WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The Winston-Salem State Rams (9-11) played one of their most complete games of the season when the team took an impressive 62-56 win over the Paine Lions (7-15), Wednesday evening. Though the Rams had some impressive play at both ends of the court, the team still had to fend off a scrappy Paine team that pushed the Rams for all 40 minutes of the game.

The Rams clicked on all cylinders in the game when the team shot a scorching hot 43.1% (22-of-51) from the floor while holding the Lions to shooting just 27.7% (18-of-65) from the floor. WSSU junior forward Sha'Quira Palmer led the way for the Rams with 12 points and eight rebounds in the game while redshirt-sophomore center Jatzmin Johnson scored a career-high 11 points and eight rebounds in the game as well.

The Rams controlled the game from the very beginning and never looked back, but the lead would not come easy as the first quarter was a back-and-forth affair. The Rams struck first opening the game with a 6-2 run capped by a lay-up from freshman guard Brionna Pate at the 8:04 mark. After allowing Paine to tie the game, 6-6, the Rams turned up their efforts later in the quarter to take their largest lead of the quarter 13-7 after a three-pointer from junior guard Taelor Mandeville with 3:44 left in the quarter. Paine would make a run later in the quarter, but the Rams held on for the 15-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter belonged to the Rams as the team dominated the Lions, outscoring them 15-7. The Rams went ahead by as many as 14 points, doubling the Lions 28-14 after a Johnson lay-up with 2:43 left to play in the first half. The WSSU defense was especially impressive during the quarter as the team held the Lions scoreless for the first seven minutes of and held them without a field goal until the final minute of the half. However, the Lions managed to kick things into gear with a late rally, but the effort was not enough as the Rams took a 30-20 lead into the locker room at halftime.

After controlling the entire first half, the Rams soon had to hold off a late rally by the Lions. For the half, the Lions outscored the Rams 36-32, but the effort was not enough for the homestanding Rams. The Rams would keep their lead into double digits for most of the third quarter as a pair of Lion free throws capped a third-quarter rally that chipped away at the WSSU lead and left the Rams on top, 45-36 with just five seconds left in the quarter.

Though the Rams were challenged throughout the fourth quarter, the team would not relent as they battled their way to the win. The Rams had to battle past a 9-2 run from the Lions that cut the WSSU lead down to just two points, 47-45 with 6:54 left to play. When challenged, the Rams answered with a seven-point run, sparked by a Johnson three-pointer that left the Rams leading, 54-45 with 3:29 left to play. Down the stretch of the game, the Rams answered every challenge by the Lions, who pulled to within four points, 55-51 with 2:05 left to play. In the final two minutes, the Rams pushed their lead to as many as nine points, 62-53 before the WSSU defense clamped down and held the Lions to just three free throws and secured the Rams' win.

The win came at the right time for the Rams as it snapped a three-game skid for the team and will give the team some much needed momentum as they will return to Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) action, Saturday when they head to Raleigh, N.C. to take on the Saint Augustine's Falcons.

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.