CLEVELAND, Miss. – Delta State University knocked off the conference leader Alabama-Huntsville to secure a spot in the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Devin Schmidt's 33-point night to lead DSU to an 86-76 win at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday night.

Inside the Matchup

• Score: Statesmen 86 – Chargers 76
• Records: Delta State (13-11, 9-7 GSC); Alabama-Huntsville (17-7, 12-6 GSC)
• Series: This marked the 28th meeting between the Statesmen and Chargers. DSU leads the all-time series 17-11.
• Location: Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Mississippi
• Short Story: Delta State University knocked off the conference leader Alabama-Huntsville to secure a spot in the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Devin Schmidt's 33-point night to lead DSU to an 86-76 win at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Thursday night.

How It Happened

• Facing the number one team in the conference and post season play in the balance, Delta State came out of the gate firing on all cylinders against the University of Alabama-Huntsville.
• The Statesmen struck first and hard going on a 7-0 run to start the contest courtesy of jumpers from Devin Schmidt and Zelvin Smith Jr. and a 3-pointer from LaQuavius Cotton.
• Huntsville inched within one, 12-11, at the 12:38 mark, but DSU abruptly and aggressively went away with the ball game.
• Reeling off a 22-6 run highlighted by four consecutive 3-pointers, two from Schmidt and one from Smith and Cotton, the Green-and-White owned the commanding 18-point lead, 37-19, with 5:30 left to play in the half.
• The last 3:44 featured a Statesmen scoring drought, and the Chargers took advantage to cut the deficit to 11, 42-31 to head into the locker room.
• At the half, Delta State was shooting a whopping 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from behind the arc to boost a 53.5 field-goal percentage (16-of-30).
• DSU made the necessary adjustments out of the break to regain control of the game.
• The Statesmen led by 20, their largest of the night at 69-49, with 10:55 remaining in the game on a pair of PJ Davis free throws.
• Delta State took advantage of and-one opportunities, with Alister Chisholm, Smith, and Davis converting at the free-throw line for old-fashioned three-point plays.
• The deficit proved to be too much for the Chargers to overcome as the Statesmen earned the 86-76 victory, their second straight win.
• Schmidt led five of the Green-and-White in double figures with 33 points on 14-of-24 from the field. Smith followed with 14 points, Cotton with 12, Chisholm with 11, and Davis with 10.
• On the night, Delta State shot 51.6 percent (32-of-62) from the field, 55.0 percent (11-of-20) from 3-point range, and 78.6 percent (11-of-14) from the charity stripe.
   

Beyond the Numbers

• With his 33-point performance, Schmidt only needs 14 points to join the 1,000-point club. The sophomore now has three 30-point games this season, and twenty 15-plus point games.
• Head coach Jim Boone earned his 50th win in his three-year tenure at the command of Statesmen basketball.
• Delta State secures a spot in the Gulf South Conference Tournament with the win.
   

Who's Next

• Delta State will welcome the University of North Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 4:00 p.m. Philip Tang will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 3:45 p.m.