GAME NOTES: Delta State @ Southern Mississippi (11.5.19)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - A new era in Delta State University Men's Basketball is set to begin on Tuesday, Nov. 5, as Mike Nienaber begins his tenure as head coach of the Statesmen (0-0, 0-0 GSC) in an exhibition against the Golden Eagles (0-0, 0-0 C-USA) of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Tipoff is set for 7 PM at Reed Green Coliseum. Philip Tang will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network (WMJW 107.5 FM) and worldwide at GoStatesmen.com starting at 6:45 PM.   

Tuesday's matchup on the hardwood is the first since a, 66-65, loss to the Golden Eagles on Jan. 31, 1975. Southern Miss owns a 31-20 edge in all-time series standings and has won the last five meetings between the programs.

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.

Guards Anderson McCoy and Keyshaun Street were named to the annual Gulf South Conference Preseason Top Newcomers List. McCoy, a 5-foot-11 point guard from Indianapolis, Ind., transferred to DSU from the University of Alabama-Birmingham for his senior season while Street, a 5-foot-10 shooting guard from Kingsland, Ga., was an All-State selection at South Georgia State College.

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. Nienaber 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. His 593 career wins, including a 351-224 record at CBU, rank 11th among active NCAA DII head coaches.

With a new coach at the helm, the Statesmen will also feature a reloaded roster that includes 12 new student-athletes. Senior forward Cameron Burkett (6-8, 245) returns to lead the club after playing in all 31 games with 12 starts. Sophomore guards Will Midlick (6-3, 175) and Waymon Perry (5-10, 165) are also back off last year's GSC championship team.

Delta State will officially begin the season this weekend at the Gulf South Conference-Sunshine State Conference Crossover in Livingston, Ala. The Statesmen face familiar foes Florida Southern on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 PM followed by Eckerd College at 2 PM on Sunday, Nov. 10. Both games will be played at the University of West Alabama's Pruitt Hall. DSU and Florida Southern last met in the NCAA DII South Regional in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on March 16, 2019, where the Mocs claimed a 78-72 victory. FSC has won the last three meetings between the schools with DSU's last victory coming on Nov. 11, 2016 in St. Petersburg, Fla., 73-70.