Feb. 27, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Winston-Salem State men’s basketball team returns to action on Saturday evening at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. as they look to run their win streak to two games after defeating Norfolk State 68-64 this past Monday evening at Echols Hall in Norfolk, Va. The Rams welcome the Rattlers of Florida A&M University to town as WSSU looks to complete the season sweep over FAMU. The contest, between two Historically Black University rivals, will mark the second, and final, of two meetings between the two teams this season with the Rams looking to snap FAMU’s two-game win streak.
The Matchup
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The Rams head into the contest sporting an 8-18 overall record and are 5-10 in the New Year as they are riding a one-game win streak following a 68-64 victory over MEAC-member and longtime-rival Norfolk State on Monday evening in Norfolk, Va. The Rattlers head into Saturday’s matchup sporting an identical 8-18 (6-8 MEAC) overall record and are coming off of a 63-61 overtime victory over Delaware State at Memorial Hall in Dover, Del. on Monday evening as the Rattlers are now riding a two-game win streak. Florida A&M has won its last two games after dropping eight straight contests (from Jan. 24 - Feb. 16).
The Series
The Rams and Rattlers meet for the fifth time in history. The all-time series is tied 2-2. WSSU and Florida A&M have developed a heated rivalry that started on the gridiron and has made its way to the hardwood. The Rams’ recent 80-66 victory over FAMU in Tallahassee, Fla. on Jan. 31 marked the first time a road team has won a game in the series. Prior to the Rams’ victory FAMU had won both of the matchups in Tallahassee and WSSU won last year’s meeting in Winston-Salem.
The Rams are currently riding a one-game win streak over the Rattlers as Florida A&M lost the last meeting between the two teams, an 80-66 WSSU victory on Jan 31, 2009 at the Gaither Gymnasium in Tallahassee, Fla. WSSU has now won two of the last three meetings between the two programs.
Rams vs. Rattlers - The Last Meeting
The last meeting between the Rams and the Rattlers came on Jan. 31, 2009 at the Gaither Gymnasium in Tallahassee, Fla. where the Rams saddled the Rattlers with a 14-point, 80-66 loss. The Rams were led by Brian Fisher’s team-high 16 points in the win as he led three WSSU players in double figures. Jamal Durham chipped in 15 points in the victory.
Television Coverage
There is no television coverage for the contest between the Rams and the Rattlers.
WSSU Radio Coverage
There is no Winston-Salem State University radio broadcast for the contest between the Rams and the Rattlers.
Florida A&M Radio Coverage
There is no Florida A&M University radio broadcast for the contest between the Rams and the Rattlers.
Live Statistical Broadcast
WSSU partners with CBS College Sports and the Office of Athletic Media Relations will air a live statistical broadcast of all of WSSU’s home games, and selected road games, on the Internet utilizing CSTV’s GAMETRACKER software application. WSSU’s live statistical broadcast will be available at WSSURams.com. The broadcast is free of charge to any viewer wishing to take advantage of the live statistics feature.
Websites
WSSURAMS.com, the official website for Winston-Salem State University athletics is the 24-hour-a-day home for breaking news, in-depth features, and colorful and informative commentary on the Rams. WSSURAMS.com brings every Ram fan close to all the action with exclusive interviews, stories and photos of WSSU athletes and coaches, unrivaled interactive game day coverage, and a vast archive of historical and biographical information. If it’s going on in the world of WSSU Athletics, you can find it at WSSURams.com, the online home of the Rams.
The official Florida A&M University athletics website at FAMURattlerSports.com carries the most up-to-date information on the Rattlers. Bios, game stories, stats and box scores can be found along with game notes prior to the scheduled contest.
Whom To Contact
Winston-Salem State University’s men’s basketball contact is Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations, Chris Zona. Zona can be reached in the office at (336) 750-2143, on his cell phone at (336) 416-6452 or via email at zonac@wssu.edu.
Florida A&M’s men’s basketball contact is Assistant Director of Sports Information, Ronnie Johnson. Johnson can be reached in the office at (850) 561-2701, on his cell phone at (850) 294-9116 or via email at ron_jon@yahoo.com.
The Coaches
WSSU is led by Bobby Collins who is in his third season with the Rams and in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach. Collins has turned in an overall record of 90-117 (.435) and has posted a 25-60 record in his three seasons at WSSU (.294). The Rattlers are led by Eugene Harris who is in his second season with the Rattlers and is in his second season as a collegiate head coach. Harris has recorded a career mark of 23-35 (.397) and has turned in the same record while serving as head coach of the Rattlers.
Collins Vs. The Spartans
WSSU head coach Bobby Collins has posted a 7-6 mark versus Florida A&M in his seven seasons as a collegiate head coach (2-2 at WSSU). Collins has also posted a 2-1 overall mark in head-to-head coaching matchups versus Eugene Harris.
National Rankings
Neither the Rams nor the Rattlers are ranked in either the AP Top 25 poll or USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll. Since making the transition to the NCAA Division I level the Rams have not been ranked.
The Rams Vs. Ranked Teams
Since making the transition to the NCAA Division I level, WSSU has faced a ranked opponent four times, losing all four contests. The Rams fell to #11/#12 Kansas on Dec. 19, 2006; fell to #17/#22 Georgetown 76-32 on Dec. 16, 2006; fell to #21/#22 Notre Dame on Nov. 29, 2006 and fell to #20/#24 Wake Forest on Nov. 24, 2008.
Rating Percentage Index (RPI) Update
The Rams currently rank 317th in the RPI. The Rating Percentage Index (RPI) has been used by the NCAA since 1981 to supplement selection of at-large teams and help determine the seeding of all teams for the NCAA Tournament. The RPI is derived from three components: Division I winning percentage, schedule strength and opponent’s schedule strength. Game against non-Division I opponents are not used. WSSU’s current RPI is 317. The Rams post a 6-18 Division I record and have the 262nd toughest schedule in the nation.
Tough Going Away From Home
The Rams have had a difficult time away from home this season. Winston-Salem State has posted a 5-10 record on the road and has lost 13 of it’s 18 games played away from home (road and neutral-site games combined) in 2008-09. Fortunately for the Rams, WSSU returns home for the final four games of the season (three home games and one neutral-site game at the LJVM Coliseum during the 2009 MEAC Basketball Championship).
Neutral Negatives
The Rams have posted an 0-3 record at neutral sites this season. Winston-Salem State dropped a 71-58 decision to UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 28 and dropped a 67-61 decision at the hands of Nicholls State on Nov. 30. Both of those neutral site contests came at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill. as part of the World Vision Invitational Tournament hosted by the Redbirds of Illinois State University. As well, the Rams dropped a 59-43 decision to Hampton on Jan. 12 at the Richmond Coliseum in the first game of the 2009 Freedom Classic Festival.
In three neutral-site contests the Rams are averaging 54.0 points per game and are giving up 65.7 points per contest. The Rams are shooting 40.4 percent from the field and are hitting 25.6 percent of their three-point field goals. Jamal Durham has averaged an impressive 15.3 points per game in neutral-site contests this season.
February Slump
The Rams have had a difficult time in the month of February. WSSU has posted a 2-4 record in the second month of the year and has turned in a 5-10 record in 2009.
Fisher On Fire
Brian Fisher led the Rams in scoring in seven of the last eight games. The junior guard has recorded nine straight double-figure scoring contests.
Durham’s Record-Setting Career-High
Senior forward Jamal Durham recorded a career-high 17 rebounds in WSSU’s victory over Norfolk State on Feb. 23. Durham pulled down four offensive rebounds and 13 defensive rebounds en route to his new career high. Durham also tallied a team-leading 16 points and dished out a team-high two assists marking the first time a WSSU player led the team in points, rebounds and assists since Alleggrie Guinn did it at Mars Hill on Dec. 7, 2004 with 25 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Last Action at Norfolk State
Michael Deloach, the MEAC’s leading scorer and a senior who has scored nearly 1,000 points in only three seasons at Norfolk State was a non-factor in the first half on Monday evening at Echols Hall as the Rams of Winston-Salem State University used a defensive scheme that never allowed him to get into a comfort zone en route to snapping a two-game losing streak as they handed the Spartans a 68-64 loss in front of their home crowd.
Winston-Salem State used a trapping, aggressive defensive style during the first 20 minutes of play that forced the ball away from DeLoach, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s leading scorer who entered the contest scoring over 20 points per game.
While the Rams’ pressure defense made things difficult for DeLoach and his Norfolk State teammates, Winston-Salem State had very little difficulty during the contest’s first 20 minutes.
The Rams held DeLoach to only seven first-half points as the senior guard hit only two of his 11 field goal attempts despite playing all 20 minutes in the half. Not only would DeLoach have difficulty with the WSSU defense but the rest of the Spartans managed to hit only five of their 19 shots from the field as the Rams held NSU to a season-low 23.3 percent shooting performance in the half.
Conversely, the Rams scorched the nets at a 51.9 percent pace as eight WSSU players recorded points in the half as Winston-Salem State successfully converted 14 of their 27 shots from the field.
The Rams started the contest on a 6-0 run as they hit their first three shots from the field and Winston-Salem State eventually opened up a 19-point advantage with 7:31 remaining in the first half as WSSU took a 32-19 lead into halftime.
Leading by 13 points, the Rams looked to be in complete control before Norfolk State, behind the play of DeLoach cut the Rams’ advantage to as little as three points, on three separate occasions, in the second half.
Despite a charge by DeLoach and the Spartans, a charge in which DeLoach would record his 1,000th career point at Norfolk State, the Rams would never surrender their lead.
DeLoach finished the contest with a game-high 25 points in the loss as he led two NSU players in double-figures.
WSSU was led by Jamal Durham who recorded a team-high 16 points in the victory. Joining Durham in double figures, junior guard Brian Fisher chipped in with 10 points.
Continued Shooting Woes
The Rams have had their share of shooting difficulties this season as WSSU has shot in the 20th percentile in six games, in the 30th percentile eight times, in the 40th percentile nine times and have shot 50 percent or better from the field in only three games.
Scouting The Rams
The Rams enter into Saturday’s action with an 8-18 record after WSSU defeated Norfolk State 68-64 on Feb. 23 in Norfolk, Va. WSSU is scoring only 57.5 points per game and is surrendering 66.8 points per game as the Rams are staring at a 9.4 points per game scoring deficit.
WSSU is hitting only 38.0 percent of their shots from the field as the Rams have hit only 542 of their 1414 total field goal attempts through 26 games.
The Rams are led in scoring by junior guard Brian Fisher who ranks first in scoring at 14.1 points per game.
Joining Fisher in double-digit scoring is senior guard Jamal Durham who is averaging 13.0 points per game. In addition Durham is leading the team in rebounding as he is pulling down a team-leading 6.0 rebounds per contest. Durham has led the Rams in scoring 12 times in the 26 games of 2008-09. He has also led the Rams in rebounding in eight contests.
A Look Inside The Numbers
• The Rams are 6-3 when leading at the half in 2008-09. Conversely, Winston-Salem State is 2-13 when trailing at the half this season. WSSU is 0-2 when heading to halftime tied.
• WSSU is 0-9 when opponents hit 50 percent or more of their shots from the field. The most recent occurrence of allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent from the field came in the Rams’ loss to Hampton on Feb. 16 (54.1%).
• Winston-Salem State is 2-12 when shooting less than 40 percent from the field. WSSU is 0-9 when opponents shoot 50 percent or better.
• WSSU is 3-0 when they hit 50 percent or more of their shots from the field and is 5-1 when they hold an opponent to under 40 percent shooting from the field.
• The Rams are winless at 0-12 when they score 59 points or less in games this season. WSSU is also 0-8 when they allow their opponents to score 70 points or more.
• The Rams are 1-9 in 2008 when their opponent scores first. WSSU is 7-9 when they score the first points of the game.
• WSSU is 5-10 on the road and 0-3 at neutral sites. The Rams are 5-10 in the New Year and are 3-7 when wearing their black, alternate road uniforms.
• WSSU is 5-5 on Saturday’s this season, 2-5 on Sunday’s and is 2-11 when opponents outrebound them.
Struggles Versus The MEAC
The Rams have struggled against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents this season. WSSU has posted a 5-10 record versus teams from the MEAC with the wins coming courtesy of a road victory at South Carolina State on Dec. 6, 2008; a road win at Florida A&M on Jan. 31, 2009; a road win at Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 2, 2009; a 62-55 victory over Howard on Feb. 14, 2009, Valentines Day and a road win at Norfolk State on Feb. 23, 2009.
25th To 1,000 Points
WSSU senior forward Jamal Durham became the 25th member of the Rams’ 1,000 point club when he scored his eighth point versus Averett on Dec. 20. Durham heads into action this week with 1,207 career points. He has appeared in 113 games for the Rams and has turned in a career scoring average of 10.7 points per game. He ranks 15th all-time in scoring at WSSU as his 14 points versus Howard on Feb. 14 moved him ahead of Donald Helton (1,164 points) into 15th all-time on the career scoring charts.
Leading By Example
Senior forward Jamal Durham, one of only two seniors on the WSSU roster, has led the Rams in scoring, or had a share of the team lead in scoring, in 12 of the Rams’ 25 games. Durham has led the Rams in scoring outright in nine games and has shared the team lead in scoring three times. As well, Durham has led the Rams in rebounding eight times this season (at Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 18; vs. UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 28; at Delaware State on Jan. 12, vs. North Carolina A&T on Jan. 24, vs. Norfolk State on Jan. 26, at Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 2, vs. Coppin State on Feb. 9 and at Norfolk State on Feb. 23).
Blocked Shots Machine
WSSU sophomore forward/center Paul Davis turned in a stellar freshman campaign as he has already entrenched himself amongst WSSU’s career leaders in blocked shots. Davis turned in a single-season record 48 blocks last season and combined with his 37 blocks this season he ranks fourth on WSSU’s all-time career blocked shot list with 85 rejections. Davis needs only 17 more blocks to overtake Corey Thompson and Marcus Best who sit atop of the Rams’ career blocked shots records with 101 career blocks. Davis also ranks first in the Rams’ single-game blocked shot records with seven blocks versus Norfolk State on Jan. 26, 2009.
Score 60 Please
All eight of WSSU’s victories this season have come when the Rams have scored 60 or more points. WSSU is 8-6 in 2008-09 when they score 60 or more points and is 0-12 when scoring less than 60 points.
13 Below 40
The Rams have played 14 games in which they have shot less that 40 percent from the field. WSSU has lost 13 of those 14 contests with the wins coming in their Dec. 20 win over Averett and their Feb. 2 win at Bethune-Cookman. In WSSU’s victory over Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 2, the Rams hit 38.3 percent from the field as they shot below 40 percent and earned a win.
Three Times Above 50
The Rams have recorded three games this season in which they have shot 50 percent or better from the field. WSSU defeated North Carolina Central following a 51.1 percent shooting display; the Rams defeated Columbia Union with a season-high 52.5 percent shooting performance and WSSU handed Norfolk State a 68-64 loss on Feb. 23 as they hit 51.2 percent of their shots from the field. Conversely, the Rams have allowed their opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the field nine times and have lost all nine of those contests.
Charge Ahead
The Rams have taken 36 charges through 26 games of the 2008-09 (1.27 charges per game). Leading the way for the Rams is Diontae Gibson who has taken 10 charges. Brian Fisher checks in with nine charges taken, Jamal Durham has recorded five charges drawn and Lamar Monger has four.
Worst Start Ever
The Rams’ 0-6 start to the 2008-09 season was the worst start in the history of the program. In 62 seasons of basketball at WSSU the 2008-09 season marked the first-ever time that the Rams had started 0-6. WSSU avoided falling to 0-7 overall with a win over the Bulldogs of South Carolina State on Dec. 6.
First Time With Four
The Rams’s 68-53 victory over Averett on Dec. 20 marked the first time that WSSU had four double-figure scorers. Diontae Gibson led the Rams with 15 points, Brian Fisher tallied 14 points, Jamal Durham tallied 13 points and Isiah Tucker chipped in with 11 points. In the Rams’ latest victory, a 62-61 overtime win over Bethune-Cookman, the Rams had four players record double-digit scoring performances for only the second time this season. Three of the same four players (Tucker, Fisher and Durham) scored 10 or more in both contests.
Injury Report
The Rams head into Saturday’s contest versus the Rattlers of Florida A&M with only one nagging injury. Diontae Gibson is our for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL and sprained MCL and will need eight months of rehabilitation following surgery. Surgery is not yet scheduled.
In, But Not Completely
Though the Rams are considered a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) they are unable to compete for a championship until the 2011-12 season (per NCAA reclassification mandates). The Rams will play a full slate of MEAC games (18 conference games) but will be ineligible for a conference title, ineligible for postseason awards, and will not be listed in the MEAC statistics at seasons’ end.
Movin’ On Up
The Rams are currently in the fourth year of a five-year transition from the NCAA Division II level to the highest level of intercollegiate athletics at the NCAA Division I level. In a drive to support rapid growth and attain higher visibility, the Board of Trustees at WSSU approved a plan for reclassification of the school’s athletic programs to compete at the NCAA Division I level. WSSU, formerly a member of NCAA Division II and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) where they earned 10 conference titles and the 1967 National Championship, began the five-year reclassification process in 2005-06 and will complete the process in 2011-12.
63rd Year
The Rams have turned in an overall record of 1074-656 over the span of 62 completed seasons of men’s basketball competition for a winning percentage of 62.1 percent. The Rams have turned in 49 winning seasons and have recorded only 13 losing seasons. The 2008-09 season will mark the 14th losing season in WSSU history.
National Champions
Under the tutelage of legendary coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines and behind the play of Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, the Rams earned the 1967 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship. The 1967 Rams posted an overall record of 31-1 and defeated three top-10 teams in the National Championship tournament en route to the National Championship title.
The House That Gaines Built
Legendary coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines coached at Winston-Salem State University from 1946-1993 and was a fixture at WSSU until his death on April 18, 2005. Gaines coached the Rams for 48 seasons and posted an 828-447 overall record as well as leading the Rams to the 1967 National Championship. He still ranks as the fifth-winningest coach in NCAA history and ranks as the all-time winningest African American head basketball coach in NCAA history.
Pearl’s Wisdom
Vernon Earl “The Pearl” Monroe rose to prominence playing basketball at Winston-Salem State University, a college career that he parlayed into a successful 13-year career in the NBA. Under the coaching of legendary Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, Monroe averaged 7.1 ppg his freshman year; 23.2 ppg as a sophomore; 29.8 ppg as a junior and 41.5 ppg his senior year en route to becoming the Rams’ all-time leading scorer with 2,935 total points. In 1967, he earned NCAA College Division Player of the Year honors and led the Rams to the NCAA College Division National Championship. Hailed as the innovator of the spin move, Monroe was the 1968 NBA Rookie of the Year, was named to the 1969 All-NBA First Team, earned All-Star honors four times, won the 1973 NBA World Championship as a member of the New York Knicks, was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990 and was named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996.
