WSSU Wins Overtime Thriller Over Queens (N.C.) 81-71
Nov. 30, 2004
Charlotte, NC - It was a barn-burner at the Ovens Gymnasium on the campus of Queens University in Charlotte, NC on Tuesday evening as the Rams of Winston-Salem State University came into the gym affectionately known as "The Oven" and earned an 81-71 win in overtime to run their streak of wins to five in a row behind Rashad McGee's (Sr./Waxhaw, NC) game-high 20 points.
The first half of play was a heated affair that saw the two teams battle back and forth with neither one being able to establish control of the contest as there were 12 lead changes and eight ties during the first 20 minutes of play.
The Royals scored the first field goal of the game less than one minute into the non-conference matchup and from then on the two teams would exchange blows. The Rams would hold the first half's largest lead, a slim five-point margin 17:51 seconds into the game as WSSU led 35-30.
In a fitting tribute to how the game was playing out, the eighth tie of the half would follow the teams into their respective locker rooms, with the contest knotted at 36-36.
The Rams would head to the intermission break after a well-rounded first half of play as they were led by three players with six points each, and four players with four points. Curtis Hines (So./Charlotte, NC), Frank Johnson (Jr./Washington, DC), and Alleggrie Guinn (So./Charlotte, NC) all recorded six points each during the first 20 minutes of play while Terris Sifford (Sr./Greensboro, NC) Darnell Gregory (Jr./Fayetteville, NC) Roy Peake (Fr./Thomasville, NC) and Rashad McGee (Sr./Waxhaw, NC) each chipped in with four points apiece.
The Royals were led by Kendrick Harris who had eight first-half points, six of them by way of offensive glass second-chance opportunities, on four-of-six shooting. Queens was also the beneficiary of a duo of players who recorded six first-half points.
The second half of play was witness to more of the same type of play as the two teams came out of the locker room with the same intensity and the contest continued to be a nip-and-tuck affair, battling evenly until the game's final minute.
Trailing by one point with less than one minute to play, the Rams would come down the court and get an open look for point-guard Rashad McGee. McGee missed the leaner, but Terris Sifford put home the put-back after a Herculean effort for a rebound, and the Rams were once again in business after the fifth lead change of the half (17th of the game), leading 66-65.
The contest would then come down to free throws. With the Rams leading 66-65, the Royals would send WSSU's best free-throw shooter, Rashad McGee to the free-throw line for two shots. McGee made the first of two free throws, missing the second and the Royals raced down court for the tying layup, evening the score at 67-67 in the process and sending the game to overtime.
McGee would atone for his missed free throw in the opening moments of the overtime period, scoring the Rams first two field goals and 11 of the Rams' 14 points in the extra frame sealing WSSU's victory.
WSSU was led by McGee who tallied a game-high 20 points, 11 coming in overtime, in the win while Queens was paced by B.J. Timmons with 16 points.
With the win the Rams improve to 5-1 overall (0-0 CIAA) and are the winners of their last five contests. The Royals fall to 0-3 with the loss. WSSU returns to action on Friday, December 3rd, 2004 at 7:00 pm versus USC-Upstate in the second game of the 2004 C.E. Gaines Classic in Winston-Salem, NC.
For additional information on WSSU men's basketball, or to arrange interviews with student-athletes or coaching staff members, contact the WSSU Office of Sports Information at (336) 750-2143.
For score updates, schedules, live statistics and play-by-play, log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at wssurams.com
