Staff report

WINSTON-SALEM — It’s close to impossible to win with the stat sheet that Winston-Salem State’s men’s basketball team produced on Saturday, but the Rams had the intangibles of Senior Day working for them.

The Rams, who have endured an awful season, summoned the willpower to beat Livingstone 77-71 in a CIAA season finale at Joel Coliseum despite shooting 38 percent and committing 22 turnovers. They had 5,000 fans behind them, and they fed off that energy.

Besides the fan base, the Rams’ advantages were at the 3-point line — they made nine — and the free-throw line where they cashed in 24 of 31 opportunities.

Tyre Boykin scored 18 for the Rams (4-21, 2-14).

Liivingstone (12-16, 4-12) got 18 apiece from Teon Tiller and James Nipper.

Livingstone trailed by six at halftime and was down 15 in the second half before mounting a comeback.

Livingstone caught up at 63-all with under four minutes left, but the Rams recaptured the momentum and finished strong.

The next action for both teams will be in the CIAA Tournament in Baltimore.

Livingstone will be the 4 seed from the Southern Division, while Winston-Salem State will be the 6 seed.

Livingstone will play Bowie State at 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday. Winston-Salem State will play Lincoln on Wednesday afternoon.

Livingstone    30   41    — 71

WSSU              36    41    — 77

LC scoring — Nipper 18, Tiller 18, Baxter 10, Ijeoma 8, Jenkins 3, Hukins 3, Kourouma 3, S. Tako 2, Walalce 2, Mobley 2, Cannady 2.