The Winston-Salem State women’s basketball team continued its strong season Saturday afternoon, using a dominant defensive showing to beat Fayetteville State 50-36 inside the C.E. Gaines Center.
The win improved the Rams to 19-2 overall, 10-1 in CIAA play, and 4-1 in the Southern Division.
Jakaiya Mack paced WSSU with 11 points, while Navaeh Farmer added 10 as the Rams relied on balanced scoring and relentless pressure to hold the Broncos to just 36 points.
Winston-Salem State shot 34 percent (19-of-56) from the field and 26 percent (5-of-19) from beyond the arc. The Rams also finished with 45 rebounds, 22 points in the paint, and 20 points off 25 forced turnovers.
Rams pull away
The Rams jumped out quickly, scoring the game’s first eight points and taking a 13-5 lead after the opening quarter. Mack’s three-pointer late in the period capped a strong start for WSSU.
Fayetteville State found a brief rhythm in the second quarter, trimming the lead to 14-10 midway through the period. But WSSU responded with a 6-2 burst, fueled by an Alana Biosse layup, to take a 20-15 advantage into halftime.
The Rams maintained their defensive intensity after the break. Ah’Kiyah Pye’s layup pushed the lead to 27-17 midway through the third before the Broncos countered with an 8-0 run to pull within two. Undeterred, WSSU closed the quarter strong and carried a six-point lead into the final period.
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Winston-Salem State put the game out of reach with a decisive 14-2 run in the fourth quarter, highlighted by a Farmer three-pointer that extended the margin to 48-30 with just over four minutes to play.
The Rams cruised the rest of the way, securing another key CIAA victory as they continue their pursuit of a conference championship.
