Jan. 14, 2008
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WINSTON-SALEM, NC - It was not to be on Monday evening at the Coliseum Annex in Winston-Salem, NC as WSSU fought for 40 minutes against one of the MEAC's best teams in a bid to even their record at .500 but came up just short, ultimately falling in defeat to the Delaware State University Hornets by the score of 66-59.
The game's first 20 minutes of play saw the lead change hands eight different times and found the teams deadlocked in a tie on four occasions as the two teams proved to be evenly matched, despite the relative youth of the WSSU roster.
Neither team would lead by more than six points during the first period as both squads shot better than 46 percent from the field in front of a boisterous crowd at the Coliseum Annex on a day that the WSSU students returned to class from their holiday recess.
A late-half push would enable the visiting Hornets to take a six-point lead, their largest lead of the half, to the locker room for the halftime intermission as they led 36-30 after 20 minutes of play.
Darrell Wonge, WSSU's senior forward, would again turn in a stellar single-half performance as he would lead all WSSU scorers with 10 points. However, Delaware State's Roy Bright would eclipse all other scorers with 17 points in the first 20 minutes on six-of-eight shooting from the field, a performance that included three three-pointers.
Despite Bright's first-half heroics, the Rams would again prove that they are a force to be reckoned with in the thick of the MEAC race as WSSU retook the lead only minutes into the second half.
A Jamal Durham dunk on a feed from Roy Peake enabled the Rams to retake the lead with 15:19 remaining in the contest as WSSU needed less than five minutes to battle back and erase the DSU lead.
The Hornets, a veteran-laden team would prove to be unfazed by the Rams' fortitude as back-to-back-to-back three-point field goals would immediately give DSU back the lead, this time for good.
Delaware State would increase their lead to as many as 10 points over the final seven minutes of play en route to the 66-59 victory.
Leading the way for the Rams was Darrell Wonge who finished with a tea-high 18 points as he led three WSSU players into double figures. Joining Wonge in double-figures was Jamal Durham and Brian Fisher with 14 points and 10 points respectively.
Delaware State was paced by Roy Bright who led all scorers with 24 points in the contest.
With the loss the Rams fall to 6-8 on the season while the Hornets improve to 4-9 overall with the win.
WSSU returns to action on Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 7:30 pm from the Joel Coliseum when they play host to the Bison of Howard University in a MEAC league contest.
For additional information on WSSU men's basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at WSSURams.com.
