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Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball Preview: Delta State/Mississippi College

Valdosta State vs. Delta State
WHAT: Gulf South Conference Men's Basketball
WHEN: Sunday, January 7th, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Valdosta, Ga. - The Complex
Audio Link | Video Link | Stats Link | Game Notes
Valdosta State vs. Mississippi College
WHAT: Gulf South Conference Men's Basketball
WHEN: Tuesday, January 9th, 2018 at 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Valdosta, Ga. - The Complex
Audio Link | Video Link | Stats Link | Game Notes












VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS (11-2, 4-1 GSC)
  • POURING IT ON - Coach Mike Helfer's squad has been an offensive juggernaut thus far in their 2017-18 campaign. The Blazers are averaging 95.6 points per game. The average has Valdosta State ranked fourth in the country on the NCAA Division II scoring leaderboard, and the Blazers are averaging over 10 points more per game than the GSC's second best scoring team (West Alabama, 84.3 ppg)
  • LEAGUE MOMENTUM - Following a loss to West Florida in early December, the Blazers turned the Gulf South Conference portion of their schedule in a positive direction, beginning with a 139-135 triple overtime win over Montevallo on December 16th. The point total set a new school mark for points scored in single game, which broke the previous mark of 136 scored by the Blazers in a loss to Troy State during the 1991-92 season. Valdosta State ended the 2017 calendar year with yet another home victory over West Alabama on December 18th and carried the momentum into the 2018 calendar year with two more GSC road wins over Lee and Shorter.
  • FROM DOWNTOWN - Junior transfer Winston Morgan has been incredible from beyond the arc this season. The guard has connected on 45 of 90 attempts and currently ranks 10th in the nation with a 50.0 percent shooting effort from behind the arc. Furthermore, Morgan ranks among the NCAA's top 20 in three point field goals made per game (10th, 3.46 percent) and total field goals made (16th, 45).
  • JUSTICE SERVED - Junior guard Beau Justice earned his second career Gulf South Conference Player of the Week honor on Thursday, following a 29-point performance in Tuesday's overtime road win over Lee. Only three players in the Gulf South Conference rank higher than Justice and his average of 19.6 points per game. A key factor in Justice's offensive production is his efficiency at the free throw line. He has missed just six of the 71 free throws he has taken this season, and his 91.5 percentage at the stripe places him among the top 20 free throw shooters in the country at the division II level.

DELTA STATE STATESMEN (7-7, 5-1 GSC)
  • COMING IN HOT - Just like the Blazers, DSU is riding a four game winning streak, with each of those victories coming against Gulf South Conference opponents. Delta State's last two wins came at home against Alabama-Huntsville and North Alabama, respectively. 
  • LOCKING DOWN - Defensively, the Statesmen lead the Gulf South Conference with an average of just 62.4 points allowed per game. The stellar Statesmen defense will make for an interesting showdown against Valdosta State's league-leading offense. DSU has allowed no more than 75 points to an opponent in a single game this season. The Statesmen have held opponents to 56 points or fewer on five different occasions, including each of their last three games.
  • SERIES HISTORY - The Blazers and Statesmen will enter their 43rd matchup in series history all knotted up at 21-21. Last season, the two teams split, with each team claiming victory on their home courts.

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE (7-5, 4-3 GSC)
  • RECENT SUCCESS - Just like Valdosta State and Delta State, the Choctaws are currently enjoying a four game winning streak, led by the efforts of senior Stacey Mack. Mack is averaging 15.8 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game, and the team's recent winning streak marks their longest since the 2014-15 season.
  • SERIES HISTORY - Tuesday night's contest represents the 35th matchup in the history of the two programs. Mississippi College holds the edge with a 19-15 advantage, but with the help of a 100-98 double overtime win on the road last season, Valdosta State has won each of the last three games against the Choctaws.

 
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Players Mentioned

Beau Justice

#12 Beau Justice

G
6' 2"
Junior
Winston Morgan

#3 Winston Morgan

G
6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Beau Justice

#12 Beau Justice

6' 2"
Junior
G
Winston Morgan

#3 Winston Morgan

6' 0"
Junior
G