Dec. 8, 2009

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CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Lamar Monger's team-leading 14 points and three players in double-figure scoring were not enough on Tuesday evening at Halton Arena as Charlotte downed the Rams of Winston-Salem State University 94-52 in a non-conference men's college basketball matchup.

Monger, who earned his first start of the season, and first start since the Rams' final game of the 2008-09 season, turned in an impressive four-of-seven shooting performance including a two-of-three display from beyond the three-point arch en route to a team-high 14 points in a season-high 28 minutes of playing time.

"I have never questioned Lamar's effort" WSSU head coach Bobby Collins said in postgame interviews. "He brings effort and intensity every day and he plays with passion. I wanted to jump start us tonight with that effort and energy, and he really played well for us" Collins added.

The 49ers came out of the gate roaring as they posted a 9-0 offensive run to open the game as Charlotte jumped out to a lead that they would never relinquish.

The Rams fell behind by as many as 21 points during the game's first 20 minutes of play as freshman forward Chris Braswell and forward Shamari Spears, a transfer from Boston College, combined for 24 of Charlotte's 43 first-half points.

The pair of forwards would combine for only 23 minutes in the first half yet would record 24 points as Braswell posted a perfect five-of-five shooting performance and Spears hit six of his eight field goal attempts as they paced the 49ers.

Despite finding themselves in an early hole, the Rams would use a pair of Brian Fisher three-pointers as well as one deep ball from both Lamar Monger and Andrew Jackson as WSSU kept pace with the red hot 49ers, a team riding high on emotion after defeating #18/#20 Louisville only three days earlier, and a Charlotte team that finds itself ranked 37th and 39th in the AP Top 25 and the ESPN USA Today polls respectively.

Undaunted, the Rams would continue to apply pressure to the 49ers with senior guard, and 1000-point club member Brian Fisher doing most of the damage. Fisher would lead the Rams with eight points and three rebounds as well as a pair of assists in the first half as WSSU found themselves trailing 43-22 at the half.

The 49ers added to their lead in the second half as they used a combination of strong interior play and excellent outside shooting to push their lead to as many as 42 points as they shot over 50 percent from the field for the game en route to earning their seventh win of the 2009-10 season.

Monger continued his stellar play in the second half and he was joined by both Brian Fisher and Paul Davis who scored 10 and 12 points respectively in the loss, the Rams' sixth of the season as WSSU falls to 2-6 overall.

It would be Spears and Braswell who would lead the way for Charlotte as the pair of forwards combined for 33 points and 19 rebounds. Spears led Charlotte with 17 points and Braswell recorded 16 points and 15 rebounds in the victory.

"He [Braswell] was too big and too strong. They were just too much inside for us tonight" Bobby Collins said. "To think that young man is 18 years old. He is one heck of a player and they are a very good team. That team is an NCAA Tournament team, and they proved it tonight" Collins commented.

The Rams fall to 2-6 overall with the loss while Charlotte moves to 7-1 on the season with the victory.

Winston-Salem State will have 11 days off before returning to action on Dec. 19 versus Ferrum College at the C.E. Gaines Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.

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.