CLEVELAND, Miss.-Host Delta State used a 22-6 run midway through the second half to take control, and they held on for a 74-71 win over the Christian Brothers University Bucs Thursday night at Sillers Coliseum.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• Sophomore guard
Cody Garbuzinski (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) scored seven quick points as the Bucs (3-5, 2-1 GSC) opened the game with a 13-6 run capped by a
Jeff Larkin (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) triple with 15:31 remaining in the first half.
• The Statesmen (7-2, 2-1) steadily chipped into the CBU lead, eventually tying the game at 28 on back-to-back Devin Schmidt buckets with 4:55 remaining in the first half, and the game remained within three points until well into second half.
• The Bucs took what became their final lead on a Larkin layup with 15:30 remaining, giving CBU a 41-40 edge. DSU's decisive run started with a James Kilpatrick layup, and he capped the run with another layup that gave the Statesmen a 62-47 lead with 8:14 remaining.
• CBU used a 9-0 burst to fight back into the game as Larkin scored a three-point play and Garbuzinski knocked down back-to-back triples to pull within 62-56 with 6:37 to play.
• The Bucs came as close as two points when Larkin capped a 6-0 burst with a layup to cut the DSU lead to 68-66 with 1:41 remaining, but DSU was 6-of-6 at the charity stripe in the final 30 seconds as they preserved the victory.
KEY STATS:• Garbuzinski scored a career-high 17 points, making 7-of-10 shots from the field including 3-of-4 from three-point range before fouling out in 38 minutes. He also grabbed four rebounds and blocked two shots.
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Adam Dieball (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East HS) scored 16 points with nine rebounds and five assists.
• Larkin added 15 with six rebounds.
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Drew Hildreth (Memphis, Tenn./Bolton HS) tacked on 13 points.
• The Bucs shot 47.1 percent (24-of-51) for the game, including a season-best 50 percent (13-of-26) from three-point range. DSU shot 41.9 percent (26-of-62) overall and 33.3 percent (5-of-15) from beyond the arc.
• The Statesmen out-rebounded CBU 34-33, including a 13-8 edge in offensive rebounds, and they forced 18 CBU turnovers while committing eight.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Bucs hit the road Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. as they visit Mississippi College. Their next home game is set for Thursday, Dec. 31, at 4 p.m. as they host Trevecca Nazarene.
