LIVINGSTON, Ala. — Fresh off a thrilling 65-62 buzzer-beater win over the University of Arkansas at Monticello on Thursday night, the University of West Alabama men’s basketball team will travel to Cleveland, Miss. on Saturday, Jan. 5, for a match up with Delta State.  The DSU encounter will be the final non-conference tilt before the Tigers embark on the 14-game Gulf South Conference campaign.

The contest will be the second of the season between the Statesmen (4-5) and Tigers (5-7).  The Green and White claimed a 96-78 Thanksgiving Eve win at Pruitt Hall on the UWA campus.  The Tigers were led by sophomore Chris Malone in the scoring column in the first meeting. The Birmingham, Ala.-native tallied a game-high 16 points, connecting on 4-of-8 from behind the three-point line.  Cavin Payton turned in 14 points in the contest.  The Moss Point, Miss. product by way of Meridian Community College was 3-of-4 from the field along with four points from the charity stripe.  Brian Murphy added 11 points while Caleb Norman pitched in 10.

Saturday’s game with UWA will be the first game back from the holiday break for DSU.  The Statesmen last played on Dec. 18, claiming an 83-63 win over Dillard.  Ernesto Green leads the offensive charge for the Green and White, averaging 10.8 points in a team-best 25 minutes per game.  Green turned in a game-high 19 points against UWA in the previous meeting.

 The game will be carried on the radio at Y 104.9 and on the official UWA Athletic website at www.athletics.uwa.edu.

Following the DSU affair, UWA will open the GSC campaign hosting UAH on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 4 p.m. The Tigers will close out the GSC season-opening weekend against West Georgia on Monday, Jan. 14.