GAME NOTES: Christian Brothers/AU-Montgomery @ Delta State
Complete weekly release in PDF format

CLEVELAND, Miss. - With just six games remaining on the Gulf South Conference regular season schedule, the Delta State University men's basketball team faces perennial rival Christian Brothers University (15-7, 10-4 GSC) and league newcomer Auburn University at Montgomery (6-15, 2-11 GSC) in a major homestand this week at Sillers Coliseum.

The Statesmen (14-7, 10-4 GSC) welcome the Bucs to Cleveland on Thursday, Feb. 7 in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. 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 Bucs is the 100th all-time between Delta State and Christian Brothers. The series dates back to Jan. 15, 1957, a game the Statesmen won at CBU. 79-61. Delta State owns a 59-40 edge in the series standings, but CBU owns a 1-0 mark against the Statesmen this year after defeating DSU, 90-88, on Jan. 19, 2019 at Canale Arena in Memphis. After trailing by 25 points with 4:07 remaining in the game, Rashbeide Bell, who finished with 28 points, led the Statesmen on a 27-6 run to end the contest, but it wasn't enough as CBU hung on for the victory. Joe Laravie led all scorers and CBU with 37 points.    

Following Thursday's game with Christian Brothers, Delta State welcomes Auburn-Montgomery to Sillers Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 9. The game marks the eighth meeting all-time between the schools and the second in as many weeks. The Statesmen, who own a 6-1 edge in the series, defeated AUM, 80-73, on Thursday, Jan. 31 in Montgomery, Ala. Rasheide Bell led DSU with 25 points while Matthew Wilson added 21.   

INSIDE THE PAINT: @DELTASTATEMBB FAST FACTS

• 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 1,295 points in his four-year career and needs 14 points to pass Alvin Ratliff (1969-1971/1,308) for ninth. He also ranks third in career 3-pointers made (178) and second in attempts (518). He is currently averaging 14.6 ppg, which ranks eighth in the GSC.     
• A founding principle of coach Jim Boone's style of play is tenacious, grinding defense. As the Statesmen face a major homestand, Delta State ranks third in the league in field goal percentage defense (41.5%) and ranks No. 17 nationally in NCAA DII in scoring defense (65.6).
• Despite a 1-1 week, senior guard Rasheide Bell had one to remember, averaging 25 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game versus Auburn Montgomery and Alabama Huntsville. The Evansville, Ind., native is averaging 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this year.
• Delta State enters this week's match-ups versus Christian Brothers and Auburn Montgomery ranked 17th in NCAA Division II in scoring defense, allowing 65.6 points per game.
• Junior forward Justin Slocum (7.5 rpg) and senior guard Armon Benford (7.1 rbg) both rank in the top 10 in the GSC in rebounding. Slocum is currently fourth while Benford is sixth.      
• Justin Slocum has become a constant at the forward spot for Coach Boone and the Statesmen. The junior from Macon, Ga., is averaging 11.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game entering the week. He currently ranks fourth in the GSC in rebounding, second in FG percentage (54.5%) and 25th in points per game.     
• Armon Benford continues direct the Statesmen from the point, averaging 8.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. He ranks eighth in the GSC in assists per game and sixth in rebounding.
• Senior forward Cedric Harper has owned the paint for the Statesmen, as the Tallahassee, Fla., native currently leads the GSC in FG percentage (65.6%) and blocks (34) while averaging 9.6 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 averaging 9.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
• Senior forward Cameron Burkett scored a career-high 12 points in DSU's win at Auburn Montgomery.