GAME NOTES: Delta State at Auburn-Montgomery/UA-Huntsville (1.31-2.3.19)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - With just three games separating first place from ninth in the Gulf South Conference standings, the Delta State University men's basketball team will make a major road swing through Alabama this week, as the Statesmen (13-6, 9-3 GSC) travel to Auburn University at Montgomery (6-13, 2-9 GSC) on Thursday, Jan. 31 and the University of Alabama at Huntsville (14-5, 7-4 GSC) on Saturday, Feb. 2. Thursday's tipoff is set for 7:30 PM at the AUM Athletic Complex. Both games will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network and streamed online at GoStatesmen.com. Philip Tang will have the call.     

Thursday's game versus the Warhawks is the seventh all-time between Delta State and Auburn-Montgomery. The series dates back to Nov. 25, 1994, a game the Statesmen won at AUM. 71-70.  Delta State leads the all-time series standings 5-1, including a pair of DSU wins in both meetings in 2017-18.  The Statesmen defeated the Warhawks in Montgomery, 71-64, on Dec. 16, 2017 and followed that up with an 80-74 win at Sillers Coliseum on Feb. 3, 2018. Auburn-Montgomery is in year two of the transition to NCAA Division II and full membership in the Gulf South Conference.   

Following Thursday's game with the Warhawks, Delta State travels to Huntsville, Ala., to face the Chargers of Alabama Huntsville for the second time this season. Saturday's meeting is the 38th all-time between DSU and UAH with the Statesmen owning a 20-17 edge in the series. UAH defeated DSU, 70-58, on Thursday, Jan. 24 at Sillers Coliseum in the last meeting between the schools. The Statesmen last won at Spraggins Hall on Dec. 21, 2013 in an 86-82 overtime thriller.

Senior guard Brett Warner passed Don Cooper, who scored 1,278 points from 1970-1972, for 10th on the school's career scoring list after dropping seven points in a 70-56 victory over Lee University on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Sillers Coliseum. The Collierville, Tenn., native has scored 1,279 points in his four-year career. He also ranks third in career 3-pointers made (177) and second in attempts (507).  Warner is currently averaging 15.3 points per game, which ranks sixth in the GSC.     

A founding principle of coach Jim Boone's style of play is tenacious, grinding defense. As the Statesmen face a serious road test, Delta State ranks second in the league in field goal percentage defense (41.0%) and ranks No. 18 nationally in NCAA DII in scoring defense (65.2).

INSIDE THE PAINT: @DELTASTATEMBB FAST FACTS

• Delta State enters this week's match-ups versus Auburn Montgomery and Alabama Huntsville ranked 18th in NCAA Division II in scoring defense, allowing 65.2 points per game.
   
• Junior forward Justin Slocum (8.0 rpg) and senior guard Armon Benford (6.9 rbg) both rank in the top 10 in the GSC in rebounding. Slocum is currently third while Benford sits seventh.
     
• Senior guard Rasheide Bell has increased his offensive production versus GSC competition this year, averaging 14.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The Evansville, Ind., native is averaging 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
     
• Justin Slocum has become a constant at the forward spot for Coach Boone and the Statesmen. The junior from Macon, Ga., is averaging 11.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game entering the week. He currently ranks third in the GSC in rebounding, second in FG percentage (55.9%) and 20th in points per game.
       
• Armon Benford continues to play at a high level, averaging 8.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He ranks seventh in the GSC in assists per game and rebounding.
   
• Senior forward Cedric Harper has owned the paint for the Statesmen, as the Tallahassee, Fla., native currently leads the GSC in FG percentage (65.0%) and blocks (33) while averaging 9.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
   
• Matthew Wilson scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Statesmen to a 70-56 win over Lee on Jan. 26 at Sillers Coliseum. The Farmington, Ark., native is currently ranked 11th in the GSC in 3-pointers made per game (12.0) and ranks third in 3-point FG percentage (42.2%). He is averaging 9.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.