Jan. 28, 2008
Final Stats
NORFOLK, VA - Despite four of five Ram starters recording double-digit scoring performances, the Winston-Salem State University men's basketball team fell to 0-7 on the road on Monday evening as the Norfolk State Spartans handed WSSU a 82-67 defeat at Echols Hall in a MEAC men's basketball league contest.
Freshman forward Paul Davis showed no ill-effects of the walking boot that he has been wearing for the last week as the 6'10" forward led the Rams with nine points and eight rebounds during the first 20 minutes of play including four points and five rebounds in the game's opening five minutes.
Paced by the play of Davis, the Rams opened up a five point lead after only seven-and-a-half minutes with WSSU controlling the paint using an aggressive up-tempo defense that stunned the home-team Spartans.
Controlling the paint would prove to be a double-edged sword for the Rams as the hot-shooting Michael Deloach, Norfolk State's valuable sixth-man, was able to connect on two of his three shots from long range en route to a half-high 12 points as the Spartans erased the WSSU lead.
The long-range output from Deloach, a player who averages nearly 12 points per game off of the bench, forced the Rams to pressure the perimeter and enabled the taller Spartans to move the ball into the low post to use their sizeable height advantage.
That size advantage earned the Spartans 20 points in the paint during the half as NSU turned a five-point deficit into an 18-point advantage over the next eight-plus minutes of play, eventually taking a 14-point lead at the half leading 43-29.
A pair of early buckets to start the half saw WSSU cut the Spartan lead to only 10 points as the Rams mounted what appeared to be a comeback.
Three consecutive turnovers would plague the Rams and NSU would use six quick transition points as they pushed the lead back to 16 points as the Spartans never allowed WSSU to get closer than eight points for the remainder of the contest.
For the first time in 2007-08 four WSSU starters recorded double-digit scoring outputs. Leading the way for the Rams was Isiah Tucker who tallied 16 points in the loss. Jamal Durham chipped in with 15 points, Darrell Wonge recorded 14 points and Paul Davis recorded his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds in 24 minutes of work for the Rams.
Leading the way for the Spartans was Michael Deloach who recorded a game-high 23 points in the win as he turned in a nine-of-twelve shooting performance from the field.
The loss drops the Rams to 7-11 overall while the Spartans improve to 9-9 overall (5-1 MEAC) with the win. The loss is WSSU's third straight defeat and marks the Rams' first three-game skid since a four-game losing streak in late November.
WSSU returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 2 as they play host to the Rattlers of Florida A&M at the Coliseum Annex in Winston-Salem, NC. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 pm.
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.
