Winston-Salem State continued its bright start to the season with an 81-64 victory A win over Bluefield StateThe winning streak of the Rams in women’s basketball increased to 12 straight.
Maia Charles powered the win with a dominant double-double, scoring a season-high 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to pace the Rams.
Makayla Waleed and Ah’Kiyah Pye each added 11 points to help WSSU with a balanced scoring attack around its star.
Winston-Salem State (12-1) shot an efficient 32-of-58 from the floor and added 14-of-22 from the foul line while knocking down three shots from beyond the arc.
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The Rams dominated the interior, scoring 52 points and 38 rebounds in the paint, punishing Bluefield State time and time again.
The WSSU defense sets the tone
Defensively, WSSU turned the Big Blue into 25 turnovers, turning those mistakes into 33 points.
The Rams’ pressure had 16 steals on the night, which helped them maintain control from the opening quarter to the final buzzer.
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The Rams opened the game on a 9-0 run to start the second quarter, extending the lead to double digits and taking a 38-22 advantage into halftime.
Winston-Salem State used a 6-2 run in the third and then a 14-3 run to take a 63-39 lead into the fourth.
Pye’s layups helped keep the cushion above 20 points in the final period, and Bluefield State never cut the deficit below 15 the rest of the way.
With the win, the Rams solidified their status as one of the league’s hottest teams, improving to 12-1 overall and 3-0 in CIAA play.
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Winston-Salem State now turns its attention to its next home test as it looks to keep the streak alive and extend its early-season surge into CIAA play.
