Feb. 16, 2009

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Winston-Salem State University men's basketball team missed 15 of their first 16 shots in the second half of play enabling the Pirates of Hampton University to turn a five-point halftime advantage into an insurmountable 26-point lead en route to a 67-49 victory over the Rams on Monday evening at the Joel Coliseum Annex.

With Hampton up 25-20 following the halftime intermission, the Rams would get only one field goal and a pair of free throws during the contest's next 11-plus minutes as Winston-Salem State missed 15 of 16 field goals and would go more than eight-and-a-half minutes without a bucket.

During a 24-4 Pirate run that encompassed the first 10 minutes of the game's final period, the Rams would get a Brian Fisher layup 2:46 into the half and would record a pair of free throws midway through the period before a Jamarcus McClinton layup with 8:50 remaining broke the scoring drought.

Despite breaking the scoring drought the damage would already be done as Hampton, a perennial Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference power, would never allow the Rams to get closer than 14 points the rest of the way as they earned the season sweep of WSSU and ran HU's win streak over the Rams to four games including 12 of the last 13 meetings between the two programs with WSSU's last victory over HU coming in 1995.

Brian Fisher's 14 points led WSSU in the loss as the Rams drop to 7-17 on the season while Hampton improves to 12-13 overall on the year with the victory (5-6 MEAC).

WSSU returns to action on Feb. 21 at 4:00 p.m. as they travel to Greensboro, N.C. to face Interstate 40 rival North Carolina A&T State University on Saturday afternoon at the Corbett Sports Center.

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.