Jan. 10, 2006

Final Stats

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The Rams had five players score in double-figures and shot a astounding 77% from three-point range (10-of-13) as they earned a hard-fought 98-90 win over the Falcons of Saint Augustine's College, the CIAA's most prolific offensive team at the LJVM Coliseum Annex on Tuesday evening in the first CIAA Western Division league contest for both teams.

The Falcons came out of the locker room flying as the CIAA's highest-scoring team (94.6 points per game average) sprinted out to a 19-6 lead over the game's first seven minutes of play to take control of the contest.

The Rams, not to be outdone, would go on a run of their own as they welcomed back Audly Wehner, the 2003-04 CIAA Rookie of the Year and 2004-05 All-CIAA First-Team forward who has been sidelined since July following knee surgery to reconstruct a torn medial collateral ligament.

Wehner would make his presence felt immediately as the Rams mounted a 20-0 run in which they would turn a 13 point deficit into a seven-point lead as Wehner tallied eight points in three minutes, turning in a perfect four-of-four shooting display in the process.

Saint Augustine's College broke the scoring drought with 6:20 left in the first half of play as a pair of Nicholas King free-throws gave SAC their first points in nearly seven minutes of play.

The Falcons and Rams would then trade baskets for the remainder of the half as SAC took a slim 39-38 lead to the locker room at halftime.

The Rams opened the second half of play with a three-point basket by Darrell Wonge to move ahead 41-39 only 26 seconds into the second period, and would never trail again en route to the 98-90 win.

The two teams, playing in an up-tempo style that the offensive-minded Falcons favored, traded baskets before the Rams hot shooting proved to be Saint Augustine's College undoing.

The Rams used the three-point field goal to their advantage in the second half of play as they hit nearly everything.  WSSU turned in their most impressive three-point shooting display during the Philip Stitt era as the Rams hit 10 of 13 three-point field goals as they scorched the nets for a 76.9% shooting percentage from deep.

WSSU hit not only their three-point field goals, but their lay-ups and jump shots as well as the Rams turned in an overall shooting performance of 62.3%, their best shooting evening of the season.

The Falcons had no answer for the Rams as the high-octane Falcons shot an impressive 52.4% from the field themselves and still fell in defeat. 

Audly Wehner, looked very impressive in his first game after returning from an injury as he recorded 15 points on seven-of-eight shooting from the field.  Wehner tallied three assists and four rebounds as well.

Wehner was joined in double figures by four other Rams as Alleggrie Guinn tallied 14 points and 10 assists in the contest for the Rams' first points-assists double-double since Devonaire Deas did it versus ECSU on December 15, 2001.  Corey Parker led the Rams with 20 points and three rebounds.

The Falcons were led by the CIAA's leading scorer, Antonio Fitzgerald who recorded 22 points in the loss.

With the win, the Rams improve to 7-5 overall (2-2 CIAA, 1-0 CIAA West) while the Falcons fall to 6-2 overall (1-2 CIAA, 0-1 CIAA West).    

The Rams return to action on Saturday, January 14, 2006 at 7:30 pm as they continue Western Division league play in Salisbury, NC versus the Livingstone College Bears.

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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