CLEVELAND, Miss. – Alister Chisholm scored 20 points and LaQuavious Cotton added 16 points to lead the Delta State University men's basketball team to a 64-61 victory over Lee University on Saturday, Jan. 10 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Statesmen (9-6, 6-3 GSC) claimed their second-straight Gulf South Conference victory with the win over the Flames (9-5, 4-5 GSC).
 
"Very proud of our effort down the stretch," DSU head coach Jim Boone said. "Alister (Chisholm) and LaQuavious (Cotton) gave is a spark offensively, and Jack (Madgen) knocked down some big shots for us. The final two minutes we really played well defensively."
 
The first 20 minutes of Saturday's contest featured runs by both teams, as the Flames held a narrow 35-34 lead at the break behind Stedmon Ford's 17 points. Delta State was led by Alister Chisholm's 16 points and four rebounds.
 
The Statesmen built a 10-point lead, 27-17, with 8:12 remaining before the Flames closed the half on an 18-7 run over the final 7:16. DSU turnovers played a large part in the run, as the Statesmen coughed it up five times during the stretch, leading to eight points off turnovers for the Flames.
 
Lee shot 46.9 percent (15-of-32) in the first half, while DSU connected on 46.4 percent (13-of-26). Both teams hit on four 3-pointers and DSU outrebounded LU 19-12 in the frame.
 
Jack Madgen connected on 3-of-3 from 3-point range to add nine points at the half for the Statesmen. LU's Cory Billingsley also had nine points.
  
After falling behind by four in the early moments of the second half, the Statesmen roared back to tie it at 38-38 on Madgen's 17-foot jumper with 15:54 to play.
 
The two teams traded baskets over the next several possessions before the Statesmen took a 55-50 lead on LaQuavious Cotton's 3-pointer with 6:41 to go.
 
Lee was able to tied the game at 57-57 after a 7-2 run over the next three minutes of action. Ford's 24-foot 3-pointer knotted the game with 3:19 to play.
 
Tyquan Roberts put the Flames up briefly 58-57 after making 1-of-2 at the free throw line with 2:22 on the clock.
 
DSU answered back, as Devin Schmidt canned a deep 3-pointer to regain the lead 60-58 with 2:10 left in the game.
 
With eight seconds left in the game, Cotton sank two free throws to put the Statesmen up four, 62-58.
 
Lee would not quit, as Ford canned another long 3-pointer with three seconds left to cut the lead to 62-61.
 
DSU put the game away, as Schmidt hit Cotton on a long pass, and the senior laid it in for a 64-61 victory.
 
The Statesmen finished the night shooting 42.9 percent (24-of-56) after making 11-of-28 for 39.3 percent in the second half. DSU was 8-of-19 from 3-point range on the night and just 8-of-12 at the line.
 
LU made 44.4 percent (24-of-54) on the night after a 42.9 percent (9-of-21) performance. The Flames were 7-of-17 from 3-point land as well, including six 3-pointers from Ford.
 
Chisholm scored 20 points in the win. The senior from Toronto, Ontario, Canada made 8-of-10 from the floor and grabbed seven boards.
 
Cotton closed the evening with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Madgen dropped in 14 points and handed out five assists. Schmidt finished with nine points and two assists.
 
Ford scored a game-high 26 points while Cory Billingsley finished with 13 points.
 
The Statesmen return to the court on Monday, Jan. 12, as Delta State welcomes Shorter University to Walter Sillers Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 7:15 p.m. Philip Tang and Scott Wyant have the call.