CLEVELAND, Miss. – Cedric Harper and Matthew Wilson combined to score points to power the Delta State University men's basketball team to a 77-67 victory over Auburn University-Montgomery on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Walter Sillers Coliseum. Harper, a senior from Tallahassee, Fla., scored a career-high 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots while Wilson scored 20 points, a career-best versus a Gulf South Conference opponent, off the bench.  

THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 77 | Auburn Montgomery 67
Records: Statesmen 15-8, 11-5 GSC | Warhawks 7-16, 3-12 GSC
Series: DSU leads 7-1
Location | Time: Sillers Coliseum | 4 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a Brett Warner jumper in the lane and a 3-pointer at the top of the key by Cameron Burkett, the Statesmen led 5-0 with 18:16 to play in the first half.
• Darrion Taylor's floater in the lane cut the AUM deficit to one, 7-6, with
• Kenneth Keith gave the Warhawks their first lead of the game, 12-11, canning a 3-pointer from the corner with 13:20 to go in the first half.
• Matthew Wilson's 3-pointer out of the media timeout gave the Statesmen the lead, 18-16, with 11:13 on the clock.
• An AUM 9-4 run tied the game at 25-25 at the 7:03 media timeout.
• Warner's quick 3-pointer and floater in the lane gave the Statesmen a 30-25 lead with 5:42 remaining in the half.
• Mikel Davis sank a pair of free throws to cap a 5-0 run by the Warhawks that tied the game at 30-30 with 4:33 to go.
• Rasheide Bell's corner 3-pointer gave DSU a 35-32 lead at the 2:49 media timeout.
• The Statesmen led 38-34 at the halftime break. Wilson led DSU with eight while Keith had eight to lead AUM.
• The Warhawks began the second half on an 11-6 run to take a 45-44 lead on E.J. Card's layup with 14:37 to play in the game.
• After a hard foul on Bell, the senior from Evansville, Ind., gave DSU the lead once again, 46-45, with a pair of free throws.
• At the 10:38 media timeout, DSU had extended its lead to three, 54-51.
• Delta State answered with two quick baskets off AUM misses to take a 58-51 lead with 9:03 remaining. Harper and Justin Slocum provided the offensive spark for the Statesmen.
• With 4:50 to play in the game, Wilson's 12-footer gave the Statesmen a double-digit lead, 64-54.
• After AUM's Aaron Reddick cut the lead to eight, Wilson canned his third 3-pointer of the day to put the Statesmen back up 11 at the 3:18 media timeout.
• Wilson's 3-pointer and breakaway layup gave the Statesmen a commanding 75-60 lead with 1:27 to go.    
• DSU closed out the final 90 seconds to claim the 77-67 victory.     

TURNING POINT

• Delta State used a 10-0 run from 11:03 to 7:12 in the second half to take command of the game.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• After allowing AUM to shoot 56.5 percent in the first half, DSU held the Warhawks to 35.5 percent in second period.  

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• Sophomore guard Matthew Wilson scored 20 points, a career-best versus a Gulf South Conference opponent. The Farmington, Ark., native was 8-of-13 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range.
• Harper, a senior forward from Tallahassee, Fla., turned in a career-high 21 points while grabbing eight rebounds and blocking three shots.
• Bell scored 10 points on the day while grabbing nine rebounds and handing out a career-high seven assists.
• DSU turned the ball over a mere five times while forcing 10 AUM miscues that led to 19 points.

UP NEXT

• The Statesmen will hit the road on Thursday, Feb. 14 to face the University of West Florida in Pensacola. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network (WMJW 107.5FM) and online at GoStatesmen.com. Philip Tang will have the call.