Jan. 19, 2006
Final Stats
RALEIGH, NC - Roy Peake's (So./Thomasville, NC) late-game three-pointer put the Rams ahead for good as the Winston-Salem State University men's basketball team won their third consecutive game on Thursday evening as they defeated the Shaw University Bears 65-59 on the road in Raleigh, NC to improve to 9-5 overall (4-2 CIAA, 2-0 CIAA West).
The Bears started the game well as they drilled a 22-foot three-pointer on their first possession of the contest to give themselves a 3-0 lead only 42 seconds into the conference tilt.
That lead would be short-lived as the Rams used their pressure defense to earn easy baskets as WSSU mounted a 15-2 run over the game's next eight minutes of play en route to an early 15-5 lead.
Alleggrie Guinn (Sr./Charlotte, NC), Frank Johnson (Sr./Washington, DC) and Audly Wehner (Jr./Fayetteville, NC) each tallied seven points during the first 20 minutes of play as WSSU continued to earn fast break opportunities as the Rams forced 14 Shaw turnovers and held the Bears to 37% shooting from the field (seven-of-19).
In contrast to the Bears, the Rams' transition baskets enabled WSSU to turn in a 52% shooting performance in the first half as WSSU connected on 13 of their 25 field goal attempts.
WSSU's 34-25 lead would not last as the Bears, who transitioned towards a full-court press during the game's second half, forced several turnovers and pressured the Rams into some questionable shot selections as Shaw would tie the game at 42-42 with 10:40 to play in the contest.
The Rams responded with a six-point run of their own to once again take the lead, yet the Bears traded blows with the visitors to again tie the contest at 53-53 on the first of a pair of free throws by Nate Aaron (Jr./Jacksonville, FL).
The final 4:33 of the contest was typical CIAA basketball as the two teams continued to battle back and forth in a see-saw affair with neither team able to separate themselves from the other by more than six points.
In what would seem like deja-vu for fans of WSSU basketball, it would come down to sophomore point guard Roy Peake hitting another timely, clutch, three-pointer.
As he has done two other times this season (versus Saint Augustine's and Tusculum), Peake calmly nailed a three-pointer as the shot clock wound down to give the Rams a three-point lead at 62-59 with 56.2 seconds to play in the game.
Following a quick Shaw University turnover, Peake, seemingly with ice water in his veins, hit the front end of a one-and-one to make it a two-possession game as he gave WSSU a four-point lead.
Despite Peake missing the second free throw, the Rams' Corey Parker stole the rebound away from the Bears and put home a reverse lay-up to secure the win for the Rams by the score of 65-59 as the Rams shot above 50% from the field for their third straight game.
Leading the way for the Rams was Corey Parker (Sr./Jacksonville, NC) who tallied a team-high 14 points as he and teammate Alleggrie Guinn (11 points) were the only two Rams in double-figures.
With the win, the Rams improve to 9-5 overall and move to 4-2 in the CIAA (2-0 CIAA West). The loss drops Shaw to 2-13 overall and 1-4 in the CIAA (1-2 CIAA East).
WSSU returns to action on Saturday, January 21, 2006 at 7:30 pm as they play host to the Tigers of Saint Paul's College at the C.E. Gaines Center in Winston-Salem, NC
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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