KIRKSVILLE, Mo. –
Kolby Horace delivered a career-high performance as the Delta State University men's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season with an 85-81 road victory over Truman State on Monday night at Pershing Arena.
The Statesmen (1-0) used a strong first-half performance and held off a second-half rally by the Bulldogs (0-1) to secure the season-opening victory.
Horace paced Delta State with a career-high 32 points, shooting 10-of-16 from the floor and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line. He also pulled down eight rebounds, recorded six steals and dished out three assists in 35 minutes of action.
Horace was dominant from the opening tip, scoring 15 points in the first half as Delta State built a 44-34 halftime advantage. He continued to attack in the second half, adding 17 points, including a key 3-pointer with 3:18 remaining that pushed the Statesmen's lead to eight.
Truman State made a late push, cutting the deficit to two points in the final 10 seconds. However, Delta State converted crucial free throws down the stretch to preserve the four-point victory.
Ahmed Ibrahim added 13 points, five assists and two steals for the Statesmen.
Brendan Braddix finished with 12 points and five rebounds, while
Kaue Kalinowski contributed 10 points off the bench.
Bryce Clayton added eight points and seven rebounds.
Delta State shot 50% (28-of-56) from the field and 37.5% (9-of-24) from beyond the arc. The Statesmen also held a 35-28 advantage on the boards and scored 25 points off the bench.
Truman State was led by Kyle Edison with 24 points and Marquis Carver-Smith with 20.
The victory gives Delta State a 1-0 start to the 2026-27 campaign.
The Statesmen are back in action later this week in a GSC/SIAC Crossover neutral site match against the Badgers from Spring Hill College.
