CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University men's basketball team hit 10 three-pointers and outscored Union (Tenn.) 24-8 in points off turnovers, but the Bulldogs edged the Statesmen 79-74 at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Saturday afternoon. 

THE BASICS:
Score: Union (Tenn.) 79 | Delta State 74
Records: Statesmen 0-2 (0-2 GSC) | Bulldogs 4-2 (4-2 GSC)
Series: 41-18
Location | Time: Walter Sillers Coliseum | 2:30 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Union (Tenn.) stormed out to a 13-1 lead at the 16:28 mark of the first half to control the game early on. 
• Five points from Michael Motley helped cut into the lead, but Union maintained a 20-8 lead at the under 16 media timeout. 
• Delta State responded with a 16-9 run up to the 4:45 mark of the first half, as a Lee Cotton layup made it 29-24 Union. 
• The two teams traded buckets the rest of the half, as Union took a four-point, 38-34 lead into the half. 
• Maalik Cartwright converted on a layup and sunk the ensuing free throw out of the half as DSU cut the Bulldogs lead to one. 
• DSU continued to push the Bulldogs, and a Cartwright alley-oop dunk, off of a steal and assist by Michael Motley, gave the Green and White a 49-48 lead with 12:28 to play.
• Delta State built a five-point lead to the 8:48 mark, 59-54, but JC Clausi rattled off nine points for the Bulldogs as part of a 13-8 spurt to take a 67-60 advantage with 5:25 to play. 
• A three-pointer and a pair of free throws for Airen Brooks knotted the game at 70-70 with 2:21 to go, but Union got a hoop and harm play from Dusan Djordjevic, who converted a three-point play to make it 77-72 with 24 seconds to go. 
• A pair of Hunter Vick free throws with three seconds to play iced the game away. 

TURNING POINT

• After a Maalik Cartwright free throw pulled DSU within two, Dusan Djordjevic converted on a three-point play that gave the Bulldogs a 77-72 lead that they would not relinquish in the game's closing minute. 

STAT OF THE GAME

• The Bulldogs bench outscored the Delta State bench 27-4 in the win.

NOTABLES

• Cartwright earned his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds.  
• Freshman Jaylen Lemons posted 19 points, two rebounds, four assists, two steals and went 5-for-7 from three-point territory to help bolster the Green and White.

UP NEXT

• Delta State plays host to the University of Alabama in Huntsville at Walter Sillers Coliseum on Friday, Jan. 15 for the first game of a two-game series. Tip off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.