GAME NOTES: Delta State @ Montevallo / West Alabama (11.26-28.19)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The official start of the race for the Gulf South Conference title begins on Saturday, Nov. 23, as the Statesmen (3-2, 0-0 GSC) of Delta State University carry their three-game win streak into Trustmark Arena in Montevallo, Ala., to face the Falcons (2-2, 0-0 GSC) of the University of Montevallo. Tipoff is set for 4 PM. Philip Tang will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network (WMJW 107.5 FM) and worldwide at GoStatesmen.com starting at 3:45 PM.   

Saturday's matchup is the 19th all-time between the Statesmen and Falcons, with Delta State owning a 15-3 edge in the series standings. In last year's meetings, the Statesmen delivered a 77-68 victory at Sillers Coliseum on Dec. 1, 2018 while the Falcons pulled off the 57-54 upset at Trustmark Arena on Feb. 28, 2019 in the regular season finale. The two schools will close the regular season again on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 at 4 PM.    

Coming off a dramatic march to the league championship and with veteran coach Mike Nienaber taking over the program, Delta State was picked to finish 7th in the annual Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.  The University of Alabama in Huntsville Chargers were tabbed as the conference favorites in the 2019-20 poll. UAH (134) was followed by West Alabama (128), Valdosta State (126), Union (103) and West Florida (88) in the top five. West Georgia (82), DSU (74), Lee (74), Montevallo (70), Christian Brothers (56), Mississippi College (37), Auburn Montgomery (30) and Shorter (12) rounded out the poll.

After an 0-2 start to the season, coach Mike Nienaber and Delta State have won their last three games, averaging 76.7 points per game.

UP NEXT: Delta State will continue its' Alabama road swing on Monday, Nov. 25 in Livingston versus the Tigers (3-1, 0-0 GSC) of the University of West Alabama. It's the 76th meeting between the founding members of the GSC and the lone matchup in 2019-2020 between the schools.


BROOKS NAMED GSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Delta State junior forward Airen Brooks was named the Gulf South Conference co-Player of the Week after leading the Statesmen (3-2, 0-0 GSC) to back-to-back wins versus Lane (76-71) and LeMoyne-Owen (85-77). The Shelton State CC transfer averaged a double-double with 23.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 64.2% (18-of-28). In DSU's 76-71 home-opening win over Lane, Brooks turned in a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out with 3:11 to play in the contest. The Phenix City, Ala., native, followed up the Lane outing with a career-high 27 points and nine rebounds in DSU's 85-77 win at LeMoyne-Owen.

STATESMEN CLAIM THREE-IN-A-ROW
After an 0-2 start to the season, coach Mike Nienaber and Delta State have won their last three games, averaging 76.7 points per game in victories over Lane College (76-71), LeMoyne-Owen College (85-77) and Mississippi University for Women (69-55). Prior to the streak, DSU was averaging just 62.0 points per game.

COMPARING THE SQUADS
Delta State enters this weekend's matchup with Montevallo averaging 70.8 points while allowing 76.4 per game. Both totals currently ranks 9th in the GSC. The Falcons come into the game scoring 68.5 points while holding the opposition to 70.3 per game.

BROOKS & McCOY CRACK THE TOP 25
Junior forward Airen Brooks (15.3 ppg/14th) and senior point guard Anderson McCoy (13.8 ppg/19th) both rank in the GSC's top 25 in scoring average entering the opening weekend of league play.

CLEANING THE GLASS
The Statesmen are averaging 37.8 rebounds per game coming into the weekend, which ranks 8th in the GSC. Airen Brooks has been a force on the boards, averaging 9.8 rebounds a game. Zach Varnum has also turned in 6.5 rebounds a game. Brooks is currently 4th in the GSC with Varnum ranking 14th.

DEADLY FROM DEEP
Freshman guard Austin Laatsch, who turns in 10.2 points per night, is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers per game, ranking 11th in the GSC.

DELIVERING THE MAIL
Senior Anderson McCoy has been steady at the point, averaging 4.0 assists per game for the Statesmen. The University of Alabama-Birmingham transfer is currently 10th in the league in assists per game (4.0) and 14th in assist/turnover ratio (1.3). The Indianapolis, Ind., native, delivered a season-high six assists in DSU's 69-55 win over MUW on Monday, Nov. 18.

SWATTING THE COMPETITION
Junior power forward Zach Varnum has been an iron curtain in the paint for the Statesmen, ranking 2nd in the GSC with nine blocks through four games. The Paxton, Fla., native, collected a career-high four blocks in the 76-71 win versus Lane.

GEORGIADIS RECORDS 1ST DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Freshman guard Savvas Georgiadis turned in his 1st career double-double with a career-high 13 points and 10 rebounds in a 69-55 win versus MUW.

ON EASY STREET
Junior guard Keyshaun Street enters the weekend averaging 11.4 points per game. The Kingsland, Ga., native, has proven to be on of the GSC's top free throw shooters, connecting on 16-of-19 attempts for 84.2 percent. His 84.2 percent from the line is 13th among all active shooters in the league.               
 
NIENABER APPROACHING 600 CAREER WINS
Mike Nienaber was introduced as the 16th head coach of the Statesmen on May 6, 2019 and the long-time skipper hasn't looked back. He comes to DSU after a highly decorated run as head coach at Christian Brothers University, where he won two Gulf South Conference championships, made five trips to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the 2009 NCAA DII Elite Eight.

The Cincinnati, Ohio, native, needs four wins to eclipse 600 in his decorated career.  is 596 career victories, including a 354-224 record at the NCAA DII level, rank 11th among active DII head coaches.