CLEVELAND, Miss. – Brett Warner scored 18 second half points to lead the Delta State University men's basketball team (16-10, 12-7 GSC) to an 85-54 blowout win over rival Mississippi College (7-17, 4-15) on Senior Day Sat., Feb. 23 at Walter Sillers.

Warner's 18 points including six second half 3-pointers, led three Statesmen in double figures. The Collierville, Tenn., native moved his career scoring to 1,360 points, passing former teammate P.J. Davis (2014-2018/1,350) for eighth on the Statesmen all-time scoring chart.

Matthew Wilson followed with 17 points while Justin Slocum added 15 points and eight rebounds.
 
Head Coach Jim Boone and his staff honored Delta State's eight seniors in a special ceremony following the game. The 2018-2019 senior class includes Rasheide Bell, Armon Benford, Cameron Burkett, Cliff Fernandez, Cedric Harper, Mitch Keller, and Brett Warner.


THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 86 |  Mississippi College 54
Records:  Statesmen 16-10, 12-7 GSC | Choctaws 7-17, 4-15 GSC
Series: DSU leads 59-37-1
Location | Time: Walter Sillers Coliseum | 4:00 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trailing 2-1 early, The Statesmen went on a 6-0 run capped by an Armon Benford dunk and a and a Cedric Harper free throw to take a 7-2 advantage just under five minutes into the game.
• A Bell 3-pointer opened up DSU's biggest lead at 28-15 with 6:08 showing on the first half clock.
• Marcus Lytle hit a 3-pointer the deficit to 32-23 before a Bell layup with 48 seconds left put the Statesmen up 34-23 at halftime.
• The Statesmen defense held MC to 36 percent shooting from the floor, but the Choctaws stayed in game, going 3-for-5 from 3-point range in the first half.
• Delta State outscored the Choctaws 17-8 over the first 4:15 of the second half to build the lead to 51-31
• Warner dialed up back-to-back 3-pointers and Slocum had a three-point play on the tail end of the opening second half stretch.
• Cliff Fernandez and Wilson connected on threes to stretch the lead to 74-45 with just over five minutes remaining in the second half.
• A Warner 3-pointer gave the Statesmen a 77-49 lead at the 3:51 mark and a Will Midlick jumper gave DSU its biggest lead at 86-51 with 1:07 to go.
• The Statesmen held MC to one 3-pointer in the second half as the Choctaws went 1-for-6 (16 percent) from the behind the arc.

TURNING POINT

• The Statesmen's 17-8 push to open the second half stretched an 11-point halftime lead into a 20-point lead.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• The Statesmen made 8-of-12 including Warner's six three pointers in the second half.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Warner's 18 points moved his career scoring total to 1,360 points, passing former teammate P.J. Davis (2014-2018/1,350) for eighth on the career scoring list.
• Wilson's 17 points included 3-for-6 from 3-point land.
• Slocum added 15 points and eight rebounds.
• Benford dished out a career-high nine assists along with a team-high nine rebounds and nine points.
• Fernandez finished with a career-high seven points along with his first collegiate 3-pointer.

UP NEXT

• Delta State closes out the regular season against the University of Montevallo on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Montevallo, Ala.