Opponent:
Meredith vs. Salem | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 6 p.m. | January 23 | Varsity Gym

THREE GAMES IN SEVEN-DAY STRETCH
The Spirits conclude the month of January with a three-game in seven-day stretch that includes one home game, which will take place on Tuesday, January 23rd against Meredith. Tuesday evening will also serve as the Morgan's Message Game. Morgan's Message strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. 

The remaining two games are on the road at both Greensboro (Jan. 27) and Methodist (Jan. 30). 

SPIRITS FACE BOTH SOUTHERN VIRGINIA, PFEIFFER LAST WEEK
Southern Virginia vs. Salem (Jan. 17): Aysia Foster scored a game-high 16 points and led four Southern Virginia players in double figures as the Knights kept their perfect USA South Conference record (9-0) intact with a 97-52 victory over Salem at Varsity Gym on Wednesday evening.

Salem's lineup was led by the tandem of Nykerah Engle and Dionne Sampson, who scored 14 points each. It marks the fourth time that Engle has topped the double figure mark in her first year, while Sampson moved her career point total to 923.

Engle, who notched her single-game season high in points finished 4-of-5 from the floor and 6-of-8 at the free throw line in 25 minutes. Meanwhile, Sampson capped off the game by finishing 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe while being riddled with foul trouble throughout the contest. Ti'Erra Lee led the Spirits in rebounding with five, making two blocks along the way.

Along with Foster, Southern Virginia witnessed Abigail Snyder (15), Lilly Kentner (15) and Alyssa Weiland (12) all reach the double figure mark. Snyder was also active on the glass with 10 rebounds, capping off the lone double-double of the contest.

Salem at Pfeiffer (Jan. 20): Dionne Sampson reached the double-digit mark for the 15th time this season, finishing with a team-high 18 points, while Nykerah Engle tallied 14 points for the Spirits in a 65-58 setback to USA South Conference foe Pfeiffer on Saturday afternoon in Misenheimer, N.C.

Sampson equaled Pfeiffer's Miya Horton in points by finishing 7-of-15 from the field and 4-of-6 at the free throw line. She also dished out five assists, grabbed four rebounds and forced three steals in the clash with the Falcons.

Engle, who also reached double figures for Salem, was 6-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-2 at the free throw line. Engle was active on the glass with a team-high seven boards, one more than teammate Triana Smallwood, who closed with six. Both Ti'Erra Lee and Isabella Childs closed with eight points for Salem.

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 16 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.

SAMPSON MAKING HUGE IMPACT ON SALEM LINEUP
Graduate senior guard Dionne Sampson is making a huge mark on the Salem lineup, where she has accrued 266 total points, 62 rebounds, 43 assists and 40 steals on the season. She is one of just two Spirits, along with Alize Munn, with at least 200 points, while Cree Bass is third on the unit with 134 points.

Sampson has not only converted the most field goals (89), but she has also knocked down a team-best 81 free throws in 2023-24. While she has the most assists on the unit, she trails Nykerah Engle in total steals by just one.

With 15 double-digit point performances in 16 contests this season, Sampson has strategically moved herself to 941 points in her career. The only opponent to hold her shy of double figures was Montreat, who limited the Burlington, N.C., native to six points.

Sampson, who entered the season with 675 points to her credit, needs just 59 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).

SALEM FIRST YEAR'S MAKING THEIR PRESENCE FELT
Two Salem first year players—Nykerah Engle and Aliyah Corpening—have made their significant impact on the lineup this season. Engle, who has made 14 starts, and Corpening, who has countered with nine starts, have combined for 126 points and rank fifth and seventh, respectively, on the team in scoring.

Engle has converted the fourth-most field goals (41) on the slate, while adding 39 free throws, which is third-most on the unit. However, it may be her defensive presence that head coach Sharee' Boyd appreciates the most, as she has forced 41 steals. She needs just 10 more steals to tie herself alongside Courtney Sauer (2008-09) and Alize Brooks (2019-10) for 15th-most single-season steals.

Corpening is one of seven Spirits with double-digit free throw conversions, hitting 17-of-27 (63%) from the charity stripe. Additionally, she has slid past defenders to haul in 43 rebounds, placing herself eighth in that category. Offensively, she has gotten her teammates involved to the tune of 25 assists, fourth-most on the unit.

Engle has topped the double-digit mark on five occasions, including her last three straight contests, which included a pair of 14-point outings against both Southern Virginia (Jan. 17) and Pfeiffer (Jan. 20), which established a single-game season-high.

Corpening has delivered two double-digit point performances, including a 14-point performance versus Bob Jones, where she was 7-of-10 from the floor in 33 minutes, leading Salem to a 74-72 win.

ANALYZING MEREDITH IN 2023-24
The Spirits enter Tuesday looking to earn the first regular season sweep of Meredith in program history. The opportunity presents itself after Salem earned a 65-53 victory against the Avenging Angels on November 21, 2023 in Raleigh, N.C.

Salem at Meredith (Nov. 21): For the first time in six years the Salem basketball team opened its USA South Conference schedule with a victory and coincidentally extended the program's best start to open a season to 4-0. The 65-53 triumph on Tuesday evening came at league rival Meredith, the same program that the Spirits defeated on November 26, 2017, when Salem last started USA South Conference play 1-0 in the 2017-18 campaign.

Fifth-year senior guard Dionne Sampson led the way for the Salem offense with a game-high 17 points, while Cree Bass poured in 11 points. Sampson was 6-of-16 from the floor and 5-of-7 at the charity stripe, while Bass came through with three field goals, including two from 3-point range, along with three free throws. Aliyah Corpening put together a solid outing for Salem with eight points, converting four at the charity stripe.

Ti'Erra Lee anchored the Salem post game with nine rebounds, grabbing six defensive boards, while adding seven points after hitting 3-of-6 from the floor. Corpening and Nykerah Engle were also active on the glass with five rebounds apiece. Engle also made her impact felt on defense with a game-high six steals.

Salem capped off its fourth win of the season by knocking down 22-of-60 (36.7%) from the floor and 2-of-8 (25%) at the free throw line. The Spirits hit 19-of-30 (63.3%) from the floor and held a 19-11 advantage in bench points. Salem's offense took advantage of 14 steals, outscoring Meredith 20-6 in fast break points.

>> Meredith is 5-12 overall and 3-7 when facing USA South Conference competition. The Avenging Angels are 5-8 since suffering their setback to Salem, which was quickly followed by a 74-61 victory against Warren Wilson. Three of those victories came in succession against Ferrum (56-44), Greensboro (49-36) and Pfeiffer (54-43) between December 30th and January 6th. The most recent victory came against William Peace by a 77-68 margin.

The tandem of Piper Carriere (165 pts.) and De'ja Morgan (108) lead the offense for Meredith, which is averaging 48 points per game. Carriere has converted 51 field goals, most on the unit, while knocking down 18 3-point field goals. She has also knocked down the most free throws (45) among the Avenging Angels. Meanwhile, Rylie Wade has anchored the post with 100 rebounds, including 52 defensive boards.

Both Morgan (34 assists) and Marlee Beam (13 blocks) are top defenders on the Meredith squad.

ALL-TIME SERIES (vs. Meredith)