Nov. 22, 2005

Final Stats

Winston-Salem, NC - Winston-Salem State University sophomore forward Keoshia Worthy hit a fade-away jumper with 31 seconds to play, giving the host Rams a 76-74 NCAA Division II women's basketball victory over Wingate University Tuesday night in the C.E. Gaines Center on the WSSU campus.

With the win, Winston-Salem State improves to 3-1 overall.  Wingate falls to 2-2 overall with its second two-point loss in four days. Johnson C. Smith edged the Bulldogs 59-57 Saturday in Greeneville, Tenn.

Wingate and Winston-Salem State will see each other again in three days, as the two teams will battle in the North Carolina Central University BC Powder Thanksgiving Classic Friday at 2 p.m. in Durham.

WSSU junior point guard Latoya Armstrong led the Rams with 19 points, including 13 in the first half as WSSU built a 38-34 lead at the break. Junior forward Janet Robinson added 16 points, while freshman guards Akebia Williams and Candace Saunders contributed 12 points and 10 points, respectively.

For Wingate, junior guard Tanetra Barrett (Marshville, N.C.) led all scorers with 24 points. Bulldog senior center Veronica Taylor (Columbia, S.C.) had 14 points, while freshman point guard Anna Atkinson (Marion, N.C.) chipped in 12 markers. Junior forward Kerri Metzker (Charlotte, N.C.) added 10 points for the visitors.

Winston-Salem State took its first lead since early in the second half when Saunders nailed a 15-footer to put the Rams up 74-72 with 3:09 to play. Wingate tied the game on a Taylor hoop with 1:02 left in the contest, setting the stage for Worthy's heroics.           

Earlier in the second half, Wingate made a 10-0 run to take a 46-42 advantage. The flurry ended on a traditional three-point play by junior forward Emily Paffrath (Bakersville, N.C.) with 16:03 remaining in regulation.

The Bulldogs built a seven-point lead (their largest of the night) on a hoop by freshman point guard Anna Atkinson (Marion, N.C.) with 9:34 left, making the score 59-52 Wingate. The Rams rallied, thanks to the long-range shooting of freshman guard Williams. The Fayetteville native hit two clutch triples, the second at the 7:03 mark to cut Wingate's lead to 63-61.

Wingate countered with two free throws by Barrett and back-to-back baskets by Taylor to push its lead to 69-64 with 5:39 remaining in the game. Atkinson hit a triple to give Wingate a 72-68 lead at the 4:31 mark, but the Bulldogs would hit only one hoop the rest of the way as Winston-Salem State rallied for the two-point victory.

The Bulldogs shot 56.3 percent from the field (27-of-48) for the contest, Wingate's best shooting night of the young season. The Rams converted 28-of-52 field goals (53.8 percent) on the evening.

In the first half, Wingate took its first lead when Metzker hit a long jumper to make it 26-25 Bulldogs with 6:25 to go in the opening frame. Barrett led the Bulldogs with 15 first-half points, while Robinson's 13 markers topped the Winston-Salem State charts in the first 20 minutes.

Both teams shot the ball extremely well in the first half. The host Rams hit 57.1 percent (16-of-28) in the first 20 minutes. The Bulldogs converted 54.5 percent (12-of-22) of their field goals in the opening frame.

WSSU will return to action on November 25, 2005 when they face the Bulldogs again, this time on neutral soil at McClendon-McDougald Gymnasium on the campus of NCCU.

For additional information on WSSU women'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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