CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Eckerd College men's basketball team (1-0) outscored the Delta State University men's basketball team (0-1) 40-23 in the second half en route to grinding out a 61-55 victory over the Statesmen on Friday night at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Brett Warner led the way for the Statesmen with 14 points, and Armon Benford chipped in 10 points for the Green-and-White.

THE BASICS

• Score: Eckerd College 61, Delta State 55
• Records: Tritons (1-0) | Statesmen (0-1)
• Date: Friday, Nov. 10 | 7 p.m. Tip-off
• Location: Walter Sillers Coliseum | Cleveland, Miss.
• Attendance: 1121
• Series: DSU leads the all-time series 5-1
• Get Social: Twitter - @DeltaStateMBB | Facebook – DSUStatesmen | Instagram – DSUAthletics

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Statesmen got out to a fast start, as a pair of Brett Warner three-pointers helped the Green-and-White out to a 9-2 advantage in the opening three and a half minutes of the game.
• DSU used another run, this one an 8-2 run from the 6:53 mark to the 5:02 mark of the first half to run their lead out to 12 points, at 26-14.
• Each team traded baskets at the end of the half, as a Dietrich Taylor layup and a Ravion Henry tip-in at the horn gave Delta State a 32-21 lead at the break.
• The Statesmen ended the half with a 32-21 lead after shooting 48-percent from the field (12-25) and 50-percent from three-point territory (2-4). Eckerd shot 27-percent (9-33) and were just 1-for-13 from 3-point range at the half. The Tritons out-rebounded DSU 25-22.
• Brett Warner led all scorers with 10 first half points, and Benford added six for Delta State. PJ Davis and Dietrich Taylor each had four points at the halftime intermission.
• Eckerd got a three-pointer from Keshawn Ingram to open the second half scoring, but the Statesmen responded with a Brett Warner layup and a pair of free throws as the Statesmen led 40-27 with 16:32 left to play in the contest.
• A 20-4 run over the next eight minutes saw the Tritons take a 47-44 lead with 8:35 to go in the game.
• Delta State fought hard until the final seconds, but Eckerd's dominant second half proved to be too much as the Tritons knocked off DSU 61-55.
• Eckerd finished the second half by shooting 66.7% percent (16-for-24) from the floor to shoot 44 percent (25-of-57) for the game, but were just 4-of-20 (20 percent) from three-point territory. The Statesmen went 20-for-51 (39 percent) for the contest and went just 13-of-24 (54 percent) from the free throw line.        

Notables:

• The Statesmen dropped their season opener for the first time in the past four seasons. 
• Benford had 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in his Statesmen debut at point guard for the Green-and-White.
• Keshawn Ingram led the way for the Tritons with 16 points, and Travis Bianco had 11 points and five rebounds for EC.

  
Up Next:

• The Statesmen turn around and face off against Florida Southern on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. in the final game of the Gulf South Conference/Sunshine State Conference Crossover Tournament at Walter Sillers Coliseum.