GAME NOTES: Delta State vs. Mississippi College | Union
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University men's basketball team will travel to Clinton, Miss., on Saturday, Dec. 15 to face in-state rival Mississippi College. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. at A.E. Wood Coliseum. The Statesmen (5-3, 1-1 GSC) are coming off a thrilling 90-62 victory over Bethel University while the Choctaws (4-3, 1-1 GSC) defeated Pensacola Christian College 96-65 a week ago. Both teams went 1-1 in the opening week of Gulf South Conference play, claiming wins over Montevallo and losing to West Alabama. Saturday's game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network with Philip Tang on the call.

Saturday's Delta State versus Mississippi College clash is the 96th meeting between the schools on the hardwood. The Statesmen have won four in a row and lead the all-time series standings 57-37-1. The Choctaws own a 24-20 record against DSU at A.E. Wood Coliseum, including their last series win, 71-66, on Feb. 25, 2016.

Following Saturday's tilt with MC, the Statesmen will host the Bulldogs (6-3, 1-1 GSC) of Union University on Monday, Dec. 17 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and DSU will host "Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night" in conjunction with the game.  Monday's match-up is the 54th in series history with the Statesmen owning a 40-13 edge.  
        NOTES, SIDEBARS & STORYLINES:

• Delta State enters the week ranked third in the GSC in scoring defense, as the Statesmen allow 66.5 points per game. DSU has held West Alabama to just 62 points and Montevallo to 68 in last week's GSC match-ups.
   
• Senior guard Brett Warner, a preseason All-GSC selection, comes into this week ranked ninth in the league in points per game (15.1). The Collierville, Tenn., native became the 18th player in DSU history to top 1,000 career points with his 22 point effort versus Fisk on Nov. 15, 2018 at Sillers Coliseum. He is currently 16th on the career scoring chart with 1,110 points and needs 42 points to pass Paul Davis (1990-94/1,151) for 15th. He joins former All-American Devin Schmidt, DSU's all-time leading scorer with 2,594 points, to accomplish the feat under coach Jim Boone.
  
  
• Senior forward Cedric Harper has owned the paint through the first eight games for the Statesmen and is on pace to set a new DSU record for career field goal percentage (72.1%). The Tallahassee, Fla., native currently leads the GSC in FG percentage and blocks (17) while averaging 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He also ranks fourth in steals (1.9).
   
• Matthew Wilson is currently ranked seventh in GSC in 3-pointers made per game (2.5) and fourth in 3-point FG percentage (47.6%). The Farmington, Ark., native is averaging 11.9 points per game after scoring a career-high 23 in DSU's 90-62 win over Bethel.  
   
• Justin Slocum has proven to be major force on the glass, ranking ninth in the GSC in rebounds per game (7.1). The junior from Macon, Ga., is also averaging 11.9 points per game in 24.5 minutes of action.
   
• Senior guard Rasheide Bell is averaging 10.0 points per game for the Statesmen this year. The Evansville, Ind., native scored a career-high 20 points and six rebounds in DSU's 77-68 win over Montevallo and chipped in 14 points and three assists versus West Alabama.
   
• Armon Benford, a senior point guard from Chicago, Ill., enters the week ranked third in the GSC in assists per game (5.4) and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2). In DSU's win over Bethel, Benford dished out a season-high eight assists with nine points and nine boards.
   
• Senior forward Cedric Harper is on pace to set a new DSU record for career field goal percentage (72.1%). The Tallahassee, Fla., native currently leads the GSC in FG percentage and blocks (17) while averaging 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He also ranks fourth in steals (1.9).
   
• Cameron Burkett, a senior forward from Houston, Texas, is averaging 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. The former Bossier Parrish CC transfer scored a season-high seven in DSU's 84-66 win over Cumberland on Nov. 24, 2018 at Walter Sillers Coliseum.