed eight points apiece for the Delta Devils. Douglas connected on three field goals and added two blocked shots, while Marshall finished with two rebounds and two assists.
Bryana Block made her presence felt defensively, recording a game-high five steals while contributing six points, three rebounds and two assists. Kambili Nelson chipped in three points, while
Mariah Reed-Jones and
Courtney Bluitt added two points each.
Marquette established an early advantage, taking a 17-8 lead after the opening quarter. The Golden Eagles extended their lead in the second period, holding Valley to five points to carry a 39-13 advantage into halftime.
The Delta Devils came out of the locker room with renewed offensive energy, scoring 14 points in the third quarter. Valley continued to battle throughout the final period, adding 15 points while working to establish offensive rhythm.
Mississippi Valley State finished with nine steals and eight assists, while forcing Marquette into 25 turnovers. The Delta Devils also received 18 points from their bench, led by Winters' 13-point performance.
The Golden Eagles were led by Halle Vice, who recorded a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds. MacKenzie Givens and Yu Han Lin each contributed 14 points for Marquette.
Valley finished the contest shooting 21.2 percent from the field, while Marquette connected on 45 percent of its attempts. The Golden Eagles also held a 61-23 advantage on the boards.
The Delta Devils will look to regroup as they continue their early-season road swing under second-year head coach
Jason James.
Up Next
Mississippi Valley State will travel to Chicago, Illinois, to face Chicago State University on Thursday, November 5, at 6 p.m. CT. The contest marks the second stop of Valley's early-season road trip as the Delta Devils seek their first regular-season victory.
Follow MVSU Sports
For complete coverage of Mississippi Valley State Athletics, follow MVSU on Facebook (
Valley State Athletics), Twitter / X (
@MVSUAthletics), and Instagram (
@ValleyStateAthletics).
