Bison Shoot Nearly 70% As North Dakota State Downs Rams 87-63
Chris Zona
1/20/07

(Photo By Lee Adams of WSSU)

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The North Dakota State University Bison shot a season-high 69.6% from the field as they ran past the Rams of Winston-Salem State University by the score of 87-63 at the C.E. Gaines Center in Winston-Salem, NC on Saturday evening.

The Bison wasted no time in proving that they are every bit deserving of their impressive 123^rd ranking in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) as North Dakota State jumped out to an early lead against the Rams and never looked back en route to their 11^th victory of the season as NDSU snapped WSSU’s two-game win streak in the process.

The Bison, a team that has recorded impressive victories over Princeton, Marquette, Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Idaho, and last season recorded a road win over nationally-ranked Wisconsin, used a 34-of-49 shooting performance to defeat the Rams in front of over 3,200 fans at the Gaines Center.

A close game midway through the first half turned into a 12-point NDSU halftime lead as the Bison carried a 45-33 into the locker room at the intermission.

Second half action saw the Bison increase their lead to 22 points with just over four minutes remaining, eventually pushing the cushion to a game-high 26 points with 2:13 remaining in the contest.

The Bison, a team that has registered three 60% shooting games thus far this season, hit nearly everything from the floor as NDSU used their size to record 38 points in the paint.  NDSU missed only 15 shots in the contest and shot an astounding 80% (eight-of-ten) from behind the three-point arch.  The Rams fall to 1-18 on the season when allowing their opponent to shoot better than 50% from the field.

“They can really shoot the basketball.  One through five they can really shoot the basketball.  They are a very poised team and we, unfortunately, have to play them again, at their place.  We need to regroup and get our legs up under us and play better defense before we face them again” WSSU head coach Bobby Collins said in postgame interviews.

The Rams saw their two game win streak snapped with the loss as Winston-Salem State drops to 3-19 on the season.  The Bison improve to 11-6 overall with the win.

Leading the way for WSSU was Darius Floyd who recorded a team-high 21 points in the losing effort.  He was joined by Brian Fisher and Jamal Durham who tallied 12 and 10 points respectively.

The Bison were led by Ben Woodside and Brett Winkelman who each recorded a game-high 22 points in the win.

WSSU returns to action on January 27, 2007 in Daytona Beach, Florida when they travel to face the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman College.  Tip-off time is slated for 7:30 pm.

- wssurams.com -