SALISBURY, NC – For the second time in the last three days, the Winston-Salem State Rams (8-11, 4-6 CIAA) saw a third quarter lead turn into a late loss when the team took a heartbreaking 53-51 road loss to the Livingstone Blue Bears (11-8, 6-4 CIAA). After holding a 51-51 tie with just 18 seconds left, the Rams allowed Blue Bears basket with just two seconds left to end the afternoon with the loss.  

The loss came in spite of a strong overall effort from the Rams as the team shot a solid 39.6% (19-of-48) from the floor while holding the Blue Bears to shooting just 27.7% (18-of-65) at home. The Rams also held the rebounding edge with 44 rebounds to the Blue Bears' 39. However, the Rams were plagued by turnovers, however, as the team gave the ball away 23 times in the loss. WSSU junior forward Sha'Quira Palmer led the way for the Rams with a game-high 10 poitns and nine rebounds in the game while fellow junior Jasmine Carter added nine points with five rebounds. Sophomore forward Briana Arnold added nine rebounds with six points as well.

Both halves saw the result as the Rams controlled the first (17-9) and third quarters (15-13), the Rams were outscored in the second quarter (8-15) and the critical fourth quarter (11-16) to take their second close loss.

Things looked good early for the Rams as the team jumped out with a strong 17-9 first quarter effort. Midway through the quarter, the Rams held a 9-2 lead after allowing just one Livingstone field goal in the first five minutes of the quarter. Livingstone would answer with a late quarter run, but the Rams would not let their lead slip away. After allowing the Blue Bears to pull to within six points, 13-7, WSSU answered with freshman guard Brionna Pate scoring back-to-back lay-ups to remain in charge and left the team on top, 17-9 at the end of the quarter.

Though the Rams had their hands full in the second quarter, the Rams showed some heart and would not allow their lead to slip away. The Rams would take their biggest lead of the game at the 6:12 mark in the second quarter when junior guard Jeri Craine hit a jumper that left the Rams on top, 23-11. In the final six minutes of the quarter, a lay-up from sophomore forward Briana Arnold was all that the team could muster with Livingstone mounting a 13-2 run. The Blue Bears capped their run with steal and lay-up with just under two seconds left.  In the end, the Rams went into the half clinging to a 25-24 lead.

The Rams came out with a great third quarter effort as they looked to close out the Blue Bears, but the team just could not put the home standing Blue Bears away. The Rams opened things up on fire with sophomore center Kandace Tate hitting a lay-up followed by a three-pointer from junior guard Trei Torain that put the Rams on top, 30-24 with 8:44 left in the quarter. The Rams surrender their lead later int eh quarter when a Livingstone lay-up with 2:19 left in the quarter left the Rams trailing, 33-34, but the Rams' defense kicked in as they held Livingstone without a field goal for the remainder of the quarter while Palmer scored five unanswered points to leave the Rams ahead, 40-37 heading into the fourth quarter.

Though the Rams ended the afternoon with the loss, the team controlled much of the quarter as they held a 46-42 lead before a 6-2 LC run tied the game, 48-48 with 2:21 left to play. After two more Palmer free throws left the Rams on top, 50-48, Livingstone tied the team once again 50-50 before a critical WSSU turnover with just over a minute left changed the entire game. Both teams would hit a free throw each to keep the game tied 51-51 before a Livingstone lay-up with just two seconds left the Rams in a desperate state. The team was able to get a shot off, but it was missed as the Rams ended the day with their second straight defeat.

The loss drops the Rams to 8-11 overall and 4-6 in CIAA play. More importantly, the Rams fall to 2-3 in the CIAA Southern Division. The Rams will return to action, Monday when they host the Virginia Union Panthers in a CIAA crossover game.

For more information on Rams women's basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.