BY BRIAN HAMILTON
MORRISTOWN – Motlow State hung with Walters State in the early going, but a big second quarter would give the Lady Senators the cushion it needed to cruise to a dominating 68-32 win.
Walters State’s Kyra Perkins goes up for a floater over the Motlow State defense. Photo by Brian Hamilton
“Look, I’m just glad to play,” Walters State head coach Jasmin Coleman said after the game. “We haven’t played in a week-and-a-half (Georgia Community Christian College cancelled the January 6 contest), so I’m just glad to play. If you know anything about athletics, having big gaps like that, especially with a newer team, it can be a tougher time trying to develop chemistry.”
Motlow State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but a layup by Briontanay Marshall would put the Lady Senators on the board 4-2 with 8:22 left in the first quarter.
A three-pointer by Jeremya Johnson would give Walters State an 8-4 lead on back-to-back three-pointers with 6:25 left in the quarter.
Motlow State’s Divora Yared nailed a triple to pull the Lady Bucks to within 12-9 with 3:34 left. A three by Kyra Perkins and a fast break layup by Emmanuella Amaefula would stretch the Walters State lead to 17-9 late in the first period.
A’Maria Thomison made a layup with 27 seconds left in the first quarter that would cut the lead Lady Senators’ lead to 18-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Kristyna Boyd opened the second quarter with a rebound and layup to give Walters State a 20-12 lead, which sparked an 11-0 Lady Senators’ run to open the period, making the score 29-12 with 3:33 left in until halftime.
Yared scored the Lady Bucks’ only basket of the second quarter on a long two-pointer with 1:15 left. Walters State went to the half leading 30-14, as the Lady Senators outscored Motlow State 12-2 in the second period.
Janae Charles (14) pulls down a rebound during Walter State’s 68-23 win over Motlow State. Photo by Brian Hamilton
A layup by Perkins would extend the Walters State lead to 36-16 early in the third quarter, which was followed by a Kaitlyn Williams basket to pull Motlow to within 36-18 with 5:25 left.
Walter State led 42-21 when Asia Barr made a jumper with 3:36 remaining, followed by consecutive triples by Perkins to make the score 48-21.
A floater by Amaefula with 23 seconds left in the period would send the Lady Senators to the fourth quarter leading 50-23.
Tianna Rhodes scored a fast break layup to give Walters State a 62-23 lead with 3:48 remaining, followed by a three-pointer by Barr, which put the Lady Senators in front 68-23 with 1:30 to go.
Walters State would go on to defeat Motlow State 68-23, as the Lady Senators ended the game on a 28-2 run.
Emmanuella Amaefula (21) goes up for a layup during Walter State’s win over Motlow State Wednesday night. Photo by Brian Hamilton
“I think it was a good opportunity for some of the kids who might not get as many minutes to be able to play,” Coleman said of the blowout win.
Kyra Perkins led Walters State with 21 points, while Asia Barr finished with 16 points and eight assists. Krystina Boyd scored 11 points and snagged seven rebounds off the bench, while Briontanay Marshall added nine points and a game high 11 rebounds.
Motlow State had no players in double figures scoring, but Divora Yared and Ja’Mya Gooch finished with nine points apeice for the Lady Bucks.
Walters State (6-5, 3-1 TCCAA) will travel to Memphis on Saturday to face Southwest Tennessee Community College (6-4, 1-3 TCCAA), while Motlow State (5-10, 2-3 TCCAA) will host Dyersburg State on Saturday.