GAME NOTES: Delta State University (7-1, 0-0 GSC) at Christian Brothers University (4-2, 0-0 GSC)
Weekly release with notes, rankings, stats and more in PDF
CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University Men's Basketball team will begin Gulf South Conference play Saturday, Dec. 14 inside Canale Arena in Memphis, Tenn., as the Statesmen (7-1, 0-0 GSC) face Christian Brothers (4-2, 0-0 GSC). Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. The game marks the 87th time the Statesmen and Buccaneers have met on the hardwood. DSU leads the all-time series 49-37, but CBU is riding a four-game winning streak after sweeping the Statesmen each of the last two seasons. CBU claimed a 58-53 victory last year at Sillers Coliseum and edged DSU 57-46 in the last matchup at Canale Arena.
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.
A year ago, the Statesmen offense averaged 59.5 points per game, but this season coach
Jim Boone has turned up the offense to a blistering 76.1 points per game. In fact, the Statesmen have four players averaging in double figures, led by
Willie Readus' 19.6 points per game.
Senior guard
Cornel Knight scored his 500th career point at Delta State with six points in DSU's 90-71 win over Selma University. The 6-foot-3 Mobile, Ala., native has scored 532 points in 62 games for DSU, including 351 rebounds and 187 assists.
Senior power forward
Willie Readus enters the week leading the Statesmen in scoring (19.6 ppg) and rebounding (11.0). The Morton, Miss., native has scored in double figures in every game this season, including a season-high 31 points at LeMoyne-Owen and 17 rebounds versus Cumberland. The Jackson State University transfer is currently second in the GSC in scoring and third in rebounding, but he is the only player averaging a double-double.
Jack Madgen, a sophomore shooting guard from Williamstown, Australia, broke the 300 points scored plateau with seven points in DSU's 82-71 win at LeMoyne-Owen. In just 34 games, Madgen has scored 363 points (10.4 ppg). Madgen is 123-of-295 from the field (41.2 percent), including 51 made 3-pointers.
True freshman point guard
Devin Schmidt has made an immediate impact on DSU, averaging 11.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
Alister Chisholm is proving to be quite the sixth man for the Statesmen, as the redshirt junior is averaging 10.9 points and 4.8 rebounds a game off the bench.
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 448-345, but he owns an outstanding 356-183 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.
INSIDE THE STATESMEN
GSC PLAY SET TO BEGIN AT CBU
The Statesmen will begin Gulf South Conference play Saturday, Dec. 14 inside Canale Arena in Memphis, Tenn., as Delta State (7-1, 0-0 GSC) faces Christian Brothers (4-2, 0-0 GSC). Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.
The game marks the 87th time the Statesmen and Buccaneers have met on the hardwood. DSU leads the all-time series 49-37, but CBU is riding a four-game winning streak after sweeping the Statesmen each of the last two seasons.
CBU claimed a 58-53 victory last year at Sillers Coliseum and edged DSU 57-46 in the last matchup at Canale Arena.
QUICK COMPARISONS: DSU - CBU
Scoring Offense: 76.1 - 79.8
Scoring Defense 60.8 - 65.7
Rebounding: 42.4 - 33.5
Field Goal Percentage: 46.8 - 49.0
Assists: 13.1 - 17.7
Steals: 5.9 - 9.2
3-Point FG%: 34.7 - 39.2
3-Point FG% Defense: 26.1 - 28.0
Blocked Shots: 2.4 - 3.8
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.
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 CLAIM 1200th VICTORY
Delta State eclipsed the 1,200 win plateau after defeating Selma 90-71 and Champion Baptist 78-37 last week. The Statesmen are 1,203-805-1 all-time, boasting the second most victories in Gulf South Conference history with 691.
SCHMIDT MAKING IMPACT AS FRESHMAN
Devin Schmidt, a 6-foot-4 point guard from Sevierville, Tenn., has made an immediate impact on the Statesmen this season. The freshman is averaging 11.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for coach
Jim Boone's Statesmen. Schmidt's 3.4 assists per game rank sixth in the GSC, while 1.8 assist/turnover ratio is eighth.
READUS LEADING WAY FOR STATESMEN
Senior power forward
Willie Readus enters the week leading the Statesmen in scoring (19.6 ppg) and rebounding (11.0). The Morton, Miss., native has scored in double figures in every game this season, including a season-high 31 points at LeMoyne-Owen and 17 rebounds versus Cumberland.
The Jackson State University transfer is currently leading the GSC in scoring and is second in rebounding, but he is the only player averaging a double-double.
SEVEN IN A ROW
Delta State is carrying a seven game win streak into Saturday's showdown at Christian Brothers. The seven game win streak is currently the longest in the league. VSU is on a six game streak.
DEFENSE NAME OF THE GAME FOR BOONE'S STATESMEN; DSU LEADS LEAGUE IN SCORING & FG% DEFENSE
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.
Through eight games, the Statesmen are allowing 60.8 points and 38.0 percent shooting per game. Both statistics lead the Gulf South Conference entering the first week of league play.
SCORING MARGIN
Delta State enters Saturday's game at Christian Brothers leading the GSC in scoring margin at 15.4 points per game. CBU is second with 14.2 points per game.
TURNING UP THE OFFENSE
A year ago, the Statesmen offense averaged 59.5 points per game, but this season coach
Jim Boone has turned up the offense to a blistering 76.1 points per game.
In fact, the Statesmen have four players averaging in double figures, led by
Willie Readus' 19.6 points per game.
Jack Madgen (11.1) is second followed by
Devin Schmidt (11.0) and
Alister Chisholm (10.9).
Mike Washington is on the cusp of double figures, adding 8.5 per game.
GETTING TO THE LINE & CONVERTING
There's no secret to the early success for the Statesmen this season. It's been the free throw line. In eight games, DSU has attempted 246 free throws to our opponents' 112.
The Statesmen are 178-of-246 at the line for 72.4 percent. DSU is attempting 22.3 free throws per game, while the opposition is attempting 10.0 per contest. In 27 games last year, the Statesmen attempted 427 freebies.
ON THE BOARDS
The Statesmen enter the week with a massive lead on the boards this season, averaging 42.4 to the oppositions 30.0 per game. Through eight games, the Statesmen have cleared 339 rebounds as compared to 240 for their opponents.
DSU is tops in the GSC in rebounding defense (30.0 rpg) and rebounding margin (+12.4 rpg).
SHOT CHANGERS
Senior center
Mike Washington and guard
Cornel Knight have proven to be two of the GSC's best when it comes to blocked shots. Washington enters the week ranked fifth in the league with five blocks (1.0 bpg), while Knight is 10th with three blocks (0.8 bpg).
MADGEN NEARING CAREER LIST
Sophomore shooting guard
Jack Madgen is quickly approaching Delta State's career chart for 3-pointers made. The Williamstown, South Australia native is 51-of-141 from 3-point range in his career, needing 36 made 3-pointers to crack the top 10.
STATESMEN BLAST GOLDEN BEARS 88-36
Willie Readus turned in his fourth double-double of the season, as the senior from Morton, Miss., scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Delta State University men's basketball team to a 88-36 victory over Miles College (0-4) Saturday, Dec. 7 at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
The Statesmen (7-1) claimed their seventh consecutive victory while finishing its nonconference schedule in style, holding Miles to the fewest points allowed by DSU since a 105-40 victory over Champion Baptist on Jan. 8, 2008.
DSU, which outscored MC 48-25 in the second half, built a 29-point halftime lead and never looked back. The Statesmen placed three players in double figures, while 10 different players scored for DSU. Joining Readus in double figures were Schmidt with 14 points and
Alister Chisholm with 13.
Cornel Knight added nine points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Jack Madgen had eight points and four assists.
The Statesmen finished the game shooting 55.7 percent from the field, including 6-of-11 from 3-point range and 14-of-21 from the free throw line. DSU out-rebounded MC 54-24 and outscored the Golden Bears 50-20 in the paint.
The Golden Bears shot a mere 24.1 percent, a season-low allowed by the Statesmen, in the game after connecting on 14-of-58 shots from the field. Miles was 1-of-12 from 3-point range and managed 7-of-13 at the free throw line.
KNIGHT SCORES 500th POINT AT DELTA STATE
Senior guard
Cornel Knight scored his 500th career point at Delta State with six points in DSU's 90-71 win over Selma University. The 6-foot-3 Mobile, Ala., native has scored 532 points in 62 games for DSU, including 351 rebounds and 187 assists.
BOONE NEARING 450-WIN PLATEAU
Statesmen head coach
Jim Boone needs just two victories to eclipse 450 wins for his career. His career record stands at 448-345, but he owns an outstanding 356-183 mark in NCAA DII play.
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.
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, 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.
