No. 13 Winston-Salem State Advances to Atlantic Region Championship with Win Over Gannon

INDIANA, Pa. — The No. 13 Winston-Salem State Lady Rams continued their strong postseason run Saturday evening, defeating Gannon University 67–48 in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.

With the victory, Winston-Salem State improves to 28–3 on the season and advances to the Atlantic Region championship game.

Maia Charles led the Lady Rams with a game-high 19 points, while Makayla Waleed and Jakaiya Mack each added 10 points to help pace the offense.

Winston-Salem State controlled the game early, jumping out to a 9–0 lead in the opening quarter following a jumper by Waleed. The Lady Rams continued to build momentum and pushed the advantage to 19–4 after a three-pointer midway through the period. Gannon responded with an 11–4 run late in the quarter, but Winston-Salem State still carried a 23–15 lead into the second.

The Lady Rams extended their lead in the second quarter. Charles scored on a layup to make it 28–15, and a three-pointer from Nevaeh Farmer stretched the margin to 35–21. Winston-Salem State closed the half in style when Alana Biosse knocked down a three-pointer at the buzzer, sending the Lady Rams into halftime with a 43–28 advantage.

Winston-Salem State continued to maintain control in the third quarter. A 7–2 run capped by a layup from Mack pushed the lead to 50–32, and the Lady Rams carried a 57–37 advantage into the final period.

Gannon attempted to rally in the fourth quarter with a 7–2 run that cut the deficit to 59–44, but the Lady Rams responded quickly. Charles added another basket late, and Winston-Salem State sealed the victory at the free-throw line to secure the 67–48 win.

The Lady Rams finished the game shooting 23-of-53 from the field and an impressive 8-of-15 from three-point range. Winston-Salem State also forced 23 turnovers, recorded 16 steals, grabbed 35 rebounds, and scored 26 points in the paint.

With the win, Winston-Salem State advances to face either No. 1 Indiana (Pa.) or No. 4 Seton Hill in the Atlantic Region championship game on March 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.