FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Reserve Zytipha Joines scored a game-high 17 points and teammate Aniyah Tate added 10 points, leading 11 players in scoring as Methodist capped off a 68-46 victory in USA South Conference action against Salem on Tuesday, November 30th in Fayetteville, N.C.
Salem (1-5, 0-2 USA South) received 15 points from Cree Bass, while Alize Brooks added 10, highlighting a Spirits' unit that finished 17-of-55 from the floor and 5-of-19 from the 3-point line. Bass knocked down 6-of-13 from the floor, including three from beyond the arc, while making her presence felt with six rebounds and four steals. Meanwhile, Brooks scored half of her 10 points at the charity stripe.
Dionne Sampson came off the bench to score six points, hitting a trio of field goals, and Tamsi Echendu added four points along with a team-best seven rebounds. Echendu grabbed five defensive rebounds and added a block. Teammate Lauren Privette swatted two Methodist shots in the contest for Salem.
Bass reached the double figure mark for the second time in as many games when she scored 10 of Salem's 16 points in the opening half. She was singlehandedly responsible for four of Salem's five field goals in the frame, converting a pair of 3-pointers in the process. Jenkins countered with six points and Kiley Hicks added four for Methodist in the frame.
Methodist (2-4, 2-1 USA South) stretched its lead to four points at the intermission, 30-26, behind five points from Jenkins and four from Tate. Salem grabbed the lead early in the quarter off a 3-pointer from Bass, making for a 17-16 margin, but the Monarchs countered with an 8-2 run to assume the 24-19 lead with 3:24 left.
Brooks was the catalyst for the Salem offense in the third quarter with five points, hitting her lone field goal of the frame along with 3-of-4 at the free throw line. Jenkins again finished off the quarter with six points, finishing with a pair of long distance 3-pointers, as Methodist finished 6-of-10 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
With Methodist leading by a 46-36 margin heading into the fourth quarter, the Monarchs amped up their defense and limited Salem to four field goals and one free throw in the final frame to secure the victory. The offense for Methodist came from Jillian Peterson, who finished with eight points on 3-for-4 shooting from the floor, while Alyssa Shazer contributed six points in reserve. Salem received three points each from Sarah Nelson and Savanah Atkins. Natasha Guo and Echendu added two points apiece for Salem.
Salem opens December action with a 2 p.m. clash against Mary Baldwin on Saturday, December 4th.