VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 24 Delta State University men's basketball team got off to a slow shooting start, and the Valdosta State Blazers used a 14-8 run to start the second half to push past the Statesmen at The Complex. 
 
Inside the Matchup:
 
    Score: Delta State 62 | Valdosta State 79
    Records:  Statesmen (12-4, 7-3 GSC) | Blazers (13-3, 8-2 GSC)
    Series: VSU leads series 22-20
    Location: The Complex | Valdosta, Ga.

How It Happened:

• Cedric Harper got the Statesmen on the board first, but Valdosta State quickly answered with a Beau Justice three-pointer.
• The Blazers were quick to jump to a 9-4 lead after going on a 4-0 run early in the first half.
• After an almost two minute scoring drought, Brett Warner hit a three that put the game back to three points, 11-14, at the 11:55 mark.
• The Blazers entered the final 10 minutes of the first half going on a 9-4 run making the score 26-17.
• Both offenses were back-and-forth, but the Statesmen closed the gap to eight points, 26-34, entering the final three minutes of the first half.
• Delta State closed out the first half on a 9-2 run, but the Blazers still maintained a 36-31 lead as both teams went into the locker room.
• Justice led the Blazers with eight points while Jimmy Kodet and Justin Simon each tallied five points apiece each to pace VSU in the first half. 
• Ravion Henry and Harper led DSU with eight points apiece in the first half while James Kilpatrick, Devin Schmidt and Warner each posted five for DSU.
• VSU shot 14-for-31 from the floor (45 percent) in the first half, including going 4-for-9 from three-point range. The Statesmen shot 10-for-25 (40 percent) and knocked down 9-of-12 free throws.
• Both offenses were back-and-forth coming out of the locker room. Valdosta State shot 6-of-9 quickly going on a 14-6 run in the first five minutes.
• Entering the final 10 minutes of play, Ravion Henry hit a big three-pointer along with a Warner layup to close the 49-55 gap.
• The two sides continued to battle, as the Blazers took control of the game going on a 13-3 run as the final three and a half minutes counted down.
• The Statesmen only scored two points over the final two minutes of game time, while Valdosta State closed out the game with a 79-62 victory.
• VSU finished 28-of-57 (49 percent), while the Statesmen were 23-of-56 (41 percent). DSU was only 3-of-12 from long-range. The Blazers were just 9-of-20. VSU out-rebounded DSU by a slim margin of 39-32, but were even on the turnover margin with 14 apiece.
• Justice led Valdosta State with 16 points. Henry finished with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 2-2 from free throw line. Schmidt followed with 15, while Warner had eight. Harper and PJ Davis grabbed seven boards apiece while Schmidt had six and Henry with four.

 
Notables:           

• Schmidt turned in a season-low five points in the first half.
• Henry scored a season-high 17 points in the game on 7-of-11 shooting. 

 
Who's Next:

• The Statesmen head to Pensacola, Fla. to square off against West Florida on Jan. 21 at 4 p.m to close out this two game Gulf South Conference road trip.