Opponent:
Southern Virginia vs. Salem | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 6 p.m. | January 17 | Varsity Gym

HOMESTAND WRAPS UP WITH CLASH AGAINST SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
The Salem basketball team completes a three-game homestand against Top-3 teams in the USA South Conference on Wednesday evening when the Spirits play host to Southern Virginia at 6 p.m. The Spirits began the three-game stretch against N.C. Wesleyan and Methodist, who are locked in a battle for second place, and will complete the tough stretch versus the Knights on Wednesday evening.

SALEM HAS TWO GAMES, TWO DAYS AGAINST N.C. WESLEYAN, METHODIST
Salem vs. N.C. Wesleyan (Jan. 13): Led by the scoring duo of Areina Harris and Nadia Simmons, who combined for 40 points, N.C. Wesleyan completed the season series sweep of Salem with an 89-37 USA South Conference victory at Varsity Gym on Saturday, January 13th.

Dionne Sampson led the way offensively for Salem with 14 points, finishing 4-of-12 from the floor to go along with six free throws. Both Alize Munn and Nykerah Engle contributed six points apiece and teammate Lily Gorum climbed the glass for eight rebounds, including five offensive.

Harris capped off the game with 21 points, while Simmons added 19 of her own. The tandem led the way for a N.C. Wesleyan unit that was 33-of-74 (44.6%) from the floor and 15-of-27 (55.6%) at the free throw line. The Battling Bishops, who also converted eight 3-pointers, grabbed 66 rebounds (43 defensive), received 12 of those caroms from Johnay Goddard. Meanwhile, Simmons added 11 to complete her double-double.

Salem vs. Methodist (Jan. 14): Dionne Sampson netted 12 and first-year teammate Nykerah Engle added 10, but it was a 30-point effort by Methodist's Aniyah Tate that proved to be the difference as the Monarchs posted a 70-50 victory over Salem in USA South Conference action on Sunday afternoon at Varsity Gym.

While Sampson struggled from the floor, finishing just 3-of-11 from the floor, she reached double figures by virtue of a 6-of-7 from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, Engle was 4-of-5 from the free throw line and managed three field goals in the contest.

Sampson was also active on the glass, coming through with five rebounds, while Ti'Erra Lee closed with a team-high seven rebounds.

Tate led all scorers by converting 13-of-19 from the field and 4-of-5 at the free throw line, highlight a Monarch unit that was 30-of-63 (47.6%) from the floor in the contest. Jessica Drake joined her teammate in double figures with 11, while grabbing eight rebounds. Tate grabbed nine boards, narrowly missing a double-double in the contest.

MUNN WITH THREE DOUBLE-DOUBLE PERFORMANCES IN 2023-24
Senior Alize Munn has been the only player to deliver a double-double performance in the 2023-24 campaign for Salem.

Through the first 13 games, Munn has three double-double outings to her credit. Her first came as part of a 17-point, 14-rebound performance against Trinity (D.C.), resulting in a 69-62 victory. She followed that by having 27 points and 10 rebounds in the clash with Agnes Scott, also marking a Salem win (72-54).

That capped off an impressive three-game stretch where she scored 68 points and grabbed 33 rebounds by earning USA South Player of the Week honors in an announcement from the league office on Monday, November 20th.

Munn was instrumental in helping the Spirits start a season 3-0 for the first time in program history, hitting 29-of-49 (59.2%) from the floor and 10-of-12 (83.3%) at the charity stripe. She also climbed the glass for 33 rebounds, including 15 offensive boards, while forcing 10 steals and finishing with two blocked shots during that three-game stretch.

Munn's most recent double-double against William Peace, which came on January 10th, placed her in unique company at Salem. She became the seventh player in program history to notch a double-double as part of a 30-point outing. Munn climbed the glass for 14 rebounds, tying William Peace's Tanesha Ellison for the game-high in that category.

With that double-double, Munn is the sixth Spirit to have a double-double by virtue of points and rebounds in a 30-point outing and the seventh player in program history to amass a double-double as part of her 30-point performance. Dionne Sampson is the only Spirit to have a double-double by virtue of points and assists in a 30-point effort.

SALEM ALL-TIME DOUBLE-DOUBLES (min. 30 points)

SAMPSON MAKING HUGE IMPACT ON SALEM LINEUP
Graduate senior guard Dionne Sampson is making a huge mark on the Salem lineup, amassing 234 total points through 14 games in 2023-24.

Sampson has hit 77-of-203 (37.9%) from the field along the way, and has been successful on converting 73-of-96 (76%) at the free throw line. Collectively, that has moved Sampson's career total in points to 909.

Sampson, who entered the season with 675 points to her credit, needs just 91 points to become the fourth different scorer with 1,000 points at Salem. The others include Sabrina Shepherd (1,493), Quntashea Lewis (1,208) and MiKayla Seivers (1,126).

Sampson notched back-to-back 20-point games on January 6th and January 10th and sparked the Spirits to consecutive wins along the way. She came through with a 27-point effort against Greensboro, as Salem claimed the second league victory of the season. Four days later, Sampson scored 24 points at William Peace in the 12-point Spirits' victory.

That marked the third time this season that Sampson has eclipsed the 20-point mark, following a 25-point effort against Brevard (Dec. 2) and a 21-point outing versus Ferrum (Dec. 15).

Sampson has notched at least 20 points on eight occasions in her Salem career, including a career-best 30, which came against William Peace on February 12, 2022. Last season, Sampson also delivered three 20-point scoring efforts, which came against Mary Baldwin (22 | Jan. 25), Meredith (24 | Feb. 11) and Greensboro (21 | Feb. 21).

BASS PROVIDES SALEM WITH 3-POINT MARKSMAN
Cree Bass leads all Salem shooters in 3-pointers on the season with 28. Bass, who has hit at least one 3-pointer in her last seven contests, is tied with Kelsey Rector for 14th-most treys in a single season in Salem history.

Her current streak began with two against Johnson & Wales (Dec. 5) and included a pair of four 3-pointer outings in back-to-back games against N.C. Wesleyan (Jan. 3) and Greensboro (Jan. 6).

Bass, who has cracked the starting lineup on three occasions, has scored 20 of her 28 3-pointers as a reserve, including four in the triumph over Greensboro. Those quartet of treys by Bass equaled her single-game mark for the season, which she established at N.C. Wesleyan on January 3rd.

PROVIDING A PRESENCE IN THE POST
The Salem duo of Alize Munn and Ti'Erra Lee have provided a solid post presence this season. Heading into the week, Munn leads all Salem rebounders with 98, while Lee is second on the unit with 73. Munn has grabbed 41 offensive boards and 57 on the defensive glass, which lead both categories. She has four double-digit rebound performances in 2023-24.

Meanwhile, Lee, has been a constant in the post as well, maneuvering her way to at least five rebounds in eight of 14 contests. Her best outing of the slate came against Meredith, where she grabbed nine rebounds (six defensive) in a 65-53 victory.

The tandem of Lily Gorum and Dionne Sampson, who have 57 and 56, respectively, round out the top four for Salem.

ANALYZING SOUTHERN VIRGINIA IN 2023-24
The Knights come to Salem on Wednesday with the best record (8-0) in the USA South Conference. Southern Virginia holds a one-game lead over both Methodist and N.C. Wesleyan in the standings.

The Knights are also riding a six-game winning streak, which began with a 64-57 victory over Grove City in Nashville, Tennessee on December 20th. Since that victory, Southern Virginia has taken down Pfeiffer (83-54), N.C. Wesleyan (74-67), Mary Baldwin (90-53), Brevard (78-50) and most recently Pfeiffer (77-36).

Southern Virginia, which is averaging 65.4 points per contest, has outscored its opponents by a 915-755 (+160) in 2023-24.

The Knights have a balanced scoring attack, which includes the trio of Ruth Kempler (143 points), Abigail Snyder (136) and Maria Savvun (128). Kempler leads the way in field goals (59) and is second in field goal percentage with 50.4 percent. Meanwhile, the top percentage leader on the team is Aysia Foster, who has converted 57.7 percent (45-of-78) from the floor.

Snyder has converted the most free throws (32-of-39) on the unit for Southern Virginia, while Kempler is second with 25. Kempler is also the leading rebounder on the quad with 103, including 66 on the defensive glass. She is also making her presence felt with 23 blocks on the season.

ALL-TIME SERIES (vs. Southern Virginia)