NCAA SOUTH REGIONAL GAME NOTES: Delta State University vs. Barry University (3.15-18.14)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The "Big Dance" begins Saturday, March 15 at 12 p.m. EST, as the No. 25 Statesmen (24-6, No. 3 seed) of Delta State University open up NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament action against the Buccaneers (19-8, No. 6 seed) of Barry University at Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Fla. DSU cliched the GSC regular season title for the first time since 2005-2006 and received an at-large bid into this year's tournament.
The winner of the Delta State-Barry game will face the victor between Saint Leo (23-8, No. 2 seed) and West Alabama (17-10, No. 7 seed) on Sunday, March 16 at 5 p.m. in the semifinals.
THE TIPOFF: NCAA TOURNAMENT
Delta State is making its 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the first since the 2008-09 season. The Statesmen (24-6) are 14-13 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and will be looking for their first postseason tournament win since defeating Stillman College, 76-70, at Walter Sillers Coliseum to open the 2006 South Regional in Cleveland, Miss.
The Statesmen boast a 2-3 record this season versus the field at the 2014 NCAA South Region Men's Basketball Tournament. The green-and-white are 81-72 all-time versus the field as well.
The last trip to the NCAA South Regional also came at Florida Southern's Jenkins Field House in 2009. Christian Brothers University defeated the Statesmen, 63-54.
The Statesmen swept all three major Gulf South Conference postseason awards on Tuesday.
Willie Readus was named GSC Player of the Year and
Devin Schmidt captured GSC Freshman of the Year. In his second season at the helm, coach
Jim Boone received the GSC Coach of the Year Award.
Senior forward
Willie Readus, who averaged 19.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, and freshman point guard
Devin Schmidt, who chipped in 15.2 points and 4.1 assists per game, were named to the All-GSC First Team.
Senior guard
Cornel Knight cracked the career top 10 list for assists after handing out six versus Valdosta State and West Florida in the final week of the regular season. In three seasons, the Mobile, Ala., has dished out 240 assists and ranks 10th all-time.
Delta State enters the tournament ranked No. 25 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Top 25. The Statesmen have been ranked as high as No. 14 this year.
DSU's resurgence has been fueled on the defensive end of the court, as the Statesmen continue to lead the GSC in scoring defense (65.5) and field goal percentage defense (39.5%) to the hardwood. DSU ranks 13th nationally in scoring defense and ninth in FG% defense.
It's amazing what
Jim Boone, the 2013-14 GSC Coach of the Year, has been able to accomplish in two seasons as head coach of the Statesmen. After inheriting a team that went 6-21 in 2011-12, Boone has engineered a resurgence for the record books. In his first season, DSU was 11-16, but this year has been magical with a Gulf South Conference regular season title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The 28-year veteran coach is 465-350 all-time, but owns an outstanding 373-188 mark in NCAA DII play.
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