LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 13 Delta State men's basketball was back on the hardwood for day two of the Sunshine State/Gulf South Conference Challenge on Sunday. The Statesmen faced off with the No. 9 Mocs of Florida Southern in a rematch from last year's season opener. DSU fell to the Mocs, 97-80.
 
Two ties made up the opening three minutes of the game before FSC snatched the lead and never looked back. DSU kept the score close until the Mocs went on a 16-6 run, to take its largest lead of the half, 38-22, at the 5:41 mark.
 
Delta State slowly started chipping away at the deficit with layups from Zelvin Smith Jr and PJ Davis as well as a couple made free throws from Alister Chisholm.
 
FSC's Michael Volovic drained a three to put the scoring margin back to 13, but Chisholm answered on the next possession with a three of his own from Smith, cutting the lead back to 10, 47-37.
 
The half closed out with the lead in favor of Florida Southern, 49-40.
 
DSU came out of the locker room with a familiar performance, quickly cutting the lead to six when Smith found Jack Madgen behind the arc.
 
Florida Southern gained the momentum and the commanding lead back, sparking a 9-0 run to lead by 17, 73-56, with 12:57 on the clock.
 
Turnovers proved costly late in the game for Delta State as Florida Southern put up 29 points off of 21 DSU turnovers.
 
The Mocs dictated the pace for most of the ballgame as FSC went on to win, 97-80.
 
Chisholm contributed an outstanding performance on the night. The senior guard led the Statesmen with 18 points, while Cleveland, Mississippi native Davis supplied a double-double with 15 points and 12 boards. Devin Schmidt and Madgen joined Davis and Chisholm in double figures with 15 points and 13 points, respectively.
 
As a team, Delta State shot 26-of-62 from the field, 8-of-18 from behind the arc, and 20-of-24 from the charity stripe. DSU outrebounded its opposition 43-42 and shot better from three-point range and the free throw line, but Florida Southern's execution on DSU turnovers proved to be a game changer.
 
The Green-and-White return to action at Walter Sillers Coliseum in the home opener on Saturday, Nov. 22. Delta State will take on Selma University at 4:00 p.m.