Men's Basketball | 12/10/2021 9:46:00 PM

 
ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Mississippi Valley State University men's basketball program is set to entertain its eighth consecutive opponent with a winning record as 6-2 Arkansas State is its next obstacle.

What You Need to Know 
 

• Time and Date: Saturday, December 11 (4 p.m.)

 

• Video: https://youtu.be/v0RUcepalD0

 

• Audio: http://www.gwoodlive.com/ (Lee Hall & Joshua Davis)

 

• Live Stats: https://astateredwolves.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary

 

• Tickets: https://www.impacttickets.com/

 

• Records: Mississippi Valley State (0-7, 0-0 SWAC) | Arkansas State (6-2, 0-0 Sun Belt)

 

• Location: Itta Bena, Mississippi – R.W. Harrison HPER Complex

 

• Series History: Arkansas State Leads 11-4

 

• Last Meeting: December 22, 2009 | Arkansas State 71, Mississippi Valley State 64 | R.W. Harrison HPER Complex (Itta Bena, Mississippi)

 

• Winning Streak: Arkansas State (W3) | Mississippi Valley State's Last Win: November 28, 2001 (79-77)

 
Mississippi Valley State Overview
 
The Delta Devils are one of the upper-echelon teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference regarding offensive rebounds per game (11.14), turnovers forced (15.71), and turnover margin (1.0), ranking top-five leaguewide in each category.
 
Robert Carpenter continues to be the top scoring option for Head Coach Lindsey Hunter, dropping at least 11 points in each appearance while averaging 16.7 points per contest, trailing only MJ Randolph of Florida A&M (17.3) in the SWAC. The Pearl River Community College transfer leads the conference for free-throw percentage at 87.5% (49th in NCAA), fourth in three-pointers a night (2.17), fifth for offensive rebounds per ballgame (2.33), and sixth regarding field-goal percentage (32.0%). He also is tops on the squad for both rebounds (36) and blocks (7) despite playing one less game.
 
Caleb Hunter is the only other player in double-figures scoring-wise, posting 12.1 points a night on the back of the sixth-highest three-point rate in the league (2.14).
 
Elijah Davis has been running the point since arriving on the scene in Itta Bena earlier this summer, placing fourth in the SWAC with 3.7 assists per game (26 total), sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.24) and logging a team-high 12 steals while banking the second-most minutes in the conference per outing (34:43).

Scouting The Opponent: Arkansas State Red Wolves

The Red Wolves have four NCAA Division I wins to its credit against Southeast Missouri State (72-60), Kansas City (66-55), Central Arkansas (95-82), and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (84-73).

ASU are top-30 in the country for free-throw percentage (77.8%), top-40 in three-point percentage allowed (28.0), and just outside the top-50 regarding assists per game (15.8).

Arkansas State landed two players on the All-Sun Belt Preseason Teams as Norchad Omier was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year while Marquis Eaton found himself on the Second Team.

Omier, a freshman forward from Nicaragua, has four double-doubles on the campaign while averaging 13.1 points, 9.5 boards, 1.6 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 assists through eight contests.

Eaton, a senior guard from Helena, Arkansas, leads the conference with a 92% free-throw percentage with 3.5 assists and a 1.33 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Desi Sills is the top scorer for A-State at 15.9 points a night on 48.4% shooting while fronting the Red and Black with 15 steals.

Follow the Delta Devils and Devilettes on Facebook (Mississippi Valley State Athletics), Twitter (@MVSUDevilSports) and Instagram (@MVSUDevilSports).