FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Information Director
(540) 365-4306
 
February 1, 2003
 
 
Panthers Split Basketball Doubleheader with N.C. Wesleyan
Women Win, Men Lose in Dixie Action

Ferrum, Va. -- The Ferrum College women defeated visiting North Carolina Wesleyan College 54-47, while the men fell to the Bishops 88-73 in a Dixie Conference basketball doubleheader this afternoon in Ferrum.

Sophomore forward Tawanna McCall (Bassett, Va./Bassett), pictured at right, came off the bench to score a game-high 16 points and haul down 11 rebounds to lead Ferrum to the win.  Junior center Shermika Harris (Martinsville, Va./Laurel Park) had nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds.  Harris is averaging 10.1 rebounds per game this season. 
 
Senior guard Tina McBride (Glade Hill, Va./Franklin County) had 10 points.  McBride has 1,275 career points and needs just 41 points to break the school's career scoring record.  The record (1,315 points) was set by former standout Kia Williams from 1993-96.

With the win, Ferrum improves to 13-3 overall and remains atop the Dixie standings at 5-1.  N.C. Wesleyan falls to 2-11 with the loss, 1-5 in Dixie action.

In the men's game, sophomore forward Justin Harris (Danville, Va./George Washington) led the Panthers with 20 points on 7-13 shooting.  Harris, pictured at left, leads Ferrum in scoring this season with 14.9 points per game, and is also the team's rebounding leader at 7.7 per contest.
 
Freshman guard Chris Jackson (Clayton, N.C./Garner) had 14 points, while junior forward Kevin Aigbe (Nashville, Tenn./Volunteer State CC) had 11 points and 14 rebounds.  Freshman guard RaRa Cunningham (Asheville, N.C./AC Reynolds) had 11 points and five assists.

The Bishops improve to 9-8 overall with the win and even their Dixie mark at 3-3.  Ferrum falls to 6-11 with the loss, 3-3 in Dixie play.

The Panther teams play another Dixie Conference doubleheader tomorrow, Feb. 2, at home when they host Chowan College at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.  The women's game will pit the South Region's #2-ranked team (Ferrum) against #4 Chowan.  For more information, please contact the Ferrum sports information office at (540) 365-4306.
 
 
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