WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The Winston-Salem State Rams (8-12, 4-7 CIAA) gave it a great effort, but the team could not overcome the high-powered #20 Virginia Union Panthers (16-2, 8-2 CIAA). The Rams played well offensively, but the team could not stop the Virginia Union Panthers in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) crossover match up.

The Rams played a solid offensive game in spite of the loss as the team shot 36.5% (23-of-63) from the floor, but the team could not stop a Virginia Union team that shot a scorching hot 44.6% (33-of-74) from the floor. WSSU junior forward Jasmine Carter led the way for the Rams with a team-high 13 points in the game. Sophomore forward Briana Arnold added 12 points with a game-high seven rebounds in the game.

Though things looked good for the Rams early, the team found itself working from behind for much of the first half. The Rams struck first as the team jumped out to an early 8-3 lead over the first four minutes of the first quarter, but the Panthers soon came alive, outscoring the Rams 15-3 for the remainder of the quarter and left the Rams trailing, 11-18. A Carter jumper with just over three minutes left in the quarter was the sole field goal for the remainder of the quarter while a free throw from junior guard Trei Torain rounded out the team's scoring.

The WSSU struggles carried over into the second quarter when junior forward Sha'Quira Palmer scored the first WSSU points of the quarter with a lay-up at the 6:54 mark and left the team trailing, 13-22. The Rams would make a strand in the final minutes of the quarter with an 8-2 run pulled the Rams to within five points, 21-25 with 1:09 left in the half. From there, Virginia Union went on to score six unanswered points and left the Rams trailing, 21-32 at halftime.

After a solid defensive effort in the first half, the Rams were outscored 51-26 in the half. The Rams managed just three points in the first four minutes of the quarter and fell behind by 21 points, 24-45 with 6:16 left in the quarter. After falling behind by as many as 26 points, 56-30, the Rams mounted. In the final 1:37 of the quarter, the Rams went on a seven-point run to trail, 37-56 heading into the fourth quarter.  

The fourth quarter saw much of the same as the Rams pulled to within 16 points, 44-60 after a Carter three-pointer with 8:15, but the comeback would fall short for the Rams. The WSSU deficit grew to 35 points, 47-82 with 3:27 left to play. The Rams would close the game on a high note with a five-point run to close the game and finish with the 83-56 loss.

With the loss, the Rams fall to 8-12 overall and 4-7 in CIAA play. The Rams will return to action, Wednesday when the team hosts Paine in a 5:30 p.m. game. For more information on Rams women's basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (33^) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.