Lady Senators pick up gutsy 85-81 overtime win over Central Georgia Tech 

AMERICUS, GA – Trailing by five with two minutes remaining in overtime on Friday, No. 7 Walters State looked to its sophomore leaders to deliver.

And deliver they did. 

Taking on Central Georgia Tech in the Pete Arrington Thanksgiving Classic, sophomores Raegan Starks and Terryauna Griffin scored the final nine points of the extra period, giving the Lady Senators an 85-81 victory.

With the win, Walters State improved to 7-0 on the season. 

While Starks and Griffin were great down the stretch for the Lady Senators, sophomore Nyjah Gibbs was equally impressive all game long as she went up against Laterria Green. Green came into the game averaging 15.5 rebounds per game, but Gibbs was still able to score 20 and collect 11 rebounds to pick up her first double-double of the season. 

Starks led the way for Walters State with a career-high 30 points to go with seven rebounds and five steals. Griffin added 12 points for the Lady Senators, and Anaya Mulholland-Natt finished with 10 points. Other contributors for Walters State were Malia Wilcox with three points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Malon Smith with eight points, eight assists and five rebounds and Paradise Fisher with two points and four rebounds. 

"Raegan (Starks) was outstanding yet again; she's producing the way we believed she would coming out of high school," Walters State coach Jasmin Coleman said. "(Nyjah) Gibbs had a tough defensive assignment on the leading rebounder in the country, but she still found a way to put up a double-double. Huge effort from both of them.

"We got a really gutty win on the road tonight in a tough environment. I'm proud of the fight we showed. Some people don't want to go play good teams, but win or lose, we want to be challenged. Tonight, our group responded. Bravo to Coach Harris on an outstanding job in practice and with the scout." 

It was a close game to start, with Central Georgia Tech leading 6-4 after five minutes. However, Starks scored, Gibbs made a free throw, Smith made a basket and Fisher scored to give the Lady Senators an 11-6 advantage. Central Georgia Tech scored four straight to cut the lead to one, but Griffin made a basket to make it 13-10. Central Georgia made one final basket in the quarter, but Walters State led 13-12 after one. 

In the second, Central Georgia Tech scored the first four points to take the lead. Mulholland-Natt tied the game with a three, and Walters State took the lead following four points from Gibbs. Gibbs scored again a minute later to give Walters State a 22-20 lead, and Starks converted an and-one to increase the lead to 27-20. The Lady Senators led for much of the rest of the quarter, but Central Georgia Tech made a basket with under a minute left to go up 34-33 at the break.

Walters State quickly took the lead back to start the third, as Griffin scored and Starks made a free throw. Central Georgia Tech regained control with five straight to go up 39-36, and then led 43-37. Walters State cut into the lead with baskets from Gibbs and Wilcox, but the Titans hit a three to go up 46-41. 

The lead was 47-43 with three minutes left in the quarter, but that's when Walters State took over. Mulholland-Natt started the run with five straight points to give Walters State the lead. Starks then scored four straight and, after Central Georgia Tech scored three quick points, Smith made two free throws. The quarter ended with Starks stealing a pass and taking it all the way in for a layup at the buzzer that gave the Lady Senators a 56-50 advantage. 

The run continued to start the fourth, as Gibbs scored, Starks hit a three and then scored again to make it 63-50. Walters State's run was a 20-3 run and was over a five-minute stretch. Starks had nine points during the run. 

Unfortunately for Walters State, Central Georgia Tech would not go away and cut things to 66-64 with 1:10 left. Smith got Walters State back on track with two free throws and, after Central Georgia Tech scored, Starks hit two free throws with 33 seconds left to make it a 70-66 game. The Titans scored again and, after a made free throw by Wilcox, cut the lead to one with 19 seconds to go. Central Georgia Tech stole the ensuing inbounds pass and scored with 11 seconds to go to take a 72-71 lead, but the Titans left Gibbs wide open, and she scored with six seconds remaining to put Walters State up 73-72. 

The Lady Senators looked to have won the game as the Titans missed a jumper and a putback at the buzzer, but a foul was called with 0.3 seconds to go. Central Georgia Tech split the pair of free throws to tie the game at 73, and the game went to overtime. 

In overtime, the Lady Senators held a 76-74 lead with 3:32 to go thanks to free throws by Starks, but the Titans rallied off seven straight to go up 81-76 with two minutes left in the extra period. Starks made a jumper to cut the lead to three, and then hit two free throws to make it an 81-80 game with 54 seconds to go. Following a missed floater by the Titans, Griffin snagged the rebound and hit one free throw with 30 seconds left to tie the game. 

Central Georgia Tech inbounded the ball following the free throw, but Starks came up with a steal, and Griffin laid the ball in to give Walters State an 83-81 lead with 14 seconds to go. The Titans rushed the ball up the court but missed a shot, and Starks came up with a massive rebound. Griffin then went to the line with four seconds left and hit both free throws to give the Lady Senators the 85-81 win.

Up Next:

Walters State is back in action at the Pete Arrington Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, taking on Albany Tech. Tip is set for 3 pm ET. 

"As soon as the horn sounded, we're on to the next," Coleman said. "Tomorrow, we face a very athletic Albany Tech team, and we have to be even better. I am proud of this group. Now, we keep building."