CLEVELAND, Miss - Winners of their last four consecutive games, the Delta State University men's basketball team puts their win streak on the line with a pair of road games in Gulf South Conference action, as the Statesmen visit Valdosta State and West Florida. DSU and VSU square off on Sunday, Jan. 7, and then visit UWF on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
| STATESMEN GAME DAY INFO |
|
| Date |
Jan. 7: DSU vs. Valdosta State
Jan. 9: DSU vs. West Florida |
| Tip-Off Location/Time |
Jan. 7: The Complex - 3 P.M. CT
Jan. 9: UWF Field House - 7:30 P.M. CT |
| Series History/Last Meeting |
- VSU: VSU leads series 22-21
- 2.4.2017 | DSU W, 72-58
- UWF: DSU leads series 14-6
- 2.2.2017 | DSU W, 68-48 |
| Audio/Video |
Jan. 7 vs. VSU: Listen Here
Jan. 9 vs. UWF: Listen Here
Jan. 7 vs. VSU: Watch Here
Jan. 9 vs. UWF: Watch Here |
| Live Stats |
Jan. 7: Follow Here
Jan. 9: Follow Here |
| Game Notes |
Delta State vs. VSU/UWF |
ABOUT DELTA STATE:
- WARNER, DAVIS SET THE TONE: Junior Brett Warner and senior PJ Davis continue to lead the way for the Statesmen. Warner is averaging 20.7 points per game in league play, which is good for the fourth best mark in the GSC, and Davis has done everything in averaging 15.4 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Warner, a Collierville, Tenn native, is the team leader in three-pointers (32 - 34 percent), while Davis, a Cleveland, Miss. product, leads the way in rebounding (89 total - 32 Off., 57 Def.) and blocks (27).
- BENFORD CONTINUES TO RUN THE SHOW: Junior transfer Armon Benford has been an essential part of the attack for Delta State. Running the offense at point guard, the Chicago, Ill. native is averaging 6.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game and has scored in double-figures in three of his last six games. Benford has tallied five games of at least five points, five rebounds, and five assists.
- KING OF THE HILL ON DEFENSE: On the defensive end, the Statesmen are the Gulf South's best team, giving up just 62.4 points per game to opposing offenses. That mark is even better in GSC action, where Delta State is holding opposing teams to just 58.7 points per contest. The Green-and-White have held opponents to 62 points or less eight times this season, and have given up less than 56 points five times.
ABOUT VALDOSTA STATE:
- BLAZERS' OFFENSE TORCHING THE OPPOSITION: The Valdosta State Blazers are averaging north of 95 points per game (95.6), and improve that mark in GSC action in averaging 98.2 points per game. The Blazers shoot 50.8 percent from the floor as a team, and knock down 45 percent from three-point territory as a squad. They are also the GSC's best free throw shooting team at 81.3 percent from the stripe.
- JUSTICE PACES HIGH-POWERED ATTACK: Junior Beau Justice, a Peebles, Ohio native, is averaging 19.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals to lead the Blazers. The GSC All-Academic selection a year ago is shooting 48 percent from the floor and 45 percent from three.
- BLAZERS, STATESMEN SPLIT LAST SEASON: Both sides split last year's two meetings in GSC play, as each team held serve on their home court. Valdosta State defeated the Statesmen 79-62 in Valdosta, as Beau Justive led four players in double figures with 16. The Statesmen took game two, however, 72-58, behind 17 points from PJ Davis at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
ABOUT WEST FLORIDA:
- UWF OFF TO A RECORD START: The West Florida Argonauts won their first 12 games of the season, a program record, before dropping a tight contest 69-68 at Lee in Cleveland, Tenn. West Florida, who is ranked No. 15 in the country in the most recent National Association of Basketball Coaches poll.
- SENIOR DARRYL TUCKER'S CONSISTENCY LEADS ARGOS: Senior Darryl Tucker is averaging 16.0 points and 10.6 rebounds per game to lead UWF. Tucker has scored in double-figures in all but two games, and has season-highs of 27 points against Valdosta and 22 rebounds against Miles. Tucker is the only player in the GSC averaging a double-double.
- HOME SWEET HOME: The Argos' loss at Lee was the program's first loss since Feb. 28 of last season, but they return home to the UWF Field House, where they have won 16-straight dating back to Jan. 2 of last season.
UP NEXT:
After GSC contests with the Blazers and the Argonauts, the Statesmen return to Walter Sillers Coliseum to host Montevallo and West Alabama. The Statesmen and Montevallo play at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, and welcome West Alabama on Monday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
