CLEVELAND, Miss. – Christian Brothers University used an 8-2 run over the final 2:31 to claim a 70-64 victory over the Delta State University men's basketball team on Thursday, Feb. 7 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Statesmen (14-8, 10-5 GSC) were led by Brett Warner's 14 points and career-high nine assists while the Bucs (16-7, 11-4 GSC) were paced by Adam Dieball's game-high 19 points.
 
Warner's 14 points pushed the senior guard past Alvin Ratliff, who scored 1,308 points from 1969-1971, into ninth place on the career scoring chart with 1,309 points.  

THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 64 | Christian Brothers 70
Records: Statesmen 14-8, 10-5 GSC | Bucs 16-7, 11-4 GSC
Series: DSU leads 59-41
Location | Time: Sillers Coliseum | 4 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Brett Warner's five points paced the Statesmen, as Delta State and Christian Brothers were tied at 7-7 at the 15:51 media timeout.
• The Statesmen held a 14-10 lead at the 11:59 stoppage, as Warner continued his hot start with five additional points. CBU's Joe Laravie and Nick Diefel had three points apiece.
• After DSU extended its lead to six, the Bucs went on a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the night, 17-16, with 10:03 to play in the half. Laravie had four of the seven for CBU during the run.
• Justin Slocum's short jumper with 7:13 to go in the first gave the Statesmen the lead, 20-18.
• Luke Rudy's corner 3-pointer capped a 7-0 run for CBU, as the Bucs built a 25-20 lead with 4:38 remaining in the half.
• After a DSU timeout, CBU drained back-to-back 3-pointers by Laravie and Brad Miller to extend its lead to 11, 31-20, with 2:50 to go in the frame.
• Armon Benford's steal and breakaway layup ended a 12-0 run by CBU and cut the deficit to nine, 31-22.
• Dieball's traditional three-point play sent the Bucs into the locker room with a 10-point edge, 34-24.
• CBU shot 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from the floor in the first while DSU managed 34.4 percent (11-of-32). The Bucs were 6-of-14 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 at the free throw line. The Statesmen were just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc and did not have a free throw attempt in the opening half. CBU also out-rebounded DSU 21-11.
• After the Statesmen opened the second half with a 4-0 run, Dieball's free throw with 16:38 to go in the half ended a 3:22 scoring drought for the Bucs.
• Rasheide Bell's jumper in the lane cut the deficit to four, 35-31, with 16:19 to play.
• Bell's free throws sliced deeper into CBU's lead, as DSU trailed 36-33 with 14:51 to play.
• Dieball's layup at the 14:03 mark was the first field goal of the second half, extending the lead back to five, 38-33.
• Cameron Burkett's rebound and put-back continued a 6-0 run for DSU that tied the game at 42-42 with 12:04 to go.
• With 10:57 to play, Bell gave the Statesmen their first lead of the second half, 44-42, with a pair of free throws.
• Matthew Wilson's driving layup off the glass put the Statesmen up three, 51-48, but Dieball answered with a 3-pointer with 7:40 to play to tie it at 51-51.
• After a Benford jumper and a Wilson 3-pointer, DSU led, 56-51, at the 6:06 media timeout.
• With 3:56 remaining, CBU had cut the deficit to one, 58-57, after a pair of Laravie free throws.
• Warner's floater in the lane put the Statesmen back up by three, but Rudy's 3-pointer tied it up at 62-62 with 2:31. To go.
• Rudy's layup gave the Bucs the lead, 64-62, with 54.2 second left in regulation.
• With 36.7 seconds on clock, Diefel sank two free throws to extend the lead to four for the Bucs.          
• After a DSU turnover on the ensuing possession, the Bucs added two more the line to go up six.
• Clifford Fernandez's driving layup made it a four-point game, but CBU would hold on over the final 17.9 seconds for the 70-64 win.    

TURNING POINT

• Christian Brothers outscored the Delta State 8-2, with six of those points coming at the line, over the final 2:31.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• CBU was 20-of-22 at the free throw line, including 16-of-18 in the second half.  

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• Senior guard Brett Warner passed Alvin Ratliff, who scored 1,308 points from 1969-1971, for ninth with 1,309 points. He also ranks third in career 3-pointers made (180) and second in attempts (522). He is currently averaging 14.6 ppg, which ranks eighth in the GSC.
• Wilson, who was held scoreless in the first half, finished with 13 points.
• Bell closed the night with 10 points and nine rebounds.

• DSU committed a season-low five turnovers in the loss.

UP NEXT

• The Statesmen host the Warhawks of Auburn University-Montgomery on Saturday, Feb. 9. Tipoff is set for 4 PM at Walter Sillers Coliseum.