No. 10 Walters State stays composed in 95-82 win over No. 7 Midland College in NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen

HUTCHINSON, KS – Every time No. 7 Midland made a run, No. 10 Walters State had an answer. 

On Tuesday in the NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Sweet Sixteen, the Senators charged ahead of the Chaps in the final five minutes of the first half and then held off every challenge Midland made. Walters State scored the final 11 points of the game, going on for a 95-82 victory.

With the victory, the Senators improved to 32-1 on the season, tying the program record for wins in a season. Walters State moves on to the NJCAA Men's Basketball Elite Eight, taking on No. 2 College of Southern Idaho on Wednesday at 2:30 pm CT. It's Walters State's first Elite Eight Appearance since the Tournament expanded to 24 teams in 2013. 

Jamar Livingston was one of four Senators who scored double digits in the game, finishing with four made 3-pointers and 19 points. Taquez Butler was phenomenal as well, scoring 17 points, collecting six steals, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists. Also scoring 17 points was Carter Webb, as he made four 3-pointers and had four assists and four rebounds. Brian Carter recorded a double-double, as well, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. 

Other contributors were Da'Mori Lytch with seven points, five rebounds and three blocks, Malaki Brooks with seven points, Tyrese Stovall with seven points and four rebounds, Trae Rideau with five points and Jayden Nesbitt with four points, three steals and three rebounds. 

Walters State shot 54% from 3-point range in the game and outrebounded Midland, 45-37. The Senators forced 15 turnovers and scored 19 points off of them. 

Midland scored the first bucket of the game, but Livingston cashed in a three and Rideau dunked one home to make it 5-2. Midland responded with four straight to grab the lead back, but Livingston hit another three to tie the game. Midland took the lead back and had it at 20-16 eight minutes in; however, two technical free throws, a Rideau basket and a Butler three gave the Senators a 23-20 advantage. 

Midland led the game one more time at 25-24, but Brooks hit right back with a triple. Carter followed with a basket, and Stovall hit a shot to make it 31-27. The lead was 34-31 with five minutes left, but that's when Walters State really began to get some separation. Butler started it with a three, and Nesbitt followed with a basket. Following a Midland made shot, Webb and Livingston hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 47-33. Brooks hit two free throws and Carter scored in the final minute, and the Senators led 49-41 at the half. 

In the second half, Midland cut the lead to five two minutes in. The Senators got back on track with five straight from Butler to make it 57-47, and Lytch had a ferocious dunk with 14:11 to go that made it 63-52. The lead stayed at 11 following another Lytch basket, but Midland scored the next nine points to make it a two-point game. 

Not deterred, the Senators scored the next 10 points to go up by 12. Livingston started it with a tough layup, and he hit a three a minute later. Carter then scored to make it 72-63, and Webb closed the run with a triple that made it 75-63. 

However, Midland made another run and tied the game with five minutes to go at 75. Carter broke the run with two free throws, and Webb hit a huge 3-pointer afterward to get the lead to 80-75 with 4:51 to go. Midland scored the next three points, but Carter again hit two free throws. Following a Midland basket, Webb cashed in with two free throws that made it 84-80 with 3:38 to go. 

Midland scored one final time, a layup with 3:18 to go, but Livingston was fouled on a 3-pointer with 2:19 left and made all three free throws. Carter followed with two free throws, and Webb hit a free throw with 57 seconds left that made it 90-82. Following two Livingston free throws, Webb clinched the game with a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left that made it 95-82.