Storylines – Winston-Salem State Game
The Rams enter Wednesday's game in search of their first win of the year. Most recently, Winston-Salem State dropped a 59-47 decision to Pitt-Johnstown, a day after falling 72-66 in overtime to Shepherd University. The Rams are under the director of L'Tona Lamonte who is in her first year at the helm of the program. Lamonte spent 14 years at the NCAA Division I level before returning to her alma mater. Guard Tiana Edwards and forward Jasmine Carter have been the Rams two strongest players in the early going. Edwards, a 5-foot-5 guard from Wilmington, N.C. leads the team with 12.5 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting. Edwards already has a 20-point game this season, having posted 22 points against Shepherd in the season opener. Carter has come off the bench in each of the first two games. The 6-foot senior recorded 11 points and nine rebounds against Shepherd before registering 10 points against Pitt-Johnstown. Kandace Tate is off to a slow start but has been a force throughout her collegiate career. The 6-foot-3 center averaged a team-high 8.9 points and 5.7 rebounds a game as a junior.
About UVa-Wise
After dropping its season opener and being down 12 points in the fourth quarter to IUP, UVa-Wise responded with its best quarter of the young season, a 24-point output to upend the Crimson Hawks 54-51. The senior trio of
Makenzie Cluesman,
Kayla Carey and
Taylor Sandidge came up big in the victory by scoring 42 of the team's 54 points. Cluesman led all players with 16 points while Carey's 14 point showing aided her to a spot on the Wolf Bus Lines Classic All-Tournament Team, Sandidge was a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe in the final minute to seal the win. In last year's meeting against the Rams, Cluesman, Carey and Sandidge were equally impressive. Carey scored a game-high 18 points while Cluesman and Sandidge each scored 10 points in the 66-55 win. So far this season, coach
Kristin Kunzman has been going deep on her bench. In each of the first two games, at least 12 Cavaliers have touched the floor. Overall, 11 players are averaging at least seven minutes per game. Defense has been superb for UVa-Wise, thus far. Through two games, opponents are making just 25 percent of their 3-point attempts and 36.5 percent of overall field goal attempts. In its win over IUP, UVa-Wise limited the Crimson Hawks to 30.7 percent shooting in the fourth quarter.
