Box Score

CLEVELAND, Miss. – Willie Readus scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Delta State University men's basketball team to a 76-59 victory over the University of West Georgia Saturday, Jan. 4 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. 

The Statesmen, who won just 11 games last season, improved to 10-2 on the year and 3-1 in Gulf South Conference play.  UWG dropped just their second game of the season to slip to 10-2 on the year and 3-1 in the GSC.    

Delta State's first half couldn't have gone more to plan for coach Jim Boone after the Statesmen opened the first half on an 11-0 run in the first 3:13.
   
Ryan Godfrey finally got West Georgia on the board with a 3-pointer from the left elbow with 15:44 to go in the half. 

Over the next 9:45, the Statesmen would expand the lead to 19 points, 35-16, with 5:29 to go in the half after a 24-11 offensive explosion.

After two Devin Schmidt free throws made it 38-20, Deontre Brown scored six-straight for the Wolves to cut the lead to 12, 38-26, at the half.

Led by Willie Readus' 10 points and 4-of-5 shooting from the floor, the Statesmen finished the half shooting 60.9 percent.  DSU outscored UWG 16-4 in the paint and held the edge in 3-pointers made after canning 4-of-6.

UWG managed just 32.4 percent from the floor after hitting on 12-of-37 field goal attempts.  The Wolves were 1-of-9 from 3-point range and 0-of-1 from the line.  

The second half saw a much more physical style of play from both teams, as the squads combined for 22 fouls and 24 free throws. 

Zelvin Smith, who finished with 12 points, provided a huge spark in the second frame, as the Statesmen closed out the half 38-33 for the 76-59 victory. 

DSU finished the game shooting 44.6 percent on 25-of-56 attempts, while UWG hit on 34.7 percent from the field after making just 25-of-72 shots.  The 59 points were 15 less than the Wolves averaged per game.      

The Statesmen connected on 7-of-13 3-pointers and 19-of-26 from the free throw line.  UWG was 4-of-17 from beyond the arc and just 5-of-9 from the line.  DSU out-rebounded the Wolves 52-35 and edged UWG 30-22 in the paint. 

The Statesmen had three players score in double figures, led by Readus' game-high 23 points and 14 rebounds.  The Morton, Miss., native collected his GSC-leading seventh double-double with the performance. 

Schmidt added 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists.  Smith finished with 12. 

Deonta Stocks led UWG with 17 points.  Brown finished with 14 points. 

Delta State will face Shorter University on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Sillers Coliseum.  Philip Tang will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 7:15 p.m. with the "DSU Alumni Association Game Day."