Jan. 23, 2010
Final Stats
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Winston-Salem State University men's basketball team seems to be getting used to the sellout crowds at the C.E. Gaines Center as they improved to 5-2 at home on Saturday afternoon as Brian Fisher and Paul Davis each scored 19 points to lead the Rams to a 82-70 victory over Norfolk State University in front of the nearly 3,200 raucous fans that were on hand to see WSSU move to 6-10 overall on the season.
The Rams, playing the third game of a four-game home stand, found themselves trailing early as Norfolk State led by as many as eight points during the first 20 minutes of play behind Michael Deloach's 11 first-half points. Deloach, the second leading scorer in the MEAC and the 17th-ranked scorer in the nation
(20.6 ppg), hit five of his eight field goal attempts in 17 minutes of play in the first period despite receiving the attention of four different WSSU defenders.
While the WSSU defense found slowing down Deloach difficult the WSSU offense would more than make up for it as WSSU blistered the nets at almost a 50 percent shooting pace as the Rams hit 14 of their 30 first-half field goals including hitting five of 10 three-point field goals as eight Rams' recorded points in the period.
Senior guard Brian Fisher matched Deloach as he recorded 11 points in the half en route to helping the Rams convert an eight-point deficit into a nine-point lead, a margin that they would take to the locker room at halftime as WSSU led 36-27 at the break.
The Rams' kept rolling the second half as they increased their lead to as many as 15 points with exceptional play from head coach Bobby Collins' game plan that saw WSSU use an inside-out attack that stymied the Spartans as the Rams shot a season-high 52.6 percent from the field.
Collins' post-first philosophy flourished with stellar performances from the Rams' big men as Paul Davis scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, Corey Morris added eight points and seven boards and Shelton Carter scored a dozen points and recorded four rebounds as WSSU tallied 46 points in the paint.
The post play would prove to be the difference in the contest not only for their point production but for a distinct rebounding advantage as the trio recorded 21 of the Rams 41 rebounds in the contest as they nearly matched the Spartans' 22 total rebounds.
Davis and Fisher led the Rams with 19 points each as four Rams recorded double-digit point totals in the victory. Shelton Carter added 12 points and Andrew Jackson tallied 10 points in the win.
Deloach led the Spartans with a game-high 20 points, nearly a full point off of his season average, as he led four NSU players in double-figures.
“It was a complete effort tonight. This is the best that we have played all season” Bobby Collins said in postgame interviews. “Tonight's effort showed just how talented we are as a team and how, when we have a complete effort from all of our guys, successful we can be. I am proud of our young men tonight. They, and our fans, deserved this win” Collins added.
The victory improves the Rams to 6-10 on season and evens the Rams at 3-3 versus MEAC opponents. The loss drops Norfolk State to 3-14 overall and 3-3 in the MEAC.
Winston-Salem State University returns to action on Monday evening at 8:30 p.m. as they face the Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University from the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in t6he 88th meeting between the two rivals which are separated by only 31 miles of interstate.
For additional information on Rams basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of Winston-Salem State University Athletics at WSSURams.com.
