Feb. 21, 2006

Final Stats

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Behind Alleggrie Guinn's 17 points and four rebounds, the Winston-Salem State University Rams were able to earn their 17^th win of the season on Tuesday evening at the Joel Coliseum Annex as they dropped the NCCU Eagles to 9-16 overall (7-8 CIAA) by handing them a 59-51 loss in front of more than 5,000 fans.

Aesthetically pleasing the first half was not as the two teams combined for seven turnovers and 27 missed field goal attempts while only scoring 39 total points as the lead changed hands four times over the course of 20 minutes of play.

However, it would be the Rams who would suffer through a stretch of more than 10 minutes without a field goal as the last WSSU bucket came with 10:41 remaining in the first half of play. 

Despite the drought, the Rams would use a perfect eight-of-eight performance from the free throw line in the half to head to the locker room trailing NCCU by the slimmest of margins at 20-19.

The second half saw the Rams come out firing as the first four of WSSU's five field goals in the second half were three-pointers as WSSU opened up their largest lead of the game, a ten point advantage only five minutes into the second half.

The contest would remain tight as the Eagles mounted a run of their own with neither team leading by double-digits the rest of the way.

The outcome would come down to free throws as WSSU turned in a season-best 19-of-22 shooting performance from the charity stripe to earn the win.

WSSU was led by Guinn's 17 points as only Darrell Wonge cracked into double-figures with Guinn as he added 15 points including three three-pointers.

NCCU was led by three players in double-digits as Bryan Ayala, Charles Futrell, and Kevin Noell each added 10 points in the loss.

With the win, the Rams move to 17-9 overall and 10-6 in the CIAA (6-4 CIAA West) while the Eagles drop to 9-16 overall and 7-8 in the CIAA (5-4 CIAA West).

The Rams will return to action on Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 7:30 pm at the C.E. Gaines Center in Winston-Salem, NC when they play host to the Tigers of Edward Waters College in the final regular season game of the 2005-06 season.

However, the conclusion of the game brings about the end of the 2005-06 CIAA regular season as WSSU will now await the release of the pairings for the start of the 2006 CIAA Men's Basketball Tournament which begins on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 from the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, NC.

WSSU will almost certainly earn the third seed in the CIAA Western Division in the CIAA Tournament which will match them up against the sixth seed in the CIAA East, a pairing that will likely earn them a date against the Bears of Shaw University, a team that the Rams have defeated twice this season.  Final pairings will be announced on Sunday, February 26, 2006 by the CIAA Office.

For additional information on WSSU men's basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Sports Information at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at www.WSSURAMS.com

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