WINSTON-SALEM, NC – In a game that will be remembered as a classic, the Winston-Salem State University Rams (9-10, 4-5 CIAA) fell just short in the final seconds in a 65-63 loss to the Fayetteville State Broncos (11-8, 8-2 CIAA), Saturday afternoon. The Rams put on one of their best performances of the season as they took the Broncos down to the wire in the hard-fought loss.

The Rams played one of their best games of the season. As a team, the Rams shot a solid 40.3% (25-of-62) from the floor. WSSU senior guard Taylor Daniels scored a career-high 19 points in the game. She was joined by sophomore guard O'Shea Hatley who came off the bench for 13 points. Sophomore guard Kyree Hall added 12 points while sophomore guard Melody Prichard added 10 points.

WSSU opened the game with a scorching hot effort as they jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter. The Rams opened the game with eight unanswered points to go ahead, 8-0. A free throw from senior guard Jahlia Williams gave the Rams the lead with 6:39 left in the quarter. For the remainder of the quarter, the Rams allowed the Broncos to cut the WSSU lead down to as few as four points, but the Rams stayed ahead and took a 16-9 lead after the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter saw a much different performance as the Rams allowed the Broncos to score 24 points. Though the Rams allowed the Broncos to tie the game, the team held the Broncos off until the final minutes of the quarter. A Prichard lay-up with 1:59 left in the second quarter kept the Rams ahead, 32-28. However, the Rams would not score again for the remainder of the quarter and allowed the Broncos to score five unanswered points to take a 33-32 deficit into the locker room at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Rams struggled to stop the Broncos' offensive attack. WSSU allowed the Broncos to outscore them, 21-13 in the quarter. The Rams opened the quarter by allowing the Broncos to take a 46-34 lead near the midway point of the quarter. It was then that the Rams would begin their effort at a comeback. WSSU cut their deficit down to just five points, 48-43, when Daniels hit a three-pointer with 2:32 left in the quarter. The shot capped a 9-2 WSSU run. Unfortunately, the Rams weren't able to reclaim a lead and ended the quarter trailing, 54-45.

The Rams began a thrilling comeback effort with a great fourth quarter performance. WSSU outscored the Broncos, 18-11, during the quarter. After falling behind by as many as 12 points, 61-51, the Rams began a furious comeback effort. The team went on a 10-0 run that was capped by another Daniels three-pointer that tied the game, 61-61 with 00:43 left to play. After allowing a pair of three throws to the Broncos, the Rams tied the game again on a Prichard jumper with 00:12 left to play. In the final seconds, the Rams forced a Bronco missed lay-up, but the team allowed an FSU player to collect the rebound and put it back in for a score at the buzzer. The effort left the Rams with the 65-63 loss.

With the loss, the Rams fall to 9-10 overall and 4-5 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play. The Rams will return to action, Monday, when the team heads to Raleigh, N.C. to take on the Shaw Lady Bears. 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.