Game Notes: Senators host first-place Columbia State, travel to Southwest Tennessee

WSMBK:Game Notes: Senators host first-place Columbia State, travel to Southwest Tennessee

MORRISTOWN, TN – It's a big week for Walters State, hosting first-place Columbia State on Wednesday evening before traveling to fifth-place Southwest Tennessee on Saturday.

The Senators enter the week with a 10-6 record following a 78-73 win over Motlow State on Wednesday and a 79-70 overtime win at Jackson State on Saturday.

The Senators fell 85-66 to Southwest Tennessee earlier this season. This will be their first contest against Columbia State this season. 

Walters State will take on Columbia State at 7 pm ET on Wednesday and Southwest Tennessee at 5 pm ET on Saturday. 

To watch Wednesday's game, visit https://wsccathletics.com/information/Gamestream.

For Saturday's contest, visit https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/ppv/1779680.

Last Week:

Walters State

In the Senators 78-73 win over Motlow State, Walters State hung on late for a tough conference win.

Aiden Goins led the way with 15 points and six rebounds, while Elijah Clinton hit four big 3-pointers and had 14 points. Others in double figures were Anthony Davis Jr. with 11, Da'Mori Lytch with 10 and Alex Garcia with 10.

Walters State shot 54% from the field and knocked in 11 3-pointers. The Senators forced 16 turnovers on the defensive end.

On Saturday, Walters State overcame a nine-point deficit in the final two minutes of regulation to force overtime against Jackson State. In overtime, Lytch had four points while Garcia hit a step-back 3-pointer to give the Senators the lead for good. Davis Jr. also converted an and-one in the extra period, while Malaki Brooks iced the game with a 3-pointer. 

Lytch led the way in the game with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Brooks added 15 points and seven assists. Other contributors were Garcia with eight points and six rebounds, Charvez Ambrose with six points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals and Goins with eight points and three rebounds.

With the two wins, the Senators improved to 5-3 in TCCAA play. 

Columbia State

The Chargers enter Wednesday's contest following wins over Southwest Tennessee and Chattanooga State last week. Columbia State improved to 16-2 overall and 7-1 in TCCAA play with the wins.

In the 85-70 win over Southwest, Mahki Wright led the way with 16 points and five rebounds while Thaddeus Johnson had 15 points and Simeon Williams 14 points and five rebounds. Others in double figures were Taveon Comage with 12 points and Emanuel Allen with 10 points and six rebounds. 

The Chargers shot 48% from the field and held Southwest to 36%. 

In Saturday's 82-74 win over Chattanooga State, Johnson had 26 points while Williams added 21 and six rebounds. Wright also had a near double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Comage had nine points and eight rebounds. 

Columbia State shot 50% from the field in the win.

Southwest Tennessee

Southwest Tennessee comes into Saturday's game following losses to Columbia State and Cleveland State and a win over Pellissippi State. The Saluqis moved to 11-6 overall and 5-4 in TCCAA play. 

In the 85-70 loss to the Chargers last Wednesday, Alex Vadenbergh finished with 20 points and six rebounds while LaCurtis Dunn Jr. had 12 points. The Saluqis forced 14 turnovers on the defensive end. 

On Saturday in the 75-68 win over Pellissippi State, Vadenbergh and Dunn Jr. again led the way with 25 points and seven rebounds for Vandenbergh and 24 points and five rebounds for Dunn Jr. Southwest shot 49% from the field and had 14 steals. 

Making up a game from earlier in the year, the Saluqis then took on Cleveland State Monday, falling 76-68 to the Cougars. Jean Yvens Lafleur had 20 points and seven rebounds for Southwest, while Jacory Dixon added 17 points and Tyson Jones had 14 points. Southwest turned the ball over 16 times and shot just 1-12 from 3-point range. 

Players to Watch:

Walters State

Aiden Goins (Center): Goins has been the catalyst in the paint for Walters State but has also shown his ability to shoot beyond the arc this season. Goins leads the team with 16.8 points per game, second in the conference in 3-point percentage at 51% and fourth in the conference in field goal percentage at 57.5%. 

Malaki Brooks (Point Guard): Brooks is the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 12.0 points per game and is second in the conference in assists with 72. Brooks' assist to turnover ratio is 2.6 and he's hit 37 3-pointers this season. 

Columbia State

Thaddeus Johnson (Guard): Johnson leads Columbia in points per game with 14.7. Johnson scored 26 points last Saturday against Chattanooga State and has finished with double digit points in 13 games. Johnson shoots 51% from the field and 46% from 3-point range.

Mahki Wright (Forward): Wright averages a near double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds per game for the Chargers. Wright ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage at 62% and second in offensive rebounds with 60. Wright also has 22 blocks on the season. 

Southwest Tennessee

Alex Vandenbergh (Forward): Vandenbergh leads the team in points per game with 16.6, while also averaging 5.4 rebounds and four assists. Vandenbergh shoots 56.4% from the field and has scored double digits in 14 games this season. 

Jean Yvens Lafleur (Center): Yvens Lafleur averages 15.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game for the Saluqis. Yvens Lafleur is second in the conference in rebounds per game, first in blocks with 73 and third in field goal percentage at 58.5%. 

TCCAA Standings: