CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Delta State University men's basketball team raced out to a 56-14 halftime lead and never looked back, as the Statesmen smashed Selma University 88-41 on Saturday, Dec. 8 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Brett Warner scored a season-high 31 points to lead the Statesmen after making a career-best 8-of-13 from 3-point range. Cameroin Burkett (16), Justin Slocum (10) and Matthew Wilson (10) joined Warner in double figures.
 
Dionne Parks led Selma with 14 points while Ezell Ramsey added 10 points.      

THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 88 | Selma 41
Records: Statesmen 5-3 | Bulldogs 1-12
Series: DSU leads 8-0
Location | Time:  Sillers Coliseum | 4 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Delta State rushed out of the locker room to a 7-0 lead with 18:11 to play, forcing Selma skipper Raymond Brown to call the first timeout of the first half.
• The Statesmen extended their lead to 11-0 on back-to-back baskets by Armon Benford and Rasheide Bell at the 15:33 mark of the first half.
• Dionne Parks sank 1-of-2 free throws with 15:33 to play to finally get the Bulldogs on the board. The power forward added a 10-foot jumper at 14:53 mark to cut the DSU lead to 15-3.
• Selma cut the Statesmen lead to nine, 18-9, with 12:39 to go in the half, as Yurmon Barnes finished-off the fast break after Terrell Jones steal in the paint.
• Fueled by Warner's 12 points over the next 4:42, the Statesmen built a commanding 39-12 lead with 7:57 to play in the half.
• Delta State closed the half on a 23-2 run to lead 56-14 at halftime. Warner, who connected on 6-of-9 3-point attempts, led all scorers with 25 points. Cameron Burkett, who was 4-of-4 from 3-point range, had a career-high 14 points as well.
• Selma was led by Barnes with seven. Parks added five.
• DSU kept the pressure on the Bulldogs at the start of the second half, extending its lead to 47, 67-20, with 14:22 to play.
• A quick four from Selma's Ezell Ramsey and a deep 3-pointer from Parks cut the Delta State lead to 78-33 with 8:44 to play in the game.
• The Statesmen and Bulldogs ended the game on 10-8 run to make the final, 88-41, in favor of the Statesmen.
• Delta State 49.3 percent for the game on 34-of-69 attempts, including a season-best 14-of-35 from 3-point range.
• Selma shot 32.6 percent (15-of-46) from the floor and 16.7 percent (1-of-12) from 3-point range.
• DSU out-rebounded SU 45-29 and forced 23 Bulldog turnovers.  

TURNING POINT

• Delta State took control of the game for good in the first half, outscoring Selma 38-5 over the final 12:21 of the frame.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• The Statesmen nailed a season-best 14 shots from 3-point range.   

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Selma's 41 points were the fewest allowed by the Statesmen since surrendering 38 to the University of Montevallo on Jan. 13, 2018.
• Warner made 8-of-13 from 3-point range to push his career total to 174. The Collierville, Tenn., native tied Brad Longino (1990-93) for fourth on the Delta State career 3-pointers made chart. His 455 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.   

UP NEXT

• Delta State returns to the hardwood on Monday, Dec. 10, as the Statesmen host Bethel University. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum.