Fast start propels No. 9 Lady Senators to 86-66 victory

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Ninth-ranked Walters State followed up Saturday's 82-point victory in the Coach Kenny Wade Memorial Basketball Tipoff Classic with a solid first half Sunday afternoon, leading the Lady Senators an 86-66 victory over Guilford Technical at Patrick Henry College.

Freshman Jamya Rogers scored in double figures for the fourth straight game and ran her total to 62 points in three games played since Wednesday night with a 24-point effort against the Titans, making 8 of 10 shots from the field and 8 of 9 free throws in a sparkling performance in the win.

With the victory, the Lady Senators improved to 4-1 on the year and have won three straight since falling to sixth-ranked Shelton State last weekend.

The loss was the first of the year for the Titans, who had defeated Caldwell Technical on Monday and Baltimore City on Saturday to open the season.

Walters State opened fast, taking a 27-12 lead after one period behind 14 points from Rogers off the bench. Sophomores Brianna Dixon and Dulcy Fankam-Mendjiadeu played a big part in building on the lead in the second period, as Dixon tossed in 8 points and Mendjiadeu added 5 in the frame to help the Lady Senators take a 49-23 lead into halftime.

The Titans outscored Walters State in each of the final two periods, holding a 24-21 scoring edge in the third, scoring a point more in the 10-minute period than they had in the entire first half to make it 70-47. Guilford Technical then outgunned WSCC 19-16 in the fourth to close the final margin to 20.

The Lady Senators shot 55.4 percent (31 of 56) from the field and connected on 6 of 12 attempts from long range in the contest, while making 18 of 25 at the charity stripe. WSCC held a 36-30 edge on the glass but had 26 turnovers in the contest while forcing 24 turnovers by the Titans.

In addition to Rogers, Zacharyia Esmon helped pace the Lady Senators with 17 points and 5 rebounds, while Carnessia Griggs added 11 points and Dixon had 10 points in the win. Mendjiadeu tallied 8 points in the victory for Walters State.

Guilford Technical shot just 35.5 percent (22 of 62) from the floor, making 3 of 15 on 3-point shots and 19 of 26 at the free throw line. J'nai Miller led the Titans with 20 points, while Michelle Jacobs added 13 points and Jasmyne Warren had 10 points in the defeat.

The Lady Senators will return to action on Saturday afternoon when they host Roane State in the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association opener for both teams. It will also be homecoming for Walters State. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.