Winston-Salem State topped Saint Augustine’s College 98-90 Tuesday at Lawrence Joel Coliseum Annex in a basketball matchup that featured high scoring and hot shooting. In the end, the Rams (7-5 overall) more than kept pace with the CIAA’s highest scoring team by shooting an astounding 62.3 percent including 72 percent in the second half. They were hotter from three-point range, making 10 of 13 threes for a percentage of 76.9 percent. The Rams entered the contest 9th in the CIAA in scoring offense with a 70.7 points per game average.
The Falcons (6-3 overall) also shot the lights out, shooting 52.4 percent from the floor for the game but misfired just enough to fall to 1-2 in the CIAA including 0-1 in the Western Division. The Rams improved to 2-2 in the CIAA and 1-0 in the Western Division. The Rams won by outscoring the Falcons 44-22 in the paint and scoring 26 points off turnovers to the Falcons 10 points. Their bench also outscored the Falcons 50-35. As usual, the trio of Antonio Fitzgerald, Claude Neeley and Nicholas King led the Falcons. Fitzgerald, a junior guard, scored a game-high 22 points while dishing out 6 assists and grabbing 4 rebounds. King added 21 points on 7 of 10 shooting from the bench and Neeley scored 19 points and pulled down 4 rebounds. Barry Jones added 12 points and Deon Dixon contributed 9 points and a team-high 8 rebounds.
Corey Parker scored 20 points to lead five Rams in double figures. Jamal Durham scored 18 points, AudlyWehner added 15, Alleggrie Guinn added 14 points and 10 assists and Darrell Wonge scored 13 points. Wehner, a 2004-05 All-CIAA First-Team forward, had been out since July following knee surgery to reconstruct a torn medial collateral ligament. Both teams scored points in droves to the delight of 4,111 fans in the Annex. The Falcons held a slim 39-38 halftime lead then things really heated up after halftime. The Rams outscored the Falcons 60-51 in the second half.
The Falcons have a short time to regroup as they host the University of the District of Columbia Jan. 12 at Emery Gymnasium at 7 p.m |
