CLEVELAND, Mississippi – The Delta State University men's basketball team held West Georgia to just 37 percent shooting to help claim a key 73-60 Gulf South Conference victory on Saturday evening at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
 
Inside the Matchup:
 
    Score: Delta State 73 | West Georgia 60
    Records:  Statesmen (9-4, 4-2 GSC) | West Georgia (7-5, 4-2 GSC)
    Series: DSU leads series 27-18
    Location: Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss.
 
 
How It Happened:

• After UWG took an early 6-2 lead with 17:41 remaining in the first half, Delta State responded with a 4-0 run to tie the game.
• The Statesmen claimed their first lead of the evening from two Kilpatrick free-throws to make the game 12-11 at the 10:32 mark.
• After Delta State went on an 18-2 spurt with 4:24 left in the first half, the Statesmen took a commanding 41-20 going into halftime.
• The Statesmen held the Wolves without a field goal for over eight minutes in the first half.
• DSU finished the half 16-of-30 (53 percent) from the floor and 8-for-10 (80 percent) from the free throw line. UWG was just 7-of-24 (29 percent) and 0-for-9 from long-range.
• The Statesmen outrebounded UWG 20-17, and scored 13 points off 14 West Georgia miscues.
• Devin Schmidt led DSU with 16 points. Shannon Fowler led the Wolves with six first half points.
• Both offenses were back-and-forth coming out of the locker room, but a layup by Kilpatrick gave the Statesmen the largest lead of the night (43-20).
• Going into the final seven minutes of the game, DSU was 10-for-19 from the floor to help maintain a 63-52 lead.
• Delta State locked down on the defensive end in the closing minutes, holding West Georgia to just 2-of-13 to finish the game.
• West Georgia finished 21-of-57 (37 percent) from the floor, including 14-for-33 (42.4 percent) in the second half. The Green-and-White finished 28-for-56 (50 percent from the floor).
• The Wolves outrebounded the Statesmen by a slim 40-39 margin, including a 23-19 advantage in the second half, and used that to hold a 12-3 edge in second change points, but DSU held the 44-32 edge in the paint.
• Fowler led UWG with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
• Schmidt led DSU with 25 points and eight boards, while PJ Davis had 14 points and four rebounds, Brett Warner tallied 13 points and three rebounds. Kilpatrick, Schmidt and Ravion Henry combined for 24 boards.

Notables:            

• DSU held West Georgia to just 20 points in the first half, which was the lowest of the season.
• The Statesmen are 8-2 when scoring more than 70 points.
• Henry's eight boards were a career high.

 
Who's Next:

• Delta State continues its home stand on Monday, Jan. 9, when it hosts West Alabama. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.