Lady Senators drop first TCCAA game in over two years to Chattanooga State

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — For the first time since Jan. 13, 2017, the Walters State Lady Senators' basketball team tasted defeat in a TCCAA conference game as the Chattanooga State Lady Tigers stopped the long winning streak at 55 games with a 61-60 overtime victory Wednesday night at 'Z' Buda Gymnasium.

Walters State built an 11-point lead midway through the third period, but Chattanooga State didn't go away quietly. The Lady Senators were only 5-of-21 from the floor in the second half and head coach Dave Kragel said that was the difference.

"The second half, we just didn't do anything and they did and they beat us as a result. It's as simple as that. They out-rebounded us on the offense end something terrible and we did not get any of those baskets. When it came right down to it, we didn't execute and we let them get the ball where it needed to be."

Jayma Rogers scored 15 points and Alexis Trice added 11 as they were the only players to finish in double figures for Walter State. The Lady Tigers had a balanced effort with Naja Fenelon leading the way with 15 points, Shaquala Walton had 14, 11 for Michelle Smith and 10 for Melisa Carter.

"Their kids did a good job and they are well coached," Kragel said. "They did a much better job in the third and fourth quarter-in the fourth in particular- than we did. There is nothing that can be said, we just didn't get it done."

Kiera Hill's free throws at the 3:27 mark of the third put the Lady Senators up 39-28 but Chattanooga State was able to get the lead down to 42-35 going to the fourth period. Trice's score with 7:01 to go in the contest was the last field goal until the final minute of regulation for Walters State. In the interim, the Lady Tigers continued to chip away and pulled to within three points at 48-45. Gee Gee Hollingsworth-Pugh tied the score with a shot from downtown with 1:45 to go.

Chattanooga State had eight opportunities to take the lead late and finally did when Smith scored on a short jumper. The Lady Senators weren't done just yet as Rogers got the ball on a rebound and powered her way to the basket with 31 ticks left in the game to knot the score at 50-50.

A bit of controversy occurred late in the contest when it appeared Walters State had secured the rebound of a missed shot, but after conferring, the officials decided the Lady Tigers had called a time out and they retained the ball. Fenelon had a good look at the potential game-winner at the buzzer, but it fell short and the contest went to an extra frame.

Rogers powered to the basket, drew a foul and hit the free throw to start the overtime period for the Lady Senators. Chattanooga State countered with four straight points to retake the lead. Trice was true on her third three-pointer of the contest and Haley Comer scored off an offensive rebound as Walters State once again took a three-point lead. The visitors answered once more with four points of their own. Paris Mullins' turnaround jumper put the Lady Senators up 60-59 with 11.8 seconds to go and it looked as if the home team had survived.

The lead didn't last long, however, as Carter scored only four seconds later to put Chattanooga State ahead 61-60. The Lady Senators had one final look but the shot missed and the Lady Tigers celebrated the one-point win.

Things started slowly for Chattanooga State in the game as they didn't score for the first six minutes of the contest. After the Lady Senators took a 13-6 lead at the end of the first period, the second period featured the swapping of baskets until three-pointers late by Trice and Vertonia Bady gave Walters State a 31-22 lead at the half. The lead ballooned to 11 points in the third before the Lady Tigers began their comeback.

Despite the loss, the Lady Senators are still in first place in the TCCAA standings at 9-1, but see their overall record slip to 12-8. Chattanooga State moves to 15-5 overall and maintains their hold on second place at 7-3 in the conference.

"It's a tough loss," Kragel said. "We went through the first half (of the conference schedule) 9-0 and in the second half, we are 0-1. We will see what happens."

The Lady Senators hit the road for a Saturday game at Columbia State. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.