WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The Winston-Salem State Lady Rams (15-7, 10-2 CIAA) gave it their all, but the effort was not enough as the team took a 75-68 loss to the Shaw Lady Bears (16-6, 11-1 CIAA), Saturday evening. The loss put a temporary halt to the Lady Rams' bid for the top spot in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Southern Division and gave WSSU its first home loss of the season.  

Though the Lady Rams gave a solid overall effort, the team could not manage to stop a Shaw Lady Bears team that frustrated the WSSU offense all game long. For the game, the Lady Rams shot a solid 37.7% from the field, but the team committed 25 turnovers in the game. WSSU senior guard Taneisha White led the way for the Lady Rams with a career-high 15 points and five rebounds. Junior guard Jasmine Newkirk scored 16 poionts while junior forward Monique Williams added 11 points.

The Lady Rams gave a great first half effort as they kept the potent Lady Bears within reach for the entire half. It was the Lady Rams who controlled the game in the early going as the team jumped out to 10-8 lead at the 15:01 mark. Things would get tough for the Lady Rams down the stretch of the half when the Lady Bears took a 29-21 lead with 6:58 left in the half. The Lady Rams would answer the call as a pair of Newkirk three-pointers gave the Lady Rams a 33-32 lead with 2:48 left to play. A Shaw lay-uo at the 1:44 mark would be the only other score of the half and left the Lady Rams taking a 34-33 deficit into the locker room at halftime.

The second half turned out to be a struggle for the Lady Rams as the team was outscored 41-35 in the half. Things got tough early for the Lady Rams as the team scored just two points in the first five minutes of the half and fell into a 44-35 deficit with 16:54 left to play. Things got no better for the Lady Rams as the team fell behind by as many as 10 points 53-43 with 11:18 left to play. The Lady Rams would work their way back into the game. With White leading the way, the Lady Rams cut their deficit down to three points, 59-56 with 5:52 left to play. Things looked great for the Lady Rams when a pair of White free throws at the 3:48 mark pulled the Lady Rams within one, 59-58. However, down the final stretch of the game, the Lady Bears would go on to close things out with a 16-10 run that ended the WSSU night.

With the loss, the Lady Rams fall to third place in the CIAA Southern Division after Johnson C. Smith picked up a home win over Saint Augustine's. The Lady Rams will look to get back on the winning track when they host the Livingstone Lady Blue Bears, Monday. For more information on Lady Rams basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.