OWENSBORO, Ky. - The Kentucky Wesleyan College Panthers defended their home floor in the final game of the KWC Thanksgiving Classic, knocking off the Delta State University men's basketball team 74-44 on Saturday evening at the Owensboro Sportscenter.

THE BASICS:
 

• Score: Kentucky Wesleyan 74, Delta State 44
• Records: Panthers (3-4) | Statesmen (2-4)
• Date: Sat., Nov. 25 | 4:15 p.m. Tip-off
• Location: Owensboro Sportscenter | Owensboro, Ky.
• Series: KWC leads all-time series 9-2
• Get Social: Twitter - @DeltaStateMBB | Facebook – DSUStatesmen | Instagram – DSUAthletics

 
TURNING POINT:
 

• The Statesmen went just 5-for-29 (17 percent) from the field and put up a season low 17 points in the first half of action, digging themselves a 30-17 hole at the halftime intermission. KWC went on to outscore Delta State 44-27 in the second half.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
 

• Kentucky Wesleyan was 23-of-49 (47 percent) from the field for the contest, and went 8-for-18 from three-point land (44 percent). The Panthers knocked down 20 of their 26 free throw attempts to shoot 77 percent from the charity stripe for the contest. 
• Delta State went 16-for-52 (31 percent) from the floor and shot just 19 percent from beyond the three-point line (4-for-21). The Statesmen were 8-of-11 (73 percent) from the free throw line for the game. 
• The Statesmen were outrebounded 39-26, the largest margin this season by an opponent over DSU. 
• Delta State turned the ball over 15 times to just seven assists, their lowest assist total of the season, while Kentucky Wesleyan committed 10 turnovers and dished out 16 assists.
• The KWC bench outscored DSU 30-5 for the contest.

INSIDE THE FLOW:
 

• A 5-0 run by Kentucky Wesleyan to start the game set the tone early, but Brett Warner answered with a jumper and a pair of free throws as the Statesmen trailed 5-4 at the 14:51 mark of the first half. 
• The Panthers went on a 22-3 run over the next 11:51 of game time, helped by five points from Bird Cardwell, to take a 27-7 lead with three minutes left in the first half. 
• Armon Benford then rattled off seven points on a pair of jumpers and three free throws, to pull the Statesmen within 16 points (30-14), before Cameron Burkett's three-pointer cut the lead to down to 13 (30-17) as the first half came to a close. 
• KWC doubled up the Statesmen 16-8 out of the locker room as the two teams hit the under 12 media timeout of the second half. The Panthers led 46-25 at that point, and continued to build their lead late in coming away with a 74-44 win. 

NOTABLES:
 

• Brett Warner dropped a season-high 24 points, including a season-high 18 points in the second half, while going 9-of-17 from the floor and adding three steals. 
• Rasheide Bell tallied 19 points for the Panthers and led three KWC players in double-figures, going 4-for-5 from three-point territory. Bell added eight rebounds and six assists.
• Daniel Dzierzawski and Evan Milligan both dropped 14 points each in support for the Panthers. Milligan added seven rebounds and Dzierzawski chipped in two rebounds and two assists. 

UP NEXT:
 

• The Statesmen open Gulf South Conference action with a Thursday, Nov. 30 tilt against Christian Brothers, as they welcome the Bucs to Walter Sillers Coliseum. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and will tip-off after the women's contest.