March 4, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Winston-Salem State men’s basketball team returns to action on Thursday evening at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. as they look to end a two-game losing streak after falling in defeat to Bethune-Cookman 64-49 this past Monday evening at the Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Rams welcome the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University to town as WSSU looks to complete the season sweep over SCSU at the Joel Coliseum, a venue in which the Rams are still searching for their first victory of the season. The contest, between two Historically Black University rivals, will mark the second, and final, of two meetings between the two teams this season.
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The Matchup
The Rams head into the contest sporting an 8-20 overall record and are 5-12 in the New Year as they are riding a two-game losing streak following a 64-49 loss to MEAC-member and heated rival Bethune-Cookman on Monday evening in Winston-Salem, N.C. in a contest that was shown live on ESPNU. The Bulldogs head into Thursday’s matchup sporting a 15-13 (10-6 MEAC) overall record and are coming off of a 78-69 victory over Florida A&M at the Smith-Hammond-Middelton Memorial Center in Orangeburg, S.C. on Saturday afternoon as the Bulldogs are now riding a two-game win streak.
The Series
The Rams and Wildcats meet for the eighth time in history. The all-time series goes in favor of the Bulldogs as South Carolina State leads 4-3. WSSU and SCSU have developed a heated rivalry that started on the gridiron and has made its way to the hardwood. The Rams’ recent 68-65 victory over S.C. State in Orangeburg, S.C. on Dec. 6 marked the Rams’ third victory in the series. Neither team has ever swept the season series.
Rams vs. Bulldogs - The Last Meeting
The last meeting between the Rams and the Bulldogs came on Dec. 6, 2009 at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center in Orangeburg, S.C. where the Rams saddled the Bulldogs with a three-point, 68-65 loss. The Rams were led by Brian Fisher’s team-high 22 points in the win as he led three WSSU players in double figures. Diontae Gibson chipped in with 13 points and Paul Davis contributed 10 points in the victory.
Television Coverage
There is no television broadcast for the contest between the Rams and the Bulldogs.
WSSU Radio Coverage
There is no Winston-Salem State University radio broadcast for the contest between the Rams and the Bulldogs.
South Carolina State Radio Coverage
There is no South Carolina State University radio broadcast for the contest between the Rams and the Bulldogs.
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 South Carolina State University athletics website at SCSUAthletics.com carries the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs. 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.
South Carolina State’s men’s basketball contact is Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations, William Hamilton. Hamilton can be reached in the office at (803) 536-7060, on his cell phone at (803) 378-6165 or via email at whamilton@scsu.edu. SCSU’s press row phone can be accessed by dialing (803) 536-8653.
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 90-119 (.431) and has posted a 25-62 record in his three seasons at WSSU (.287). The Bulldogs are led by Tim Carter who is in his second season with the Bulldogs and is in his 13th season as a collegiate head coach. Carter has recorded a career mark of 188-185 (.508) in his 13 seasons on the bench and has posted a 28-33 record at South Carolina State.
Collins Vs. The Bulldogs
WSSU head coach Bobby Collins has posted a 5-8 mark versus South Carolina State in his seven seasons as a collegiate head coach (1-3 at WSSU). Collins has also posted a 1-2 overall mark in head-to-head coaching matchups versus Tim Carter.
National Rankings
Neither the Rams nor the Bulldogs 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 6-20 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 had a difficult time in the month of February. WSSU posted a 2-6 record in the second month of the year and has turned in a 5-12 record in 2009. The Rams are looking for their first win in March as they are 0-1 in the third month of the year thus far.
Fisher On Fire
Brian Fisher led the Rams in scoring in eight of the last 10 games. The junior guard has recorded 11 straight double-figure scoring contests. Following his 21 point outburst versus the Wildcats on Monday, Fisher has now led the team in scoring 13 times. Fisher and senior forward Jamal Durham have led the Rams in scoring in 25 of WSSU’s 28 games this season.
Bench Production
In the Rams’ action versus Florida A&M, a 71-69 loss to Florida A&M on Feb. 28, 2009 the Rams received 33 points from their bench. The 33 points is 14 points more than the 18.8 points per game average that WSSU has received from their bench through 28 games of the 2008-09 season.
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 vs. Bethune-Cookman (March 2)
Nearly nine minutes without a field goal midway through the second half of play spelled doom for the Rams of Winston-Salem State University on Monday evening at the Joel Coliseum as Bethune-Cookman mounted a 13-0 run to blow open a close game en route to handing the Rams a 64-49 loss in a MEAC men’s basketball contest that was shown live on ESPNU.
A seven-point contest at halftime, with Bethune-Cookman leading 29-22, saw the Rams cut the deficit to only two points at 31-29 with 17:07 to play as Winston-Salem State mounted a 14-2 run over the final two minutes of the first half and the first three minutes of the second period as the host-team looked to be posing a challenge to the Wildcats.
The challenge was short-lived however as Bethune-Cookman mounted a 13-0 run of their own, due in large part to the Rams’ failure to record a field goal over a span of eight minutes and 40 seconds of play as the Wildcats blew open a close game en route to evening their record at 15-15 overall (8-7 MEAC).
For the 13th time in the 2008-09 season the Rams would shoot less than 40 percent from the field as the Rams hit only 36.5 percent of their field goals, hitting 19 of 52 attempts.
Conversely, the Wildcats benefitted from a 55.6 percent shooting performance as Bethune-Cookman hit 25 of 45 field goal attempts as WSSU dropped to 0-10 on the season when allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the field.
Brian Fisher’s team-leading 21 points on seven-of-14 shooting would not be enough for the Rams on Monday evening as Fisher was the only WSSU player to score more than 10 points in the contest.
C.J. Reed led the Wildcats with 21 points as the son of B-CU head coach Clifford Reed, Jr. paced three Bethune-Cookman players in double figures in the victory.
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 nine times, in the 40th percentile 10 times and have shot 50 percent or better from the field in only three games.
Scouting The Rams
The Rams enter into Thursday’s action with an 8-20 record after WSSU was defeated by Bethune-Cookman 64-49 on March 2 in Winston-Salem, N.C. WSSU is scoring only 57.6 points per game and is surrendering 66.9 points per game as the Rams are staring at a 9.3 points per game scoring deficit.
WSSU is hitting only 38.0 percent of their shots from the field as the Rams have hit only 587 of their 1,523 total field goal attempts through 28 games.
The Rams are led in scoring by junior guard Brian Fisher who ranks first in scoring at 14.2 points per game.
Joining Fisher in double-digit scoring is senior guard Jamal Durham who is averaging 12.7 points per game. In addition Durham is leading the team in rebounding as he is pulling down a team-leading 5.9 rebounds per contest. Durham has led the Rams in scoring 12 times in the 28 games of 2008-09. He has also led the Rams in rebounding in eight contests.
A Look Inside The Numbers
• The Rams are 6-4 when leading at the half in 2008-09. Conversely, Winston-Salem State is 2-14 when trailing at the half this season. WSSU is 0-2 when heading to halftime tied.
• WSSU is 0-10 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 Bethune-Cookman on Monday (54.6 percent).
• Winston-Salem State is 2-13 when shooting less than 40 percent from the field. WSSU is 0-10 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 0-13 when they score 59 points or less in games this season. WSSU is also 0-9 when they allow their opponents to score 70 points or more.
• The Rams are 1-11 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 5-12 in the New Year and are 3-7 when wearing their black, alternate road uniforms.
• WSSU is 3-8 on Saturday’s this season, 2-5 on Sunday’s and is 2-13 when opponents outrebound them.
Struggles Versus The MEAC
The Rams have struggled against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents this season. WSSU has posted a 5-12 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 1,226 career points. He has appeared in 115 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’ 28 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 42 blocks this season he ranks fourth on WSSU’s all-time career blocked shot list with 90 rejections. Davis needs only 12 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 8-7 in 2008-09 when they score 60 or more points and is 0-13 when scoring less than 60 points.
15 Below 40
The Rams have played 15 games in which they have shot less that 40 percent from the field. WSSU has lost 14 of those 15 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 43 charges through 27 games of the 2008-09 (1.52 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 taken five.
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.
Injury Report
The Rams head into Thursday’s contest versus the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman 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 1074-658 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.
