WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State (WSSU) men’s basketball has tradition on its side — a passionate fan base, and a proud foundation as an HBCU athletic power. But the women’s team has never hung a CIAA championship banner.
This winter, under first-year head coach Tierra Terry, the Rams are acting like a program intent on changing that narrative. Saturday’s 86–50 dismantling of Mount Olive wasn’t just another win — it marked WSSU’s 10th straight. That’s the program’s longest winning streak since the 2011–12 season. More importantly, it reaffirmed just how different this team looks, feels, competes, and believes under Terry’s leadership.
A Roster Rebuilt — and Immediately Connected
When Terry arrived from Virginia Union, she didn’t come alone. She brought with her two major pieces — forward Maia Charles and guard Ah’Kyah Pye. Charles was battle-tested in the CIAA and familiar with the system she wanted to install. She then blended them with two crucial holdovers: former Temple guard Makayla Waleed, now one of the team’s top scorers, and junior guard Jakiyah Mack, a defensive spark and emotional anchor who survived the program’s transition from the L’Tona Lamonte era.
The mix has proven seamless.
Charles has been a double-double machine, averaging 14.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game through the first 11 contests, while anchoring the interior with the physicality the CIAA demands. In the win over Mount Olive she poured in 26 points and 10 boards, but she made it clear after the game that the real engine of their success is chemistry.
“What was working for us was playing as a team,” Charles said after the win. “Sometimes we play a little selfish — but today we had a lot of assists. That really opened up opportunities.”
WSSU recorded 19 assists against Mount Olive — a massive jump from the four they posted at Ferrum two days earlier. That contrast wasn’t luck; it was intention.
Terry’s Adjustments, WSSU’s DNA
Terry didn’t hide how frustrated she was with the team’s ball movement after the Ferrum win. So, she made it a point of emphasis — loudly.
“We only had four assists last game,” she said. “We put an emphasis on double digits — 19 assists tonight. We also outrebounded them 40–30… We wanted to keep under 15 turnovers, and we got right at 15.”
The response has been consistent with the culture she is trying to build: competitive, accountable, and humble.
This roster plays defense like an extension of Terry’s personality. They average 18.6 steals per game — third-best in the country — and they force 28.4 turnovers per game, per the official WSSU stat report.
Solid start to CIAA play
That identity has traveled well too: the Rams are 6–1 on the road.
The early-season trip up north to face Lincoln and Bowie State set the tone, according to Terry.
“Some of them didn’t quite understand how physical the CIAA is,” she said. “Lincoln came out playing hard and aggressive. I’m glad they did — because that helped us adjust moving forward.”
That defensive toughness has been paired with a newfound offensive maturity, especially from Charles, who Terry says has expanded her entire game.
“Coach Dylan is instilling a lot of confidence in her,” Terry said. “She’s making different moves under the basket, taking it off the dribble more. She’s becoming a good passer.”
Mack: The Holdover Turning Into a Leader
While transfers often dominate headlines, the glue of this roster might be a Ram who stayed: Jakiyah Mack.
Mack, known for her defense and competitiveness, has grown into a stabilizing force.
“I’ve always loved her game,” Terry said. “We had to build our relationship. I told her we needed her leadership because she wants to win. I wanted her to carry that contagious energy to the rest of the team.”
That leadership has mattered in close games — like the one-point wins at Lees-McRae and Barton — when WSSU kept its composure despite early-season struggles with slow starts.
The Hottest Streak in HBCU Hoops
Across HBCU basketball, no program is hotter than WSSU. The Rams sit at 10–1 overall, unbeaten in CIAA play, and statistically dominant:
- 68.3 points per game
- +12.2 scoring margin
- +3.8 rebounding margin
- 205 total steals (nearly double their opponents’ total)
Those numbers, combined with the streak, have moved the Rams from “interesting story” to legitimate championship threat.
But if you’re looking for someone inside the program to pump their chest, you won’t find them.
“I’m proud of them, but we have to stay humble,” Terry said. “God helps the humble. I’m not satisfied yet.”
A Program With History — Seeking the One Banner Missing
The men’s team at WSSU has long been considered a blue blood of HBCU basketball. The women, however, have never broken through for that elusive CIAA crown.
This roster believes it can change that.
And while a 10-game winning streak in December doesn’t hang banners, it sends a message: WSSU women’s basketball is no longer rebuilding — it has arrived.
For Charles, the formula moving forward is simple:
“We just gotta stay locked in,” she said.
If they do, this could be the season the Rams rewrite decades of history and finally carve out their rightful space among HBCU basketball’s elite.