CLEVELAND, Miss. – Four players scored in double figures, led by Rasheide Bell's 18, as the Delta State University men's basketball team defeated the University of West Florida, 71-62, on Thursday, Jan. 10 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Statesmen (10-4, 6-1 GSC) earned their fifth straight Gulf South Conference victory with the win. Cedric Harper (16), Justin Slocum (14) and Brett Warner (13) joined Bell in double figures.
 
Jon Brown led West Florida and all scorers with 27 points. 

THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 77 | West Florida 57
Records: Statesmen 10-4, 6-1 GSC | Argonauts 4-11, 0-7 GSC
Series: DSU leads 15-8
Location | Time: Sillers Coliseum | 7:30 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Armon Benford helped the Statesmen jump out to a fast 5-0 lead on West Florida with 18:36 to go in the first half.
• Jon Brown's two 3-pointers fueled a 10-4 run for the Argonauts that put West Florida up 10-9 at the 15:48 media time out.
• With 14:13 remaining in the half, Rasheide Bell knifed through the Argonaut defense to tie the game at 13-13.
• Henri Ventoniemi's four points and Rashaun Benson's 3-pointer gave the Argonauts a two-point lead, 22-20, at the 10:37 media break. Justin Slocum's put-back and Brett Warner's first 3-pointer of the game gave DSU its five points during this stretch.
• At the 7:37 media timeout, UWF maintained its two-point lead, 24-22. DSU was 1-of-8 from the field during this period while holding the Argonauts without a point for 2:32.
• Warner's driving lay-up tied the game at 24-24 and Slocum's jumper on DSU's next possession gave the Statesmen a 26-24 lead with 5:52 to play in the first.
• Bell's 3-pointer and a Cedric Harper lay-up gave the Statesmen a 31-29 lead with 3:18 remaining in the frame.
• The Statesmen closed the half on a 7-4 run to take a 38-33 lead into the locker room at halftime.   
• DSU shot 54.8 percent (17-of-31) in the first half, including 33.3 percent (3-of-9) from 3-point range. Bell led the Statesmen with 11 points at the break.
• UWF connected on 44.4 percent (12-of-27) from the floor in the first half but nailed 5-of-11 (45.5%) from 3-point range. Brown led all scorers with 15 points.
• While holding the Argonauts without a field goal for 3:05 to begin the second half, DSU built its lead to 10 points with 16:55 to go behind four points from Harper and a deep 3-pointer by Warner.
• DSU's defensive intensity continued at the 15:58 media timeout, as UWF had managed just two free throws in the second half while the Statesmen extended their lead to 15, 50-35.
• Brown's 3-pointer with 14:58 to play was UWF's first field goal of the second half.
• After a quick 5-0 run by UWF cut the DSU lead to 11, Harper answered with a rebound and a put-back to give the Statesmen a 58-45 advantage with 9:54 to play.  
• Ventoniemi's lay-up with 6:23 to play was just the third two-point basket of the second half for UWF and cut the deficit to 12 points, 62-50.
• Benford's free throws with 3:56 to play extended DSU's lead back to 16, 66-50.
• UWF scored six straight points to cut the DSU lead to 10, 66-56, with 2:02 remaining.
• The two teams closed out the final 1:58 to make the final margin nine points, as the Statesmen earned the 71-62 victory.
• DSU shot 52.6 percent (30-of-57) from the field for the game, including 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from the free throw line. The Statesmen also out-rebounded UWF 35-32.
• UWF connected on 39.3 percent (22-of-56) from the field and 45.0 percent (9-of-20) from 3-point range. The Argonauts scored 24 points off DSU's 12 turnovers.         

TURNING POINT

• Delta State held West Florida without a field goal and to just two points in the first 5:02 of the second half while building a 15-point lead.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• The Statesmen outscored the Argonauts 46-24 in the paint.  

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Slocum, a junior from Macon, Ga., turned in his second double-double of the campaign with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
• Harper, a senior from Tallahassee, Fla.,closed the night with 16 points, three rebounds and a block.
• Warner;'s 13 points moved him past Mark Easley, who scored 1,188 points from 1982-1985, into 13^th on the career scoring list with 1,193 points. The senior from Collierville, Tenn., made 2-of-8 attempts from 3-point range to extend his career 3-pointers made mark to 167. The four-year starter needs seven 3-pointers made to move past Brad Longino, who made 174 from 1990-1993) and eight 3-point attempts to eclipse Twentis Magee, who attempted 481 3-pointers from 1995-1998, into second place on the respective career charts.
• Bell scored 18 points on the night to match his second highest GSC point total of the campaign.     
• Delta State entered the game ranked second in the GSC in scoring defense, allowing 62.6 points per game.   

UP NEXT

• Delta State returns to Walter Sillers Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 12, as the Statesmen host the No. 9-ranked Blazers of Valdosta State University for "Fan Appreciation" day. Tipoff is set for 4 PM.