No. 16 Walters State pulls away in second half for 94-62 win over Cleveland State

MORRISTOWN, TN – No. 16 Walters State scored 52 points in the second half and held Cleveland State to 26 points on Wednesday evening, and the Senators took home a 94-62 win over the Cougars.

With the victory, Walters State improved to 19-1 overall and 11-1 in TCCAA play. 

Brian Carter led the way for Walters State in the game with 24 points, while Carter Webb scored 13 and Tyrese Stovall added 12. Other scorers for the Senators were Da'Mori Lytch with 11 points, Taquez Butler with 10 points, Jamar Livingston with nine points, Jayden Nesbitt with six points, Trae Rideau with five points, Malaki Brooks with two points and Jaquavious Wallace with two points. 

Livingston opened the game for the Senators with a 3-pointer, but the two teams traded the lead throughout the opening seven minutes. Cleveland led 15-11, but Stovall scored four straight to tie the game. Stovall scored again a few minutes later to tie the game back up at 17, and after a Cleveland State three, Carter scored four straight to make it 21-20. 

The two teams tied one final time at 22, but Carter took over with four more points and Webb and Livingston hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a 32-22 game. Cleveland kept fighting and got the lead down 38-36 in the final minute of the half, but Carter hit two free throws and Butler scored with seconds left to give Walters State a 42-36 advantage at the break. 

In the second half, Cleveland State hung around for the first two minutes at 44-40, but Walters State answered with a 10-0 run. Butler started things with a 3-pointer, and Rideau scored three straight after to make it 50-40. The run ended with a Nesbitt basket and Butler dunk that made it 54-40. 

Cleveland State scored to break the run, but Walters State scored seven more in a row when Lytch and Stovall hit a combined three free throws, Carter hit two free throws and Stovall scored to make it 61-42. The lead would continue to grow and got to 69-45 after a Carter bucket, and Lytch slammed home an alley-oop to make it 73-50. 

From there, Walters State never slowed down and took home the 32-point victory. Carter Webb capped things off for the Senators with a long-range, contested 3-pointer.

In the second half, Webb finished with 10 points while Lytch had nine points and Butler had eight. Nesbitt had six points in the final 20 minutes, as well.

Up Next:

Walters State is back in action on Saturday, traveling to Volunteer State. Tip is set for 5 pm ET.