Staff report

WINSTON-SALEM — Brionna Pate’s double-double sparked Winston-Salem State past Livingstone, 90-82, in CIAA women’s basketball action on Saturday afternoon.

Pate, a 6-1 senior wing, scored 27 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for the Rams, now 12-8 overall and 8-3 in the conference. They are second to Fayetteville State in the league’s Southern Division.

Before Saturday’s contest, Livingstone (6-16, 3-9) had won three games in a row, following a 12-game losing skid.

The Blue Bears played well in the first half, and trailed by only three points at halftime, 40-37. However, the third quarter turned in WSSU’s favor quickly, as Livingstone committed eight turnovers in the period. The Blue Bears had turned the ball over just six times during the entire first half.

Led by Pate and Amaya Tucker, the Rams’ lead expanded to double digits and by the end of the third quarter, the hosts led, 68-56.

Behind guard Adel Allen, who scored a team-high 26 points, Livingstone fought back valiantly in the final period, after WSSU led by as many as 15 points, early in the stanza.

The Blue Bears began to chip away and Allen’s 3-pointer with 49 seconds remaining pulled LC within seven points at 89-82.

But Tucker made a free throw at the 39-second mark and Livingstone missed its last four shots down the stretch.

WSSU shot very well for the game, making 56 percent of its shots (35-of-63), including over 60 percent in the first half. The Rams also sank 8-of-15 shots (53 percent) from the 3-point arc.

Meanwhile, Livingstone shot 44 percent (31-of-70) from the floor and connected on just 6-of-22 3-pointers (27 percent).

The Rams maintained a lead for most of the game. Pate’s layup with 7:21 left in the first half put her team up 24-22, and the Rams never trailed again.

Daisa Harris followed Allen in the LC scoring with 17 points, while Kyala Searcy scored 12 and Asia Green and Darra Walker added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Green also led the Blue Bears in rebound with seven, before fouling out.

Following Pate and Tucker for WSSU was Teara Johnson, who scored 10 points.

NOTES: The 26 points were a career high for Allen. … Livingstone is off until next Saturday’s home game against Shaw — 2 p.m. at New Trent Gym.

LIVINGSTONE (82) — Green 11, Harris 17, Allen 26, Bradley 2, Searcy 12, Walker 10, Terry 2, Copeland 2, Bland, Robinson, Galay.

WINSTON-SALEM STATE (90) — Tucker 18, Gipson 2, Daniels 3, Pate 27, Hall 6, Johnson 10, Williams 9, Sparrow 6, Shields 9.

Livingstone     20    17   19    26 — 82

W-S State        19    21    28    22 — 90