Nov. 22, 2005
Final Stats
Winston-Salem, NC - Despite nearly squandering an 11-point lead with only 2:41 to play, the Winston-Salem State University Rams basketball team earned its first win of the season on Tuesday evening at the C.E. Gaines Center as they defeated the Pioneers of Tusculum College 64-62 in non-conference men's basketball action.
The Rams allowed the Pioneers to start the game with a 5-0 run as WSSU fell behind to its opponent for the third time in as many games this season.
However, the Ram defense would prove to be the story in the contest as WSSU forced 28 Tusculum College turnovers as the home team recorded a season-high 23 steals in the contest.
The Rams would turn those 28 turnovers into 40 points off of turnovers as Tusculum College giveaways accounted for 62.5% of WSSU's offense.
Even the turnovers did not prevent the Rams from trailing the visiting Pioneers 35-33 at the halftime intermission as WSSU has still failed to lead at halftime during 2005-06.
WSSU head coach Philip Stitt rallied his Rams as WSSU stormed out of the locker room with an 11-2 run to start the second half.
The run would eventually earn the Rams their largest lead of the evening, an 11-point cushion, with 6:38 remaining in the contest.
However, the Corey Parker three-point field goal that gave the Rams that 11-point lead would prove to be WSSU's last field goal of the evening as Tusculum crept back into the contest, eventually cutting the Ram lead to only two points with 11 seconds remaining.
The Pioneers, without the aid of a time out, would fail to get a quality shot off in the game's waning moments, and WSSU held on for the win.
Corey Parker led all scorers with 19 points in the contest on eight of 12 shooting from the field. All-CIAA First-Team guard Alleggrie Guinn added 15 points and eight steals. Sophomore guard Roy Peake added seven steals and three assists in the win.
Tusculum was led by Matt Farus who tallied 18 points in a losing effort. He was joined in double-digits by Jordan Lear with 14 points.
"Our guys turned in maximum effort tonight, and we got the win. I wouldn't say that it was a must win tonight, more of a must-see. Must-see if the effort that was lacking in our first two games was there, and tonight it was, and as a result, we got the win," Rams head coach Philip Stitt said in postgame interview sessions.
WSSU returns to action on Saturday, November 26, 2005 versus the very same Pioneers of Tusculum in Greenville, TN at 4:00 pm.
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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