CLEVELAND, Miss. – Four Delta State University men's basketball players scored in double figures, as the Statesmen defeated Union University, 77-57, in Gulf South Conference action on Monday, Dec. 17 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Rasheide Bell led the Statesmen with 18 points while Brett Warner (17), Cedric Harper (14) and Armon Benford (12).
 
Union was led by Bryson Butler's 16 points and Terrandus Smith's 13. 

THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 77 | Union 57
Records: Statesmen 7-3, 3-1 GSC | Bulldogs 7-4, 2-2 GSC
Series: DSU leads 41-13
Location | Time:  Sillers Coliseum | 7:30 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Delta State opened the first half with a 6-2 lead, as Justin Slocum completed the traditional 3-point play and Rasheide Bell canned the first 3-pointer of the night.
• Union's Bryson Butler answered with a 15-foot jumper and J.C. Clausi tied the game at 6-6 with a breakaway lay-up.
• DSU opened up a 10-point lead, 16-6, with a 10-0 over the next 3:59.
• Back-to-back 3-pointers by Union's Terrandus Smith and J.C. Hawkins cut the lead to six, 16-12, with 8:01 to play in the first half.
• Matthew Wilson and Brett Warner came right back with a pair of 3-pointers to extend the lead back to 10, 22-12, with 6:56 to play in the half.
• With 2:53 to play in the first, the Bulldogs had cut the lead to 29-21 behind 3-pointers from Hawkins and Payton Stovall.
• Bell's five points and Harper's two put the Statesmen in the locker room with a 36-24 advantage.
• DSU shot 59.1 percent (13-of-22) from the field and 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from 3-point range in the first half. Union managed just 34.9 percent (9-of-26) and 38.5 percent from 3-point range (5-of-13).
• Bell led all scorers and DSU at the break with 12 points. Smith paced Union with six.
• The Statesmen raced out of the locker room on a 7-0 run to take a 43-24 lead with 18:53 to go in the game. Warner had five points during the stretch and Harper two.
• At the 15:13 media timeout, Union had sliced the lead to seven, 47-35. Four points apiece from Hicks-Gentry and Butler fueled the Bulldogs' run.
• Stovall's 3-pointer for Union with 12:31 to play made it a 10-point game, 49-39.
• Warner's turnaround in the lane extended DSU's lead back top 15 points, 57-42, with 9:03 to play.
• Cameron Burkett's floater in the lane with 3:55 to go put the Statesmen up 66-49.
• With 1:36 to go, DSU held its largest lead of the night, 73-51.
• The Statesmen iced away the win at the line, claiming a 77-57 victory.
• DSU shot 52.7 percent (29-of-55) from the field for the game while holding UU to 36.5 percent 19-of-52). The Statesmen also out-rebounded the Bulldogs 39-29.     

TURNING POINT

• After being tied at 6-6 for 1:36, Delta State took control of the game with a 30-18 run to close the first half.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• The Statesmen outscored Union, 40-22, in the paint.  

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Warner, a senior from Collierville, Tenn., dished out a career-high eight assists.
• Harper, a senior from Tallahassee, Fla., narrowly missed a double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds.
• The Statesmen held Union to 27 points below its seasonal average of 84.1 points per game.
• Delta State entered the game ranked fourth in the GSC in scoring defense, allowing 66.1 points per game.   

UP NEXT

• Delta State travels to Fairfield, Ala., on Wednesday, Dec. 19 to take on in-region rival Miles College. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.