The Wallace Community College-Selma Patriots got within reach late, but ultimately fell short, as they lost 103-80 at home to the Shelton State Buccaneers on Wednesday.

Foster Davis, head men’s basketball coach of Wallace Community College-Selma (11-5), said his team was hurt by mistakes down the stretch.

“We missed a lot of free throws. Free throws got us,” Davis said. “A lot of charging calls on our part, and turnovers as usual.”

Wallace trailed 52-39 at halftime, but started to mount a comeback attempt halfway through the second half.

With Shelton (10-3) leading 69-58, Wallace cut the Buccaneers’ lead to single digits when Forrest Pasley hit a shot under the basket that made it a 69-60 game with 12:23 left to play.

The Buccaneers responded with a 3-pointer by Derrick Hammer that made it 72-60, but Wallace’s D’Vante Mathews answered with a three of his own that put the score at 72-63 with 11:38 left.

Shelton’s Jacob Perry drove to the basket and scored on a layup that made it 74-63, but Wallace’s Henry Presley went 1 for 2 from the line and Mathews buried another 3-pointer that put the Patriots within reach at 74-67 with 9:06 left to play.

But Shelton’s Travis Daniels hit a pair of free throws and teammate Jeremy Watson scored in the paint, as the Buccaneers outscored the Patriots 13-3 in a three-minute stretch to push the Shelton State lead to 87-70 and helped them pull away.

Perry led the Buccaneers with 20 points, while Hammer had 16 points, and Watson had 15 points.

Fred Turner led Wallace with 18 points, which included four 3-pointers.

Presley added 16 points, while Mathews had 9 points for the Patriots.

Wallace will return to the floor on Jan. 10 on the road at Enterprise.