CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University men's basketball team dug itself a 12-point halftime deficit, but the Statesmen caught fire in the second half to the tune of seven second-half three-pointers and outscored West Alabama 39-20 to capture a 62-55 victory at home.

THE TIP-OFF:
Score: Delta State 62 | West Alabama 55
Records: DSU - 3-5 (2-0 GSC), UWA - 6-2 (1-1 GSC)
Series: DSU leads 44-20
City | Venue: Cleveland, Miss. | Walter Sillers Coliseum
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STATS OF THE GAME:

• For the second straight game, the Statesmen found themselves in a big first-half deficit, getting down 16-4 in the game's opening eight minutes.
• West Alabama ballooned the lead to 15 points at the 4:12 mark before five points from Lee Cotton helped DSU trim the lead to 35-23 at the break.
• The Tigers out-rebounded the Statesmen 23-14 in the first half and forced nine turnovers as DSU had just 22 shot attempts in the first half. 
• A pair of Airen Brooks three-pointers and a Demond Franklin bucket helped DSU cut the lead to six at the under 16 media timeout.
• The two teams traded buckets until Kelen Dietrich's fast break three-pointer put the Statesmen down just two, 43-41.
• Dietrich drilled a pair of free throws with 3:01 remaining to give DSU a 54-53 lead, and the Statesmen outscored UWA 7-2 the rest of the way.
• Delta State registered just six turnovers in the second half and blocked four shots.
• The Statesmen went 7-for-12 (58 percent) from three-point territory in the second half and shot 59 percent overall in the second half.
• DSU shot 73 percent (11-for-15) from the free throw line.

UP NEXT:

The Statesmen hit the road for a pair of Gulf South Conference games. DSU opens the trip against Auburn University at Montgomery on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. Delta State then travels to Montevallo, Ala. to take on the University of Montevallo on Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m.