GAME NOTES: Mississippi College @ Delta State (12.21.19)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - With less than a week to go before the Christmas holiday, the Statesmen (4-6, 0-2 GSC) of Delta State University welcome their in-state rival the Choctaws (5-4, 1-2 GSC) of Mississippi College to Walter Sillers Coliseum for the final game of the fall semester. 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 98th all-time between the Statesmen and Choctaws, with Delta State owning a 59-37-1 edge in the series standings. In last year's meetings, the Statesmen delivered a 74-68 victory at A.E. Wood Coliseum on Dec. 15, 2018 and followed up that performance with a commanding 86-54 win at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Feb. 23, 2019. In fact, DSU has won the last six meetings between the programs dating back to the 2016-17 campaign. In another interesting twist, both head coaches in Saturday's matchup are Mississippi College graduates and former teammates. Nienaber graduated from MC in 1977 while Jones matriculated in 1975.

Delta State will return from the holiday break on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, as the Statesmen host the Hawks (x-x, x-x GSC) of Shorter University. Tipoff is set for 7:30 PM at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The game marks the 14th meeting between the schools with DSU owning an 8-5 edge in the hotly contested series.


INSIDE THE MC SERIES
Saturday's matchup is the 98th all-time between the Statesmen and Choctaws, with Delta State owning a 59-37-1 edge in the series standings. In last year's meetings, the Statesmen delivered a 74-68 victory at A.E. Wood Coliseum on Dec. 15, 2018 and followed up that performance with a commanding 86-54 win at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Feb. 23, 2019. In fact, DSU has won the last six meetings between the programs dating back to the 2016-17 campaign. In another interesting twist, both head coaches in Saturday's matchup are Mississippi College graduates and former teammates. Nienaber graduated from MC in 1977 while Jones matriculated in 1975.

COMPARING THE SQUADS
Delta State enters this weekend's matchup with Mississippi College averaging 70.6 points while allowing 79.1 per game. Both totals currently ranks 10th in the GSC. The Choctaws come into the game scoring 73.9 points while holding the opposition to 66.4 per game. MC's scoring defense is currently 3rd in the league.

STREET & BROOKS FUELING STATESMEN OFFENSE
Delta State enters Saturday's game with the Choctaws averaging 70.6 points per game thanks to the play of junior shooting guard Keyshaun Street and junior forward Airen Brooks. Street leads the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game followed by Brooks (14.7), who also leads the team in rebounding at 9.8 per game.

MR. DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Junior forward Airen Brooks has become an instant force for the Statesmen, averaging 14.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The Phenix City, Ala., native and former Shelton State CC star is 3rd in the Gulf South Conference in rebounding (9.8) while ranking 11th in FG percentage (46.7). In nine starts, Brooks has recorded three double-doubles while narrowly missing out on three more.

INSTANT RESULTS
Freshman shooting guard Austin Laatsch has produced instant results for the Statesmen this season, averaging 9.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. The Birmingham, Ala., native, ranks 10th in the GSC in 3-point field goals per game (2.3) and is among the top freshman scorers in the league.  

MOTLEY STEPPING UP
With a rash of injuries over the last three weeks, junior guard Michael Motley (7.3 ppg) has become a steady option for coach Mike Nienaber and the Statesmen, averaging 17.0 points per game in his last two starts. The Buffalo, N.Y., native scored 16 points at Lane and a career-high 18 points and seven rebounds versus Bethel in DSU's last two matchups.

STREET & BROOKS CRACK THE TOP 25
Junior guard Keyshaun Street (14.9 ppg/14th) and junior forward Airen Brooks (14.7 ppg/15th) both rank in the GSC's top 25 in scoring average entering this weekend's league play.

CLEANING THE GLASS
The Statesmen are averaging 34.8 rebounds per game coming into the weekend, which ranks 11th 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.

DELIVERING THE MAIL
Senior Anderson McCoy has been steady at the point, averaging 3.9 assists per game for the Statesmen. The University of Alabama-Birmingham transfer is currently 8th in the league in assists per game (3.9) and 7th 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.

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 three wins to eclipse 600 in his decorated career.  He has 597 career victories, including a 355-230 record at the NCAA DII level, rank 11th among active DII head coaches.