ROME, Ga. – Delta State University men's basketball dropped a thriller on the road against the Shorter Hawks, 79-76, on Thursday night at the Winthrope-King Centre.

Inside the Matchup

• Score:  Shorter 79 – Delta State 76  (Final)
• Records:  Shorter (17-9, 12-8 GSC); Delta State (14-12, 11-9 GSC)
• Series: This marked the 6th meeting between the Statesmen and Hawks, with DSU holding a 4-2 edge in the series
• Location: Winthrope-King Centre | Rome, Ga.
• Short Story: Delta State University men's basketball dropped a thriller on the road against the Shorter Hawks, 79-76, on Thursday night at the Winthrope-King Centre.

How It Happened

• The Statesmen and Hawks were evenly matched entering the contest, as the score was tied at 14-14 at the 9:11 mark before DSU came away with the lead.
• Delta State was able to take advantage of Shorter scoring drought that spanned 1:08, enough for the Statesmen to take the 18-14 lead with 6:54 to go in the half.
• DSU went on a 9-2 run over 3:13 to extend its lead to 22-16 and closed out the half with a 3-pointer from LaQuavius Cotton and a layup from Zelvin Smith Jr. The Statesmen led 38-33 to head into the locker room.
• The second half started similar to the first with both squads trading baskets, but it wasn't long before the Hawks started gaining ground on the deficit.
• Shorter compiled an 8-0 run in less than three minutes to take its first lead, 55-53, since the early minutes of the first half.
• Delta State answered right back with an 8-0 run of its own, highlighted by a Devin Schmidt 3-pointer, to regain the lead 60-57 with 7:03 remaining in the contest.
• SU's leading scorer Dedric Ware tied the game at 64-64 just minutes later.
• At the 4:58 mark, the Hawks took the lead back, 67-66, on a Cole Birchfield bucket from beyond the arc.
• With 15 seconds left to play, Shorter earned it largest lead of the night at five, 78-73.
• Schmidt responded on the next possession, draining a three to notch the score at 78-76 with 11 seconds remaining.
• A last-second DSU 3-point attempt did not fall, as the Statesmen fell to the Hawks 79-76.
• Chisholm missed tying his career-high by one point, leading DSU with 25 points. Schmidt followed with 19.
• Delta State outshot the Hawks from the field (50.0%), beyond the arc (31.3%), and from the line (71.9%), but Shorter found the advantage in points off turnovers, scoring 27 points off of 21 DSU miscues.
• SU's Jordan Jacks matched Chisholm's 25 points and recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds.

 
Beyond the Numbers

• Entering tonight's matchup, DSU's Devin Schmidt and Shorter's Dedric Ware were the second and third leading scorers in the league.
• Devin Schmidt has now scored 15-plus points in 21 out of the total 26 games this season.
• Delta State is still in the hunt to host a first round game of the Gulf South Conference Tournament that will be held on Tuesday, March 3.
   

Who's Next

• Delta State continues its road trip, making the final stop in Cleveland, Tenn., as the Statesmen take on the Lee University Flames. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. at Walker Arena. Philip Tang will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 2:45 p.m.