GAME NOTES: No. 21 Delta State University vs. Lee University/Christian Brothers University (2.13-17.14)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The No. 14 Statesmen (19-3, 12-2 GSC) of Delta State University return to Walter Sillers Coliseum for a two-game home stand. DSU will host Lee University (8-11, 4-9 GSC) on Thursday, Feb. 13 before making up Tuesday's postponed game with Christian Brothers University (12-8, 8-6 GSC) on Monday, Feb. 17.
The Statesmen and Flames of Lee University will be meeting for just the second time in series history and the first at Sillers Coliseum on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. DSU extinguished the Flames 67-56 to snap a 23-game home win streak for Lee on Jan. 9 in Cleveland, Tenn.
Delta State and Christian Brothers will be meeting for the 58th time in series history on Monday at 7:30 p.m. DSU leads 50-37 in the all-time standings, including a 65-63 victory over the Bucs on Dec. 14 at Canale Arena.
Devin Schmidt scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead DSU to the win.
The Gulf South Conference race is heating up with just six games left on the league schedule. The Statesmen (12-2), who have four of their six remaining games at Sillers Coliseum, enter the week with a three-game lead in the race over West Alabama (7-5). Christian Brothers (8-6) and Alabama-Huntsville (8-6) are tied for third.
DSU's resurgence has been fueled on the defensive end of the court, as the Statesmen continue to lead the GSC in scoring defense (65.0) and field goal percentage defense (39.4%) to the hardwood. DSU ranks 14th nationally in scoring defense and ninth in FG% defense.
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 75.2 points per game.
STATESMEN SET TO HOST CHRISTIAN BROTHERS & LEE
The No. 21 Statesmen (19-3, 12-2 GSC) of Delta State University return to Walter Sillers Coliseum for a two-game home stand. DSU will host Lee University (8-11, 4-9 GSC) on Thursday, Feb. 13 before making up Tuesday's game with Christian Brothers (12-8, 8-6 GSC) on Monday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
The Statesmen and Flames of Lee University will be meeting for just the second time in series history and the first at Sillers Coliseum on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. DSU extinguished the Flames 67-56 to snap a 23-game home win streak for Lee on Jan. 9 in Cleveland, Tenn.
Delta State and Christian Brothers will be meeting for the 58th time in series history on Monday at 7:30 p.m. DSU leads 50-37 in the all-time standings, including a 65-63 victory over the Bucs on Dec. 14 at Canale Arena.
Devin Schmidt scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead DSU to the win.
DELTA STATE MAINTAINS LEAD IN GSC STANDINGS
This week the Statesmen went 1-1 with a loss to West Georgia (76-73) on the road and a win at Shorter (83-74). The Statesmen enter Tuesday's game with Christian Brothers with a three-game lead in the Gulf South Conference standings.
DSU is 12-2 in GSC play, holding a three game lead over West Alabama (9-5) and Christian Brothers (8-6). Alabama-Huntsville (8-6) is fourth followed by West Georgia (7-6) and North Alabama (7-6).
?LAST TIME OUT: STATESMEN CLIP HAWKS 83-74
Four Statesmen scored in double figures to help the No. 14 Delta State University men's basketball team beat Shorter University 83-74. The Statesmen (19-3, 12-2) secured the road win over the Hawks (8-12, 5-9) with help from senior
Willie Readus' 13th double-double of the season. DSU brings home the win on Saturday, Feb. 8 from the Winthrop-King Centre in Rome, Ga.
Overall, Readus scored 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Madgen hit two 3-pointers and totaled 14 points and eight assists for Delta State. Schmidt finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. Senior
Cornel Knight added 11 points. Washington had nine points and seven rebounds. Weems put up eight points and Smith had seven.
The Statesmen finished shooting 53 percent from the field, 55 percent from 3-point range and 74 percent at the foul line. Shorter shot 39 percent from the floor and 23 percent from beyond the arc, making just 6 of 26.
STATESMEN SLIDE TO NO. 21 IN NABC TOP 25 POLL
Delta State slipped seven spots to No. 21 in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Top 25 Poll after falling 73-70 last week at West Georgia. DSU did end the week on a high note, downing Shorter 83-74 in Rome, Ga.
MADGEN CHASING 500
Jack Madgen, a sophomore shooting guard from Williamstown, Australia, enters the week needing six points for 500 in his career. In 49 career games, the 6-foot-4 shooter has scored 494 points and handed out 156 assists.
READUS NAMED GSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Willie Readus was tabbed the Noah Basketball Gulf South Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for second time this season. The senior led DSU to a 2-1 record in league action last week, averaging 22.7 points and 12.0 rebounds while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the charity stripe.
Readus recorded a double-double in all three contests, upping his GSC lead to 13 double-doubles this season. He tipped off the week on Monday, guiding DSU to a 92-70 home triumph over West Alabama by netting 25 points and grabbing a game-high 11 boards in 34 minutes.
The Morton, MS native's best effort of the week came in a loss, as Readus scored a team-best 25 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds in 35 minutes of a 76-73 setback at West Georgia. Delta State got back on the winning track via an 83-74 win at Shorter on Saturday, thanks to Readus' 18-point, 11-rebound outing.
READUS MAKING CASE FOR NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Since transferring from Jackson State,
Willie Readus has led the Statesmen to the top of the table in the Gulf South Conference. The powerhouse stands 6-foot-8 and weighs in at 265 pounds. His power is what sets him apart, as the league's leading scorer (20.2 ppg) and rebounder (11.1 rpg) looks to keep DSU in the hunt for the GSC title.
In his last game, Readus, a senior from Morton, Miss., scored 18 points and hauled in 10 rebounds to help DSU claim a 83-74 victory over Shorter for his 13th double-double of the year. In DSU's 76-73 loss to West Georgia on Thursday, Readus collected his 12th double-double with 25 points and 15 rebounds.
Readus, who ranks 10th in the NCAA in total rebounds and 11th in double-doubles, is connecting on 52.5 percent of shots this year. He is 134-of-255 from the floor and an outstanding 134-of-183 (73.2 percent) from the free throw line. Readus has scored in double figures in every game, including 18 games with 16-plus points.
THE RACE FOR 16
Each game coach
Jim Boone and the Statesmen search for offensive balance. Led by
Willie Readus' 20 games with 16-plus points, the Statesmen have eclipsed the 16-point plateau 40 times this season.
Devin Schmidt is second on the team with 11 followed by
Mike Washington with four.
SCHMIDT IMPROVING EVERY WEEK
Devin Schmidt, a 6-foot-4 point guard from Sevierville, Tenn., has made a case for Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year after leading DSU to an 19-3 record and No. 15 national ranking. The freshman is averaging 15.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game for coach
Jim Boone's Statesmen.
Schmidt just missed out on tying the GSC's high for points in a game this season, as the floor general finished with a career-high 35 points. He closed out the best game of his career at DSU by making 11-of-17 shots from the field, and a career-high 5-of-7 from 3-point range.
The former Sevier County standout has scored at least 16 points in 11 games this season and has left his best basketball for GSC opponents. In DSU's 14 games versus the league, Schmidt is averaging 18.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. Prior to GSC play, Schmidt was averaging 9.4 points per game.
In his first season in the GSC, Schmidt ranks eighth in scoring (15.6), ninth in rebounding (6.1) and fourth in assists (3.9) per game. His 1.3 assists/turnover ratio is sixth.
DEFENSE NAME OF THE GAME FOR BOONE'S STATESMEN; LEADING 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 22 games, the Statesmen are allowing a league-best 65.0 points and 39.4 percent shooting per game; ranking 13th nationally in scoring defense and 12th in field goal percentage defense.
OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT FOR THE STATESMEN
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 75.2 points per game, ranking fifth in the GSC. DSU has eclipsed the 80-point plateau nine times this season.
WASHINGTON STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP ROLE
Senior center
Mike Washington holds a massive advantage in the race to lead the GSC in field goal percentage. The Sanford, Fla., native is hitting on 59.5 percent of his shots this season after making 75-of-126 attempts. He enters this week's schedule averaging 9.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
The West Virginia Wesleyan transfer has recently stepped into a leadership role for the Statesmen after leading DSU to an 84-72 win over North Alabama with a career-high 19 points and seven boards. He followed that performance up with 18 points and eight rebounds in a 75-64 victory over Union.
SCORING MARGIN
Delta State enters Tuesday's game versus Christian Brothers leading the GSC in scoring margin at 10.2 points per game. DSU is holding opponents to 65.0 points per game, while scoring 75.2 per contest.
AT THE STRIPE; DSU RANKS AMONG NATION'S LEADERS IN FEWEST FOULS PER GAME
There's no secret to the early success for the Statesmen this season. It's been the free throw line. In 22 games, DSU has attempted 590 free throws, which tops last season's total of 427 in 27 games, to our opponents' 294.
The Statesmen are 432-of-590 at the line for 73.2 percent. DSU is attempting 19.6 free throws per game, while the opposition is attempting 9.5 per contest.
A direct correlation for DSU's dominance at the line is its No. 4 national ranking in fewest fouls per game. The Statesmen have committed just 315 fouls this season or 14.25 per game. DSU ranks eighth out of 297 schools featured in the NCAA statistic.
NOT IN MY HOUSE
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 second in the league with 33 blocks (1.5 bpg), while Knight is fifth with 22 blocks (1.0 bpg).
MADGEN NEARING CAREER MARKS ON OFFENSIVE ENDS
Sophomore shooting guard
Jack Madgen is quickly approaching Delta State's career chart for 3-pointers made. The Williamstown, South Australia native is 73-of-192 from 3-point range in his career, needing 14 made 3-pointers to crack the top 10. He is also needs only six points to surpass 500 points in his two year career at Delta State.
STATESMEN TOP LAST YEAR'S WIN TOTAL
Delta State's 67-56 victory at Lee on Thursday, Jan. 9 was the 12th this season for coach
Jim Boone and the Statesmen, topping last year's win total. DSU went 11-16 last year in coach Boone's inaugural season at Delta State.
BOONE TOPS 450-WIN PLATEAU
Statesmen head coach
Jim Boone claimed a memorable 86-82 overtime victory at Spragins Hall on Dec. 21, 2013 over Alabama-Huntsville to eclipse the 450 wins plateau for his career. His career record stands at 460-347, but he owns an outstanding 368-185 mark in NCAA DII play.
Boone (West Virginia State, 1981) is in his second season as head coach at Delta State (27-18). He guided the Statesmen to a 11-16 overall finish in 2012-13 in his first season at DSU.
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 1,214-807-1 all-time, boasting the second most victories in Gulf South Conference history with 711.
