CLEVELAND, Miss. --  The Delta State University men's basketball team outscored the University of West Florida 46-28 in the second half to secure a 70-61 win over the Argonauts on Thursday night at Walter Sillers Coliseum.

THE BASICS:

Score: Delta State 70 | West Florida 61
Records: Statesmen (9-15, 5-11 GSC) | Argonauts (12-12, 9-8 GSC)
Series: Delta State leads 16-10
Location | Time: Walter Sillers Coliseum | 7:30 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite some cold shooting early on, the Statesmen held a slim 15-13 lead at the 10:25 mark of the first half. 
• Over the next seven-plus minutes, Delta State had no answer for the Argonauts. West Florida drilled four three-pointers in that stretch and used a 20-3 spurt to take a 33-18 lead with 2:13 to go in the opening half. 
• Keyshaun Street responded to the Argos run by hitting a three-pointer, and Anderson McCoy converted a three-point play for the Green-and-White as DSU cut the Argos lead to nine, 33-24, at the halftime intermission. 
• West Florida pushed the lead to 12 on two separate occasions in the opening minute of the second half, but Delta State continued to battle. 
• A pair of Michael Motley layups sparked a 20-8 push by Delta State, as the Statesmen also used 3-pointers from Street and Airen Brooks to tie the game 46-46 and get the home crowd back in it.
• The Statesmen continued to attack West Florida with another run, this one 17-7, to build a 63-53 lead with 3:47 to play. 
• A foul-laden final four minutes slowed the pace of the game, but Delta State was able to secure the 70-61 win.  

  TURNING POINT

• From the 12:11 mark to the 3:57 mark of the second half, Airen Brooks scored 13 of 20 Delta State points as he helped the Statesmen build a ten-point lead late in the game.

STATS OF THE GAME

• Delta State outscored the Argonauts 46-28 in the second half after being outscored by nine in the first half. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Maalik Cartwright registered a career-high 15 rebounds and also tallied his fifth consecutive double-double. Cartwright finished with 13 points, three assists and five blocks as well. Cartwright's five swats are a season-high for a Delta State player. 
• Brooks scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half. 
• Delta State outscored UWF 32-20 in the paint. 
• UWF was led by 19 points from Tarik McKelphin.

UP NEXT

• The Statesmen host Valdosta State University on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum.