Matthew Wilson - GSC
Michael Wade
70
Winner Delta State DSU 18-11
69
Valdosta State VSUMBB 24-6
Winner
Delta State DSU
18-11
70
Final
69
Valdosta State VSUMBB
24-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Delta State DSU 40 30 70
Valdosta State VSUMBB 41 28 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Matt Jones

Statesmen Punch Ticket To GSC Championship with 70-69 Win Over Valdosta State

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Matthew Wilson scored a career-high 28 points off the bench to lead the Delta State University men's basketball team to a 70-69 come-from-behind win over Valdosta State University and put the Statesmen (18-11) back into the Gulf South Conference Championship for a second-year in a row. Rasheide Bell (16) and Cedric Harper (12) joined Wilson in double figures.
 
Beau Justice led the Blazers with 17 points followed by Clay Guillozet (15) and Greg Zuppas (14).
 
The Statesmen will appear in their 14th GSC title game on Sunday against the winner of the West Alabama-Alabama Huntsville semifinal. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at the Pete Hanna Center.  

THE BASICS:
Score:  Delta State 70 |  Valdosta State 69
Records:  Statesmen 18-11 (No. 5) | Blazers 24-6 (No. 1)
Series: Series tied 24-24; 9th postseason meeting
Location | Time: Pete Hanna Center | 5:00 PM
Get Social: Twitter - @DeltaStateMBB | Facebook – DSUStatesmen | Instagram – DSUAthletics

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The first 4:03 of the first half belonged to the Blazers, as Valdosta State built a 9-2 lead at the 15:57 media timeout. Beau Justice led all scorers with five points.
  • After a slow start, Matthew Wilson led the Statesmen on a 9-2 run to cut the Blazers' lead to 16-11 with 13:35 to play in the first half.
  • VSU used a quick 3-pointer from Justice and a two-pointer by Greg Zuppas to build the lead back to eight, 21-13 at the 11:29 media break.
  • Delta State picked up its offensive rhythm over the next 8:03, outscoring the Blazers 20-15, to made it a three-point game, 36-33, with 3:49 to go in the half.
  • DSU had three chances at the end of the first half to take the lead, but the shots would not fall, as VSU took a 41-40 lead into the locker room at halftime.
  • VSU shot 46.7 percent (14-of-39) from the floor and 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from 3-point range. Clay Guillozet led the Blazers with 11 points followed by Justice with nine and Zuppas seven.
  • The Statesmen finished the half shooting 48.5 percent (16-of-33) from the floor and 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from 3-point range. Wilson led all scorers with 13 points off the bench while Bell chipped in with 12.
  • DSU edged the Blazers with points in the paint, 16-14, in the first half, but dominated points off the bench, 17-8.  
  • The Statesmen trailed by as many as 12 points.
  • Wilson's corner 3-pointer as the shot clock expired tied the game at 47-47 at the 14:33 media timeout.
  • Points were at a premium over the next 3:11, as VSU built a 52-49 lead at the 11:44 timeout.
  • DSU kept clawing and Brett Warner's 13-foot jumper gave the Statesmen their first lead, 55-54, with 9:17 to play.
  • Darrell Jones put VSU back up three with a personal 4-0 run with 7:04 remaining in the game.
  • Both teams traded baskets over the next 2:51, as the Statesmen and Blazers were tied at 61-61 with 4:13 to go in the game.
  • Wilson's jumper with 3:17 remaining gave the Statesmen a 64-61 lead.
  • DSU extended the lead to five, 68-63, but VSU closed it to a one-point game with back-to-back baskets by Guillozet and Jones.
  • After the Statesmen failed to convert, VSU's Guillozet sank two free throws to give the Blazers a 69-68 lead with 17.4 seconds left.
  • Harper answered nine seconds later with a layup to give the Statesmen the 70-69 lead with 8.4 seconds on the clock.
  • VSU had two chances at the end but blocks by Harper and Armon Benford helped seal the 70-69 win for the Statesmen, as Delta State advanced to Sunday's championship game.
  • DSU shot a blistering 57.1 percent in the second half while holding VSU to 26.9 percent, which proved to be the difference in the game.
  • The Statesmen shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54) for the game while connecting on 7-of-15 from 3-point range. DSU was also 7-of-11 at the free throw line.
  • VSU connected on 37.5 percent (21-of-56) from the field while making just 4-of-18 from 3-point range. The Blazers were able to stay in the game at the free throw line, making 23-of-28 (82.1 percent).  
 
TURNING POINT
  • After falling behind 69-68 with 17.4 seconds to play, Cedric Harper took Rasheide Bell's pass and laid it off the glass to put the Statesmen ahead for good, 70-69.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
  • The Statesmen held the Blazers to a mere 26.9 percent from the floor after allowing just seven made shots in the second half.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Wilson, a sophomore from Farmington, Ark., finished the night 11-of-19 from the floor and 6-of-11 from 3-point range en route to his career-best 28 points.
  • Bell turned in one of his best all-round outings as a Statesmen with 16 points and eight rebounds.
  • Harper played a major role in the DSU win with 12 points, eight boards and game-changing four blocks.  
  • The Statesmen are making a GSC-record 14th appearance in the finals on Sunday and their second-consecutive berth.
  • Delta State also boasts a GSC-best five tournament championships, as the Statesmen hoisted the trophy in 1986, 1993, 1997, 1998, and 2006. Alabama Huntsville owns three GSC championships, claiming the trophy in 2012, 2015 and 2017. West Alabama earned its lone conference crown in 1982 while Valdosta State has yet to win a title in 23 trips to the GSC Tournament.
 
UP NEXT
  • Delta State awaits the winner of the West Alabama-Alabama Huntsville matchup in Sunday's Gulf South Conference Championship. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. at the Pete Hanna Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with the Statesmen Sports Network (WMJW 107.5 FM) providing radio coverage.
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