Jan. 18, 2010
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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Despite a valiant effort by the Winston-Salem State Rams, Morgan State University proved to be too much on Monday evening at the C.E. Gaines Center as the Bears ended WSSU's two-game win streak by handing the host Rams an 84-65 defeat in front of a sellout crowd.
The two teams would trade blows during the first 20 minutes of play with eight ties and nine lead changes as neither team led by more than five points in the first period.
Paul Davis, Andrew Jackson and Stephon Platt led WSSU's first half effort as all three players paced the Rams with eight points as the trio hit 10 of their 12 field goal attempts en route to leading Winston-Salem State to a 53.6 percent shooting performance in the period.
Not to be outdone the Bears would scorch the nets with a hot shooting display of their own as they matched the Rams by hitting 16 of their 30 field goals in the half as nine Bears recorded points led by Troy Smith and DeWayne Jackson who each recorded seven points.
With one extra field goal and three additional free throws the Bears would hold a five point lead at the intermission as MSU led the Rams 40-35 at the half.
The Rams, disciplined despite their relative youth, continued to execute their offensive sets in the game's final 20 minutes of play but would fall victim to a six-minute 30 second cold stretch of shooting as Morgan State, the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions and an experience-laden team that played in the NCAA Tournament last season, gradually stretched their lead to double-digits.
A Corey Morris lay-up with 15:37 remaining in the game would trim the Morgan State lead to only three points before the Bears mounted a 30-14 run over the next 12 and a half minutes of play as the Rams missed 13 of their next 18 shots and MSU turned a three-point lead into a 74-55 advantage with just over three minutes to play in the game.
The Bears would push their lead to as many as 20 points in the game as senior guard Reggie Holmes scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half as he led Morgan State to the 19-point victory.
Paul Davis led the Rams with 16 points in the loss as he was joined by Andrew Jackson who recorded 11 points and Brian Fisher who added 10 points in a losing effort.
The loss drops the Rams to 5-10 on the season as WSSU falls to 2-3 against MEAC opponents. The victory improves Morgan State to 12-7 overall as Morgan State remains unblemished versus MEAC foes at 5-0.
Winston-Salem State University returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 23 as they play host to the Spartans of Norfolk State University at the C.E. Gaines Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
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.
