Box Score CLEVELAND, Miss. – Terry Leake, Jr., scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Delta State University Men's basketball team to a 77-61 victory over Valdosta State University Saturday, March 2 on Senior Night at Walter Sillers Coliseum.  The Statesmen improved to 11-15 overall and 7-10 in Gulf South Conference play while the Blazers slipped to 17-9 and 9-9 in league play. 

DSU claimed the fifth overall seed in the upcoming GSC Tournament next week at The Pete Hanna Center on the campus of Samford University.  The Statesmen earned a rematch with the Blazers next Friday, March 8 at a yet to be determined time.

After a hard fought first half, the Statesmen exploded offensively in the second half to outscore the Blazers 42-30 to cruise to the 77-61 victory.  DSU shot 49.2 percent for the game after connecting on 29-of-59 from the field, including 6-of-13 from 3-point range. 

The Green-and-White defense held VSU to just 36.4 percent and just 20 made field goals on 55 attempts.  The Blazers hit on a mere 4-of-15 3-points, but proved solid at the line after hitting 17-of-22 free throws.

DSU dominated the glass, out-rebounding VSU 45-27 while outscoring the Blazers 17-7 on second chance points, 19-9 off the bench and 34-20 in the paint.

Cornel Knight led the Statesmen with 21 points with nine rebounds and five assists.  Zelvin Smith, Jr. scored a career-high 13 points with Mike Weems adding 12 points.  Jack Madgen finished with 10 points and four rebounds.

Josh Sparks paced the Blazers with 21 points and five rebounds.  Shaquille Harris chipped in 11 points.      

In a back-and-forth first half, the Statesmen took a 35-31 lead over the Blazers into the locker room after outscoring VSU 16-6 in the paint.  The half featured nine lead changes and was tied three times. 

DSU shot 52 percent in the opening half after connecting on 13-of-25 shots from the floor, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range.  The Statesmen were also 6-of-8 from the free throw line and the squad outrebounded VSU 17-13 as well.

Weems paced the Statesmen with nine points in the first half, while Knight added eight points and four rebounds. 

VSU shot 9-of-25 from the floor in the half for 36 percent.  The Blazers were 3-of-9 from 3-point range, but nailed 10-of-14 free throws to keep it at four points at the horn.

VSU's Sparks led all scorers with 11 points.    

Delta State will begin postseason play on March 7-10 at the 2013 Raymond James Gulf South Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., on the campus of Samford University.  The GSC's annual classic will be played inside the Pete Hanna Center, a state-of-the-art 5,000-seat basketball and multi-purpose arena.  All games at the GSC Tournament will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network with Matt Jones, J.T. Webb and Herb Brooks on the call.