MORRISTOWN, TN -- Walters State put up a fierce battle Saturday afternoon at Z Buda Gymnasium but in the end the Senators had no answer for visiting Columbia State's free throw barrage as the Chargers escaped with a 56-48 victory.
The visitors hit 22-of-31 free throws in the contest to just 4-of-5 for the home team and pulled away in the final four minutes for their 16th win against two losses while improving their Tennessee Community College Athletic Association record to 6-1 with the victory.
Coach Bill Carlyle's Senators fell to 11-10 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
Demontre Carlton was the only player to reach double figures in the Chargers' balanced attack, scoring 11 points. Jaylan Whetzel added nine with Xavier Griffith and Malique Oates both contributing eight to the attack.
The Senators' Deovaunta Williams was easily the game's leading scorer with 21 points. Isaiah Farrior and Brandon Kabuya both added seven for Walters State.
Carlyle remarked, "We're just not playing very good basketball right now. First, don't take away from Columbia. They're a good team and they're big and physical.
"I thought we got intimidated at times tonight in the first half and that hurt us. But we managed to play well enough for a while to get back in it and even took the lead in the second half."
The coach closed, "But when it came time to finish, we couldn't do it. That has become the norm for us...we just can't finish a game.
"I don't know what it is but finish a game is something we used to be able to do around here and right now we just can't do it."
Walters State jumped out to a great start and opened a 10-2 lead on a three-point basket by Destin Barker with 16:40 left in the first half. However, the Senators went stone cold, going 9:03 without a point.
The visitors made eight free throws in less than four minutes to tie the game and then took the lead on a three by Griffith. Jamirion Joyce then gave the Chargers a 15-10 lead before the Senators scored when Izaiha Bredwood actually threw up a shot as he was going to the floor and it went in.
But the home team then went another 4:03 without a point and trailed 24-12. Riley Cooper and Kawika Makua hit buckets for the Senators but Williams hit two free throws and grabbed a rebound and put it back in and the Chargers led 28-16 at the half.
In the half, the Chargers were 13-of-17 from the free throw line and the Senators didn't attempt a free throw.
Walters State chipped the lead down to seven but the Chargers got a basket from Oates. Kabuya shot the first free throws of the game for the Senators with 16:10 left and hit one of two to make it 33-25 before Carlton scored to put the visitors back up by 10 at 35-25 with exactly 16 minutes left.
The Senators then reeled off a dozen consecutive points to take the lead. Kabuya hit a basket and Williams converted a three-point play. Farrior nailed a triple to make it 35-33 and Kabuya tied it with a basket before Williams scored to put the Senators ahead with 12:32 left in the game.
Williams tried to keep the Senators in it. Griffith scored twice for the Chargers but Williams hit a pair of free throws to tie again at 39. McKnight made two foul shots and Williams tied the score again with a short jumper. Walter Peggs tossed in a three for Columbia but Williams hit one for the Senators and it was 44-44.
It was Williams one more time to put the home team in front by two with 7:46 left but the Senators couldn't finish as they didn't score again until the 2:21 mark.
Oates hit two free throws and McKnight hit a trey and the Chargers were up 50-46 with 2:43 on the clock.
Kabuya hit a 15-foot jumper to get the Senators within two before Columbia's Williams hit a free throw with 1:22 to play.
The Senators brought the ball down with a chance to tie but wound up throwing the ball away and Oates hit a three to lock it up with 46.8 remaining. Wetzel made two free throws with 12.9 left to close the scoring.
Rob Harvey
Walters State Community College
Sports Information Director
Cell: (423) 779-8880
Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu
Website: www.ws.edu/athletics