COLUMBIA — Walters State dropped 51 points in the second half Saturday against Columbia State, but it wasn't enough to overcome an 18-point first-half deficit. The Senators fell 75-74 to drop their third TCCAA game in a row.

The Chargers kicked off the game with a 9-0 run before WSCC (13-9, 6-5 TCCAA) could put in its first points on a Kobe Powell layup. While the Senators finally found the basket, they could do little to slow down Columbia State, who continued to roll and took a 41-23 advantage into halftime.

Whatever was wrong with Walters State when it got off the bus in Columbia was gone in the second half. The team left the locker room on fire, shooting 60.0 percent from the floor in the second and went 6-of-12 from beyond three-point range. Of the five Senators who finished the game in double figures, three scored in double digits in the second half alone as Sly Thompso accounted for all 13 of his points as did Paris Taylor, who scored all 10 of his tally in the final period.

Luiz Machado, coming off the bench, scored 17 of his game-leading 22 in the last 20 minutes.

While the Chargers couldn't keep pace with WSCC in on the scoresheet in the second half, they'd done enough damage in the first to make all the difference. CSCC went up 75-72 on a 3-pointer from Jamari Bostic with 1:28 to go.

Taylor hit a jumper to pull within one and with a chance to take the lead, but WSCC turned the ball over. A foul from Jermize Weddle put Columbia State's Jayden Lockett at the line for a one-and-one, but he missed it and Machado came down with the rebound with 19 seconds to go, but Walters State never managed to get off another shot before the final horn.

Powell finished the game with 12 points for Walters State. Demarius Boyd scored 10.

CSCC was led by 15 points from Gene Holmes. Bostic scored 12 with Lockett and Jonathan Bolden adding 11 apiece.

NEXT UP

TCCAA play continues for the Senators as they travel to Motlow State Wednesday for an 8:30 p.m. tip-off.