CLEVELAND, Miss. – Justin Slocum's 15 points and career-high 12 rebounds were not enough, as the Delta State University men's basketball team dropped its Gulf South Conference opener to the University of West Alabama, 62-54, on Thursday, Nov. 29 at Walter Sillers Coliseum.   

THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 54 | West Alabama 62
Records: Statesmen 3-3, 0-1 GSC | Tigers 3-2, 1-0 GSC
Series: DSU leads 43-32
Location | Time:  Sillers Coliseum | 5:30 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Behind Justin Slocum's eight points and four rebounds, the Statesmen flew out of the gate to take a 10-4 lead on West Alabama with 13:59 to go in the first half.
• The next 3:37 belonged to the Tigers, as UWA roared back to tie the game at 13-13 with. 10:22 to go in the period. Deandre Harper and Josh Fleming chipped in eight points during the run.
• West Alabama took a five-point lead, 20-15, on Lajuan Hardy's lay-in with 5:37 left in the half.
• Brett Warner answered back for the Statesmen with a deep 3-pointer with 5:00 on the clock.
• A Matthew Wilson 3-pointer and Slocum free throw tied the game at 22-22 with 42 seconds left in the half.
• Hardy lifted the Tigers to a 25-22 lead at the half on a long 3-pointer.
• DSU shot 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from the floor and 75 percent from 3-point range (3-of-4) in the first half. Slocum paced the Statesmen with nine points.
• UWA connected on 34.6 percent from the floor on 9-of-26 attempts, including 1-of-12 from 3-point range. Hardy's six points led the Tigers.
• The first four minutes of the second half saw three lead changes, as UWA held a 29-28 advantage with 15:53 to play. Hardy had all four second half points for the Tigers.
• Slocum's jump hook and Wilson's second 3-pointer of the night put DSU up 33-29 with 14:38 to go.
• At the 12:00 media timeout, the Statesmen held their largest lead of the second half, five-point, 37-32. DSU had outscored UWA 15-7 in the second frame.
• Jake Jobling's second 3-pointer of the second half gave the Tigers the lead 41-40 with 8:16 on the clock.
• With 5:25 left, the Statesmen held the 47-45 lead on Cedric Harper's short jumper.
• Ricky Dunnaway tied it at 47-47 with 4:58 to go for UWA.
• A pair of Rasheide Bell free throws put the Statesmen back up momentarily, but UWA answered with a three from Harper to retake the lead, 50-49.
• The Tigers used 3-pointers from Fleming and Jobling to extend their advantage to four, 56-52, with 2:36 to play.
• Dunnaway's free throw and a Fleming 3-pointer gave the Tigers a six-point lead, 60-54, with less than a minute to go.
• UWA salted away the last two possessions to claim the 62-54 win.
• DSU finished the night shooting 42.2 percent from the floor while holding UWA to 38.0 percent.              

TURNING POINT

• After falling behind 49-47 with 4:42 left in the game, West Alabama outscored Delta State 15-5 to pick up the win.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• The Statesmen finished the night 10-of-23 at the free throw line.  

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Slocum turned in a double-double for the Statesmen, scoring 15 points and 12 rebounds.
• Bell chipped in 14 points with Wilson adding nine points.
• Warner made one 3-pointer to push his career total to 152. The Collierville, Tenn., native ranks fifth on the Delta State career 3-pointers made chart. His 434 attempts are fourth all-time at DSU.
• Delta State entered the game ranked fifth in the GSC in scoring defense, allowing 68.0 points per game.
• Harper, who entered the game leading the GSC in blocks (10) and field goal percentage (70.3%), finished the night with eight points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks.
• Delta State leads the Gulf South Conference all-time with 800 league victories. Valdosta State is second with 595 followed by West Alabama with 579.   

UP NEXT

• The Statesmen welcome the Falcons of the University of Montevallo to Walter Sillers Coliseum on Saturday, Dec. 1. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. Any fan bringing a new, unwrapped toy to the game will receive free admission.