CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University men's basketball team pushed the No. 13 Valdosta State Blazers to the brink but ultimately fell just short in a 72-67 loss to Valdosta State University at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Statesmen held the potent Blazer offense to 20 points below their season scoring average.

THE BASICS:

SCORE: Valdosta State 72 | Delta State 62
RECORDS: Statesmen (9-16, 5-12 GSC) | Blazers (20-3, 14-2 GSC)
SERIES: Blazers lead 26-24
LOCATION | TIME: Walter Sillers Coliseum | 4:00 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Valdosta State drilled two quick three-point shots to take a 14-6 lead with 15:20 to go in the game's opening half. 
• Delta State then held the Blazers without a field goal for four straight minutes to cut into the lead, with sat at 16-10 with 12 minutes left in the half. 
• Offense was hard to come by from that point on in the first half, and Maalik Cartwright scored baskets on two consecutive trips down the floor to cut Valdosta's lead to 28-24 with 3:43 to play.
• The Blazers responded, however, as VSU hit a pair of three-pointers to take a 40-32 lead at the break. 
• The Statesmen scored six straight out of the locker room to force a VSU timeout early in the half as Keyshaun Street hit a three and was fouled. He converted on the four play as part of the run to make it 40-38 with 19:01 to go in the game. 
• Both teams then had scoring droughts. The Statesmen went over six minutes without a bucket and Valdosta State had a five-minute scoring drought as well as VSU held a slim 48-42 advantage with 11:30 to play. 
• Anderson McCoy's layup with 7:54 to go made it a 57-44 game and sparked a rally from Delta State. Keyshaun Street rattled off seven straight by himself to make a 57-51 game, and Michael Motley scored six straight as part of a 13-0 run to tie the game at 57-57 with 4:30 left. 
• DSU took a 60-58 lead on a deep three by Street with 4:14 to play, but then went scoreless until a Will Midlick three-pointer with 20 seconds to go as Valdosta State hit free throws late to close out DSU 72-67.

TURNING POINT:

• After the Statesmen took the lead 60-58 with 4:14 to go in the game, they didn't score another point until there were 20 seconds left in the game.  

STAT OF THE GAME:

• The Blazers went 21-for-31 from the free throw line while Delta State was just 5-for-14.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• DSU made one more three-point shot than VSU as the Statesmen hit six and Valdosta hit five. 
• The Statesmen out-rebounded the Blazers 39-35.
• Every Statesmen that played in the game scored.
• The Statesmen held Valdosta to their third lowest scoring total of the year.
• Airen Brooks was one point away from another double-double (nine points, 12 rebounds)
• Street led the Statesmen with 18 points.
• Cartwright added another 12 points and eight rebounds.

 
UP NEXT

Delta State hits the road and heads to Clinton, Miss. on Thursday, Feb. 20 to play Mississippi College at 7:30 p.m.