Senators fall to Columbia State in TCCAA Tournament quarterfinals

COLUMBIA, Tenn. — Walters State took a lead into the locker room at halftime, but couldn't hang on in the game's final 20 minutes. Columbia State's second-half comeback ended the Senators' season with an 82-75 loss in the quarterfinal round of the TCCAA men's basketball tournament.

Walters State (16-14, 9-9 TCCAA) didn't go down without a fight, putting four players in double figures as they fought to stave off the Chargers in the second half.

Luiz Machado put in 20 points for WSCC. De'Marius Boyd contributed 16, Kobe Powell had 10 and Anthony Jones nearly completed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Paris Taylor hauled down 10 boards to go with five points.

The Senators pulled out to an early lead in the first half thanks to a 9-2 run to open the game. WSCC remained in command for almost the entire first period as Columbia State battled to keep from falling behind by double digits. Finally, with a little over two minutes to go in the half, two free throws from the Chargers' Terre'Q Williams tied the game 35-35.

A three from Jermize Weddle would give WSCC back the lead and they would take that three-point margin into halftime, up 40-37.

The Senators stretched their lead to 44-37 after a Powell layup a little over a minute into the second half, but Columbia State wouldn't go away. The Chargers hung within a couple of buckets for the next few minutes before tying the game again, 46-46 a little over four minutes into the period.

CSCC took its first lead on a three from Gene Holmes with 15:11 on the clock and never relinquished it the rest of the way.

The Chargers got 22 points from Jayden Lockett and 15 apiece from Gene Holmes and Jamari Bostic. Jonathan Bolden knocked down 14 rebounds for Columbia State.