Jan. 27, 2008

GAME NOTES

NORFOLK, VA - There will be a bit nostalgia in the air when the Winston-Salem State Lady Rams (1-14) take on the Norfolk State Lady Spartans (2-15). The former CIAA rivals will meet once again as fellow conference members as members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Lady Rams will meet the Lady Spartans for the third time since making the move to NCAA Division I.

Former members of the CIAA, the Lady Rams and Lady Spartans are two of the top women's basketball programs in the CIAA and will be looking to make the same impact as members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Norfolk State held nine CIAA championships, including last winning in 1996. Heading into Monday's game, however, both teams are hungry for a win, Monday night as the Lady Rams have taken back-to-back losses to the Hampton Lady Pirates and the North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies while the Lady Spartans have taken six straight losses, including a 74-58 loss to the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs, Saturday night.

The Lady Rams will head into Monday's game seeking their first road win of the season as the team is 0-5 on the road this season and is allowing opponents to average 72.4 points per game. The Lady Rams will look to its hot young freshmen to lead the way in Monday's game. Freshman guard Corbin Bradford has come on strong lately scoring a combined 35 points in her last two games with 15 points against Hampton and a career-high 20 points at North Carolina A&T. During the run, Bradford is averaging 17.5 points per game and is shooting 32.1% from the field. She has also hit four three-pointers and 11 free throws in the run.

Across the court, the Lady Rams will face a Lady Spartan team that has little trouble scoring averaging 52.9 points per game, but is allowing 69.8 points per game to their opponents. Three Lady Spartans are averaging double-digit scoring this season, led by senior forward Areya Walker's 11.9 points per game. Junior guard Ebony Gibbs and freshman guard Raychele Payne are averaging 10.9 and 10.5 points per game respectively. The Lady Spartans have one of the top scoring backcourts in the conference.

The Lady Rams and Lady Spartans are set for a 6:00 p.m. start at Echols Hall in Norfolk, VA.