GAME NOTES: Delta State vs. West Georgia/West Alabama (12.4-6.14)

CLEVELAND, Miss. – Delta State University Statesmen basketball tips off conference play this week against West Georgia and West Alabama in a two-game home stretch. The Green-and-White take on the Wolves of West Georgia on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The home stint will wrap up when the Statesmen face off with the Tigers of West Alabama on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 4:00 p.m.
 

STATESMEN GAME DAY INFORMATION
Date/Location:	Dec. 4, 2014 | Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss. Dec. 6, 2014 | Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss.
Tipoff Time:	West Georgia 7:30 p.m. West Alabama 4:00 p.m.
Radio:	Statesmen Sports Network | Philip Tang (PxP) Scott Wyant (Color)
Series History:	41st meeting with UWG; Statesmen lead series 26-14 65th meeting with UWA; Statesmen lead series 38-26
Live Audio:	Listen Here
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Live Video:	Watch Here

 
 
TIPOFF
The Statesmen of Delta State University improved to 3-3 on the season with an 88-71 win over College of Faith earlier this week.

Sophomore Devin Schmidt led five Statesmen in double figures with 20 points, his fifth 15-plus points game this season. Schmidt's only exception was a five-point performance against Arkansas-Monticello.

Williamstown, Australia native Jack Madgen followed with 19 points, continuing a streak of scoring double figures in every game.

The 6-foot-5 guard used career-high numbers from the free throw line against Faith in free throws made and attempted, going a perfect 10-of-10.

Cleveland product LaQuavius Cotton also contributed a career-high night against the Warriors with six rebounds and five assists.

With the nonconference schedule in the books, Delta State now embarks on the Gulf South Conference schedule, playing host to West Georgia and West Alabama this week.

DSU tips off first with the Wolves of West Georgia, a series in which the Statesmen own the 26-14 advantage.

UWG is 4-17 at Walter Sillers since the first meeting of the two teams in 1985. Last season, the two squads split, each winning at home. Delta State earned the 76-59 win at home and dropped the 76-73 decision in Carrollton.

Both West Georgia and West Alabama accounted for two of the only seven losses Delta State suffered last season.

West Alabama has accumulated an 8-23 record at DSU. The first meeting between the two schools occurred in December 1948, when Delta State won, 50-44.

The Wolves bring back Deonta Stocks from last season who led UWG in both games against Delta State for a combined 43 points. The Statesmen were led by then-senior Willie Readus in both contests with double-doubles in each.

UWA and Delta State also split last season with each school winning at home, DSU winning 92-70 and West Alabama winning 71-51.

Schmidt contributed an outstanding performance at Walter Sillers against West Alabama, scoring a career-high 35 points. The 6-foot-4 guard went 11-of-17 from the field, including 5-of-7 from downtown, and 8-of-10 from the free throw line.

On the defensive side of the ball, Delta State ranks 21st in DII in blocks per game with 5.2. PJ Davis ranks twelfth individually.

Madgen ranks third in NCAA DII in three-point field goal percentage and second in the GSC with 66.7 percent.

Up next for Delta State is a conference road swing with current No. 24 Christian Brothers and Union University next Thursday and Saturday.
 

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THE MAN BEHIND THE SWEATERVEST
The Statesmen are led by one of the nation's top defensive coaches in Jim Boone.  The 28-year veteran has hung his hat on his ability to draw up defenses to stop any opponent.  In last year's regular season, the Statesmen allowed a league-best 65.2 points and 39.5 percent shooting per game; ranking 11th nationally in scoring defense and eighth in field goal percentage defense. This season, the Statesmen rank 21st in NCAA Division II and first in the Gulf South Conference in blocks per game with 5.2.
 
With another season like the Statesmen had last year, Jim Boone will eclipse 400 career wins in Division II. He now holds a .663 win percentage with a 378-192 record.
 
PRESEASON PICKS
For their performance last season, the Statesmen were tabbed to finish first in the conference this season not only by the conference but also by the D2 Bulletin. With the target on its chest, DSU is prepared for the attention that comes with success.
 
DSU debuted at No. 13 in the NABC Preseason Top 25, the only school in the GSC to make the cut. Florida Southern is the only opponent on the schedule in the preseason poll, ranking at No. 9. In the current poll, No. 24 Christian Brothers and No. 15 Alabama-Huntsville are the only two GSC schools in the poll.
 
POWERHOUSE PROGRESS
In the midst of a program turnaround, head coach Jim Boone has taken a six-win team in 2011-12 and transformed it into a championship caliber powerhouse. In his first season, Boone nearly doubled the win total from six to 11. One year later, he took the same team and more than doubled the win total to 26. A team that was picked to finish fourth in the Gulf South Conference in 2013-14 rose to the top spot of the league rankings at the conclusion of the regular season.
 
STATESMEN SNAG PRESTIGIOUS HONORS
At the end of the regular season in 2013-14, Delta State swept postseason honors in the GSC. Willie Readus, Devin Schmidt, and Coach Boone earned Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Coach of the Year, respectively. Schmidt was chosen to the All-South Region team and was named to the D2 Bulletin All-Freshman Team. Off the court, Jack Madgen and Declan Harrick were the first in program history to be named to the NABC Honor Court. Madgen was also named to the GSC All-Academic Team and Honor Roll. Jake Maestranzi and Harrick joined Madgen on the GSC Honor Roll.
 
HOLY SCHMIDT
Sophomore Devin Schmidt produced a phenomenal debut season last year, averaging 15.1 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, and 4.2 assists per game. Schmidt is an extremely versatile player with his ability to drive in the paint and pull up for a jumper beyond the arc.
 
The Sevierville, Tennessee native dished out a team-best 138 assists last season. Schmidt became the first freshman since the legendary Carl Brown in 1982-1983 to top 100 assists. Brown, an All-American and DSU's all-time leading scorer with 1,799 points, handed out 147 assists in his first season with the Green-and-White. Scott Nagy owns the school record for assists with 549 and tallied 74 in his freshman season. Chad Akins narrowly missed the career mark with 544 career assists, totaling 75 as a freshman in 2006-07.
 
With the experience and maturity in his artillery for this season, the 6-foot-4 guard is set for another outstanding season. Schmidt was one of five chosen to the Preseason All-GSC team by the head coaches in the conference, while also being named a Preseason All-American by the D2 Bulletin.
 
This season, Schmidt has shown he has picked up where he left off. Schmidt led the Statesmen in two of the three exhibition games against Division I teams Mississippi State and Jackson State, including a 25-point performance against the Bulldogs. He also contributed a double-double in the caravan finale with 13 points and 11 boards against Jackson State.
 
With six regular season games under his belt, Schmidt leads the team in scoring at 19.2 points per game on 37-of-82 shooting, and assists, averaging 5.2 assists per game. He has scored 15-plus points in every game this season, with the exception of his five-point performance against Arkansas-Monticello.
 
MADGEN MAKES IT HAPPEN
Entering his third season with the Statesmen, Jack Madgen is building on his stellar performance as a sophomore. Last season saw the Williamstown, Australia native total a career-high 32 points in the opening round of the NCAA South Region Tournament. Madgen hoisted the Statesmen over Barry University in a thrilling 82-77 overtime win. He continues to climb up the record books as he now holds the No. 5 spot for three-pointers made in a career with 112, in just two seasons. Madgen also owns the No. 7 rank for three-pointer attempts in a career with 265. He is chasing Delta State great Twentis Magee (1995-98) who holds the top spot in both categories with 195 career three-pointers and 481 attempts.
 
In the Division I caravan, Madgen led four Statesmen in double figures with 17 points in DSU's 97-58 loss to Ole Miss. In both regular season games, Madgen has scored in double figures with 16 points against Eckerd and 13 against Florida Southern. His performance against the Tritons included going 4-of-6 from behind the arc and 3-of-3 from downtown against the Mocs.
 
At the national level, the Aussie owns the No. 3 spot in all of Division II men's basketball for three-point field goal percentage with a 66.7 percent. He has also scored in double figures in every game this season.
 
Off the court, the 6-foot-5 guard garnered prestigious honors from the NABC and the GSC. Madgen was named to the NABC Honor Court along with fellow Australian teammate Declan Harrick. He was also named to the GSC's All-Academic Team and Honor Roll for his hard work in the classroom. This season, the Aussie is a nominee for the NABC Good Works Team.
 
CLEVELAND BORN AND BRED
Cleveland product PJ Davis has excelled in his first few in a Statesmen uniform. The 6-foot-5 forward recorded his first collegiate double-double in DSU's 97-80 loss to No. 9 Florida Southern.
 
The freshman tallied two consecutive 15-point performances against Florida Southern and Selma University en route to being named the GSC Freshman of the Week in the first two weeks. Davis scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Florida Southern, while contributing 12 points and 6 rebounds against the Bulldogs.  He added a combined two assists, seven blocks, and three steals against the two teams.
 
LaQuavius Cotton is also a hometown product who is making his mark at Delta State. The senior transfer from Mississippi College is seeing valuable playing time off the bench and earned his first start against College of Faith on Dec. 1. The 6-foot-6 guard is averaging just under 10 points per game at 9.2 and has dished out 2.0 assists per game.
 
SO WE MEET AGAIN
The series with West Georgia began at Walter Sillers Coliseum in January 1985 and has seen the Wolves compile a 4-17 record on the Statesmen hardwood. Since the first meeting, the Statesmen and Wolves have met 40 times with DSU owning the 26-14 series advantage. Thursday, Dec. 4 marks the 41st meeting. Last season saw DSU split with West Georgia with each team winning at home.
 
Delta State won the first meeting on January 4, 2014 at Sillers, 76-59. Then-senior Willie Readus led three Statesmen in double figures with a double-double, 23 points and 14 rebounds. Devin Schmidt added 16 points followed by Zelvin Smith with 12. Deonta Stocks and Deontre Brown, who return this season, tallied double figures with 17 and 14 points, respectively. DSU outshot the Wolves 44.6 percent to 34.7 percent from the field and outrebounded them 52-35.
 
In the second meeting, West Georgia sought redemption and found it, edging Delta State 76-73. DSU was led again by Readus with Schmidt adding 14 points and Jack Madgen scoring 11. Stocks led all scorers with 26 points. Although the Statesmen outrebounded the Wolves for the second game in a row, UWG found the edge by outscoring DSU behind the arc 42.9 percent to 30.8.
 
The matchup with West Alabama marks the 65th meeting between the two schools with DSU holding the series 38-26. The Tigers own an 8-23 record in Cleveland since the first meeting on December 10, 1948.
 
Last season saw the Statesmen and Tigers split the regular season series, both teams winning at their respective home venues. UWA took the first win in Livingston on December 19, 71-51. Readus led DSU with 17 points followed by Schmidt with 10. Zelvin Smith and Alister Chisholm also saw action and combined for 11 points in the loss. Delta State lost the rebounding battle 34-27 and was outscored by the Tigers from the field and the free thow line. Desmond Raymond led all scorers with 24 points. Current UWA senior Jarell Byrd added 14 points in the game.
 
The Green-and-White welcomed the Tigers to Sillers for the second mathcup of the season a few weeks later on February 3; this time, taking the win, 92-70. Schmidt went off for a career-high 35 points against West Alabama, going 11-of-17 from the floor, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. Readus added 25 points. Raymond led three Tigers in double figures with 23 points. The tables turned in the second contest with DSU outscoring West Alabama from the field and the free throw line.