GAME NOTES: No. 9 Florida Southern/Eckerd at Delta State University Statesmen Basketball (11.9-10.13)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University Men's Basketball team officially tips off the 2013-2014 season Saturday, Nov. 9 through Sunday, Nov. 10 with the Delta Challenge, featuring No. 9 Florida Southern College, Eckerd College and the University of Arkansas-Monticello. The two-day event will tipoff Saturday with Eckerd facing UA-Monticello at 5:30 p.m. followed by FSC and DSU at 7:30 p.m. Sunday's schedule has FSC and UAM set for a 2 p.m. start, while EC and DSU play at 4 p.m.
THE TIPOFF
DSU claimed a 78-68 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Monday, Nov. 4, to close out the exhibition schedule. The Statesmen were led by
Willie Readus, who scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds. In all, five Statesmen scored in double figures. DSU outscored MVSU 39-29 in the second half en route to the victory at Sillers Coliseum.
Jim Boone (West Virginia State, 1981) is in his second season as head coach at Delta State. He guided the Statesmen to a 11-16 overall finish in 2012-13 in his first season at DSU. His career record stands at 441-344, but he owns an outstanding 349-182 mark in NCAA DII play. Boone spent 10 seasons as coach at California (Pa.), where he led the Vulcans to six PSAC titles, nine NCAA Tournament appearances and two NCAA Final Fours. His "Pack Line" defense is known as one of the top defensive systems in the game.
The Statesmen were picked to finish fourth in the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll. Delta State received one third place vote, three fourth place votes, and two fifth place votes for a total of 27 points. North Alabama was selected the 2013-14 GSC Men's Basketball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll favorite.
Senior guard
Cornel Knight returns for his third season at DSU. The Mobile, Ala., native averaged 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game as a junior.
Jack Madgen, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Williamstown, Australia, is back after producing an outstanding freshman campaign for the Statesmen. Madgen is DSU's top returning scorer after averaging 10.1 points a year ago.
Mike Weems, a senior shooting guard from Milwaukee, Wisc., is back for DSU and looking to improve upon the 8.7 points he averaged last year. The 6-foot-3 shooter averaged 38-percent from 3-point range while connecting on a team-high 48 three-pointers.
The Statesmen were one of the top defensive units in the GSC last season, allowing opponents a mere 61.1 points per game and 41.3 percent shooting from the floor.
Delta State also returns Zelvin Smith, Jr. (G),
Declan Harrick (F),
Brice Rowe (G) and
Bobby Wallace (G). A total of six newcomers have also joined the roster since last season.
UP NEXT
Delta State will travel to LeMoyne-Owen College on Saturday, Nov. 16 for an in-region clash in Memphis, Tenn. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. DSU is 5-5 all-time versus the Magicians.
INSIDE THE HUDDLE
STATESMEN HOSTING DELTA CHALLENGE
The Delta State University Men's Basketball team officially tips off the 2013-2014 season Saturday, Nov. 9 through Sunday, Nov. 10 with the Delta Challenge, featuring No. 9 Florida Southern College, Eckerd College and the University of Arkansas-Monticello.
The two-day event will tipoff Saturday with Eckerd facing UA-Monticello at 5:30 p.m. followed by FSC and DSU at 7:30 p.m. Sunday's schedule has FSC and UAM set for a 2 p.m. start, while EC and DSU play at 4 p.m.
DELTA STATE-FLORIDA SOUTHERN RENEW OLD RIVALRY
The Statesmen and Mocs will meet for the fourth time in series history on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Sillers Coliseum. The matchup will be a first on DSU's home court. Florida Southern leads the series 2-1, but DSU claimed a 72-70 victory in the last meeting on March 14, 2003 in the first round of the NCAA South Region Tournament.
The Mocs defeated the Statesmen 75-73 in the first-ever matchup between the two schools on Dec. 21, 1985 and followed that up with an impressive 81-55 win on March 11, 2000 in the second round of the NCAA South Region Tournament.
STATESMEN AND TRITONS MEETING FOR SECOND TIME
Delta State and Eckerd will meet for just the second time on the hardwood Sunday, Nov. 10, as the Statesmen welcome the Tritons to Sillers Coliseum. It will also be EC's first trip to DSU. The Statesmen claimed an 88-76 victory over the Tritons on Dec. 21, 2009 in the first meeting between the schools.
APPROACHING TWO MILESTONES
Should the Statesmen collect just eight victories this year, two major milestones will fall for the program - 1,200 all-time victories and 700 Gulf South Conference wins.
The Statesmen boast the second most wins all-time amongst GSC institutions with a career record of 1,196-804-1. DSU is also a blistering 691-455 in league games.
DELTA STATE PICKED TO FINISH FOURTH IN GSC
As the Statesmen prepare for the 2013-2014 season, the GSC Coaches Preseason Poll picked Delta State to finish fourth in the annual vote. North Alabama was selected the 2013-14 GSC Men's Basketball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll favorite in the closest voting in recent memory. Seven points separates the poll's top three squads and four teams collected at least one first-place vote.
UNA garnered the four first-place votes, en route to 44 points, while defending Champion Christian Brothers clipped the Lions' heels with 43 points led by two first-place nods. Alabama-Huntsville posted one first-place vote and came in third-place via 37 total points. Delta State (27) and Valdosta State (20) finished, fourth and fifth, respectively. West Alabama owned the final first-place vote and sixth-place via 19 points, while West Florida and West Georgia tied for the final position at 17 points.
All eight teams advance to the 2014 GSC Tournament which returns to the Pete Hanna Center on the campus of Samford University in Birmingham, AL from March 6-9.
STATESMEN DROP DELTA DEVILS 78-68 IN EXHIBITION
The Statesmen claimed a 78-68 victory over Mississippi Valley State University, an NCAA Division I program, in their lone exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 4 at Sillers Coliseum. After being tied 39-39 at the half, the Statesmen outscored the Delta Devils 39-29 over the final 20 minutes to secure the victory. The win evened the series record at 15-15.
The Statesmen shot 46.4-percent for the game after making 26-of-56 field goal attempts. DSU held the Delta Devils to 36.1-percent on 22-of-61 field goal attempts and out-rebounded MVSU 42-35.
Senior power forward
Willie Readus led the Statesmen with 18 points and nine rebounds on the night. The Jackson State transfer connected on 4-of-8 shots from the field and 10-of-12 from the free throw line.
Sophomore shooting guard
Jack Madgen finished the night with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. In two crucial possessions late in the game, the Williamstown, Australia native canned back-to-back 3-pointers to extend DSU's lead.
In a game dominated by guard play, true freshman point guard
Devin Schmidt scored 13 points and handed out four assists in his first appearance in the green-and-white. Senior
Cornel Knight added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists to the mix, while junior
Alister Chisholm scored 11 points off the bench.
MVSU was led by Darryl Marshall's 17 points. Deangelo Priar added 13 points and Daniel Hurtt chipped in with 10.
DSU closed the night with 32 points in the paint compared to MVSU's 24. The Statesmen were also 20-of-29 at the free throw line and 6-of-13 from 3-point range. A total of 10 players saw action again MVSU.
SIX AND COUNTING
Delta State enters the 2013-14 season with six Gulf South Conference championships, the most by any member institution. The Statesmen also own GSC records for postseason tournament appearances (24), wins (26), semifinal berths (17) and finals appearances (12).
STATESMEN, NOT FIGHTING OKRA
Despite some rowdy student objections, athletic programs at Delta State University do not use the student-chosen sub-mascot, Fighting Okra. The Fighting Okra, the most vicious of all vegetables, was created by a band of students at DSU in the late 1980's and early 1990's.
While some on campus embrace the scary veggie, DSU Athletics does not. Our programs have always been, and will continue to be the Statesmen and Lady Statesmen. If you have a problem with that, take it up with the vegetable in the corner with boxing gloves.
DELTA STATE RETURNS DEPTH AT GUARD
Playing a league that has developed into guard-heavy play, coach
Jim Boone can rest a little easier entering the season knowing that he returns three starters at the position from a year ago. Sophomore
Jack Madgen and seniors
Cornel Knight and Mike Weems saw major time on the floor last year for the Green-and-White.
Knight returns for his third season at DSU. The Mobile, Ala., native averaged 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game as a junior. Weems, a senior shooting guard from Milwaukee, Wisc., is back for DSU and looking to improve upon the 8.7 points he averaged last year. The 6-foot-3 shooter averaged 38-percent from 3-point range while connecting on a team-high 48 three-pointers.
Madgen, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Williamstown, Australia, is back after producing an outstanding freshman campaign for the Statesmen. Madgen is DSU's top returning scorer after averaging 10.1 points a year ago.
DEFENSE NAME OF THE GAME FOR BOONE'S STATESMEN
The Statesmen are led by one of the nation's top defensive coaches in
Jim Boone. The 27-year veteran skipper has hung his hat on his ability to draw up defenses to stop any opponent.
Delta State was one of the top defensive units in the GSC last season, allowing opponents a mere 61.1 points per game and 41.3 percent shooting from the floor.
BOONE ENTERS SECOND SEASON AT DELTA STATE
Jim Boone (West Virginia State, 1981) is in his second season as head coach at Delta State. He guided the Statesmen to a 11-16 overall finish in 2012-13 in his first season at DSU.
His career record stands at 441-344, but he owns an outstanding 349-182 mark in NCAA DII play. Boone spent 10 seasons as coach at California (Pa.), where he led the Vulcans to six PSAC titles, nine NCAA Tournament appearances and two NCAA Final Fours. His "Pack Line" defense is known as one of the top defensive systems in the game.
STATESMEN BASKETBALL ADDS TO STAFF
Delta State head coach
Jim Boone returns assistant coach Chris Richardson and volunteer assistant coach
Jimmy Boone this year, but the Winfield, W.V., native reached back to his days at Eastern Michigan to add
John Bowler to the staff as a graduate assistant.
Bowler played his college basketball at Eastern Michigan University, where he developed under current Delta State head coach
Jim Boone. At EMU, he had a storied career achieving many major accomplishments. The 6-foot-10 former center accumulated 1,427 points and pulled down 801 rebounds, which put him in 13th and 6th place respectively in the school's history book.
