PINE BLUFF, Ark. (JANUARY 5, 2019) – The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State suffered a 64-52 setback in their conference opener at Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Saturday inside the H.O. Clemmons Arena. Junior Gregory Jones-Rollins and junior Aleksa Koracin both recorded 12 points for MVSU in their Southwestern Athletic Conference debuts.

MVSU drops to 2-13 overall, 0-1 in the SWAC while UAPB moves to 4-10 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

In the first half, the Delta Devils shot 41 percent from the field and then went cold in the second half with only seven shots made. UAPB made six first-half three-pointers but, MVSU countered their attack with heavy-duty scoring in the post.

Koracin scored nine of his 12 points in the first half making all four of his shots from the field. Jones-Rollins added eight and senior Dante Scott had seven points as the Delta Devils outscored the Lions in the paint (12-2). For a 12-minute stretch, the Delta Devils controlled the momentum and led by as many as seven points. UAPB's Martaveous McKnight and Charles Jackson each made a pair of three-pointers in the final two minutes of the half sparking the Lions to a 33-30 lead at halftime.

MVSU was held to seven second-half field goals and found themselves trailing by double-digits, 58-48 with 3:43 remaining in regulation. Senior Jordan Evans paced the Delta Devils' second-half scoring with five points with Jones-Rollins and senior Lacurtis Allen both scoring four points apiece. The Lions made 10 of 14 second-half free throws and had their largest lead of the night, 64-50 with 1:07 left to play.

McKnight finished with 25 points to lead UAPB. Jackson had 11 points and Terrance Banyard scored 10 points for the Lions.

The Delta Devils return to action on Saturday, Jan. 12 hosting Alabama A&M at 4 p.m. in the R W Harrison HPER Complex.