CLEVELAND, Miss - After splitting its homestand with Montevallo and West Alabama, the Delta State University men's basketball team sits at 6-4 through their first 10 games in Gulf South Conference play and hits the road for an important weekend in Cleveland, Tenn. and Rome, Ga., as the Statesmen travel to visit Lee and Shorter on Thurs., Jan. 18 and Sat., Jan. 20, respectively. 
 

STATESMEN GAME DAY INFO
Date	Jan. 18: DSU at Lee University  Jan. 20: DSU at Shorter University
Tip-Off Location/Time	Jan. 18: Paul Dana Walker Arena - 7 P.M.     Jan. 20: Winthrop-King Centre - 3 P.M.
Series History/Last Meeting	- Lee: DSU leads series 7-1  - 1.9.2014 | DSU W, 67-56  - Shorter: DSU leads series 7-4  - 2.28.2017 | DSU W, 93-85
Audio/Video	Jan. 18 vs. Lee: Listen Here  Jan. 18 vs. Lee: Watch Here  Jan. 20 vs. Shorter: Listen Here  Jan. 20 vs. Shorter: Watch Here
Live Stats	Jan. 18 vs. Lee: Follow Here  Jan. 20 vs. Shorter: Follow Here
Game Notes	Delta State vs. Lee/Shorter

 

ABOUT DELTA STATE:

• DAVIS DOING HIS PART: Senior forward PJ Davis continues to be an essential part of Delta State's offensive and defensive attacks. The Cleveland, Miss. native is averaging 15.1 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Davis leads the team in rebounding (106 total - 42 Off., 66 Def.) and blocks (31), and ranks second in the GSC in blocks per game (1.9).
• CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Davis ranks 15th all-time in scoring, tallying 1,116 career points in his career. He is 36 points away from passing his father, Jon Paul Davis, Sr., who ranks 14th all-time in DSU history with 1,151 points (1990-1994). Davis has climbed into the top 10 in school history in rebounding, as he sits in 10th with 663 career rebounds. He needs 8 rebounds to pass Keith Gardner (670) for 9th place all-time. Davis has played in every game of his Delta State career to this point, totaling 109 games played and 57 starts. He is tied with Eric Hite (1988-1991) for 10th place in games played at 109, and trails Charlie Lowe, who played in 111 games from 1987-1991, for ninth place.
• BENFORD CONTINUES TO RUN THE SHOW: Junior transfer Armon Benford has been an essential part of Delta State's attack. Running the point guard, the Chicago, Ill. native is averaging 6.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Benford has tallied seven games of at least five points, five rebounds, and five assists this season for the Green-and-White.

ABOUT LEE:

• MONTGOMERY LEADS ATTACK FOR LEE: Sophomore forward Ryan Montgomery is averaging 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. The sophomore forward from Chattanooga, Tenn., has made big strides since his debut season in the GSC last year, when he averaged 7.0 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game as a true freshman.
• BALANCE SPARKING THE FLAMES: Montgomery is the only Lee player in double-figures for head coach Bubba Smith. The Flames, however, have 10 players averaging 5.0 points per contest or better and total 75.1 points per game on offense. The Flames have the second-highest field goal percentage as a team in the conference, shooting it at a 49 percent clip from the floor.
• FLAMES STELLAR DEFENSIVELY: Lee leads the GSC in field goal percentage defense, holding teams to just 39.5 percent shooting from the floor. Lee is third in the conference in holding teams to 68.8 points per contest, and in conference games the Flames are holding opponents to just 33 percent shooting from three-point territory. 

ABOUT SHORTER:

• AMONTE POTTER PACES EIGHT-MAN ROTATION FOR SHORTER: Amonte Potter has averaged 17.3 points per game, leading the way for the Hawks. Potter, a six foot guard from Long Island, New York, has scored in double-figures in all 17 contests this season and comes off a 19-point effort against Lee.
• BURNETT, MAJOR LEAD SUPPORTING CAST: Kennesaw State transfer Josh Burnett and Charleston Southern transfer TayVaughn Major are also in double-figures for Shorter to lead the Hawks on the offensive end. Burnett, a junior from Honolulu, Hawaii, is averaging 16.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Major, a 6-foot-2 junior guard from North Charleston, S.C., is filling out the stat sheet for coach Wade Anderson. Major is averaging 12.5 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game and 2.5 assists per game in support of Potter and Burnett.

UP NEXT:

Delta State takes on rival Mississippi College in Clinton on Saturday, January 27 at 4 p.m.