Lady Senators survive late Dyersburg rally, win 65-62

DYERSBURG, Tenn. — Walters State took an eight-point lead into the final period, but had to hold off a furious Dyersburg State comeback attempt in the fourth to escape E.H. Lanner, Jr. Gymnasium with a 65-62 victory Saturday night.

The Lady Senators (5-2, 4-0 TCCAA) jumped out early, with Paris Mullins and Jamya Rogers doing most of the scoring work. Rogers finished the game with 14 points and Mullins with eight, going two-for-two behind the three-point arc.

After one, WSCC led 25-10.

The second period saw the Lady Eagles finally unleash their offense, but they still mostly traded baskets with Walters State. The Lady Senators led 41-27 lead as the teams headed into the locker room at halftime.

On fire in the opening 20 minutes, the Lady Senators slowed down in the third, scoring just 10 points as Amaria Pugh sparked a Dyersburg 9-0 run with a jumper at 5:01.

Haley Comer ended WSCC's scoring drought with a three to pull ahead by nine, but Pugh matched her with another three at 1:44 to make the score 48-42.

Rogers got the hoop and harm to put Walters State ahead 51-42, but a free throw from Pugh would cut the lead to eight before the final 10 minutes.

Pugh hit two free throws with 6:34 to go before Terry Morgan tapped in a layup to move Dyersburg within three points, 55-52.

The two teams traded misses and rebounds for the next 80 seconds. Vertonia Bady gave the Lady Senators some breathing room with a layup. Comer hit a jump shot with a little under four to go to give WSCC a seven-point lead, then helped put it back there with a layup with two minutes left after Dyersburg had cut it back to five.

Two free throws from Comer put Walters State ahead 64-56 with 1:20 to go, but they never hit another field goal. Two three-pointers from Hanna Box put the Lady Eagles within two with 19 ticks on the clock. Walters State was able to run off the next 15 seconds before Jalayah Manning was sent to the line and sank a foul shot for the final margin of victory.

Alexis Trice finished with 10 points. Comer put in nine.

Dyersburg was led by Pugh, who scored 20. Lowery added 16 and Box had 12.  

NEXT UP

Walters State will play in the Georgia Highlands Classic in Rome, Ga. over the Thanksgiving Holiday. The Lady Senators will square off with No. 1 ranked Gulf Coast State College at 6 p.m. Friday and  No. 4 Northwest Florida State College Saturday at 3 p.m.