Opponent:
Salem vs. Bob Jones | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Varsity Gym | 6 p.m.
SALEM OPENS HOME SLATE VERSUS BOB JONES
After winning four road games during a seven-day stretch, which spanned from November 14th through November 21st, the Salem basketball team will host its first game at Varsity Gym on Tuesday, November 28th. Salem will face Bob Jones in the home opener, marking the second-ever meeting between the two programs.
HOW SALEM GOT TO 4-0 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROGRAM HISTORY
For the first time in Salem basketball history the Spirits have opened a season with four consecutive wins.
Salem began the season with a 75-69 victory over Warren Wilson on November 14th. The Spirits quickly followed that triumph with a 69-62 win over Trinity (D.C.) in the All-Women's Tip-Off Tournament in Roanoke, Va.
The Spirits moved their record to 3-0 for the first time in program history following a decisive 72-54 victory against Agnes Scott in the second day of the All-Women's Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Hollins.
The record moved to 4-0 on Tuesday, November 21st, when Salem posted a 65-53 win at Meredith to begin USA South Conference play.
MUNN RECEIVES USA SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS (Nov. 20)
Senior guard Alize Munn 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.
SPIRITS STRETCH STREAK TO FOUR, DOWN MEREDITH
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.
HOW THE STREAK STACKS UP
The 2023-24 team has not only established the best start through four games in program history, but it has also moved itself into a three-way tie for the fourth-longest winning streak in school history.
The current Spirits have equaled both the 2015-16 and 2017-18 units for the fourth-longest winning streak (four games) in program history.
One more win would equal both the 2013-14 and 2015-16 teams, which won five straight. The next longest winning streak after that belongs to the 2013-14 team, which rattled off a program-best 16 wins from November 23, 2013 through January 30, 2014 under then head coach Anita Howard.
SALEM ALL-TIME WINNING STREAKS
| Season | Games Won |
| 2013-14 | 16 |
| 2013-14 | 5 |
| 2014-15 | 5 |
| 2015-16 | 4 |
| 2017-18 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | 4 |
SAMPSON, SPIRITS MAKING THEIR MARKS EARLY IN 2023-24
Through the first four games of the season the Spirits have had two double-double performances, both from senior Alize Munn, along with Dionne Sampson moving her career totals to over 700 points.
Munn became the first player in the 2023-24 campaign to notch a double-double, which came as part of a 17-point, 14-rebound performance against Trinity (D.C.). She followed that by having 27 points and 10 rebounds in the clash with Agnes Scott.
Sampson, who entered the season with 675 points to her credit, has scored 60 points in the first four games of the season. With 735 points in her career, including four double-digit performances in 2023-24, Sampson needs just 265 points to reach 1,000 in her career. She would become the fourth different Spirit to reach that milestone. The others include Sabrina Shepher (1,493), Quntashea Lewis (1,208) and MiKayla Seivers (1,126).
SALEM ALL-TIME HISTORY WITH BOB JONES
Salem will host Bob Jones for the second time in program history, looking to even the all-time series at 1-1 in the process.
The two teams met on only one other occasion, which came on November 27, 2018, where the Bruins emerged with an 86-67 victory.
Makalla Burnette led the way for the Spirits in that outing, notching 29 points after hitting 13-of-21 from the floor and 2-of-3 at the charity stripe. She also came through with four steals, four assists and four rebounds for Salem. Joining Burnette in double-digit scoring was Tamara Blanton, who added 14 points and three steals.
Bob Jones was led offensively by the quartet of Kylee Leffew (22 points), Sarah Thomsen (17), Delaney Edwards (13) and Madison Shupe (12).
BREAKING DOWN THE BRUINS
Bob Jones enters Tuesday evening's contest on a four-game losing streak, which dates back to the 2022-23 campaign.
The Bruins have dropped three straight in 2023-24, including their season-opener to Brevard by an 80-60 margin. Bob Jones fell by two, 66-64, at the University of Lynchburg on November 10th.
Bob Jones suffered its last loss, 74-42, at Randolph College on November 11th.
Through the first three games of the season, Shea Dickinson Sherf leads all scorers with 33 points, logging 81 minutes along the way, also a team high. Teammate Katrina Tabora is second in scoring with 32 points, equaling Sherf in total fields (13).
The top 3-point shooter on the Bruins is Anna Layne Wylder with eight.