WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – First year Salem center Tamsi Echendu notched her second double-double of the season, finishing with 12 rebounds and 11 points, in an 81-60 setback to USA South Conference foe Methodist on Saturday, January 8th at Varsity Gym.
Echendu knocked down 5-of-8 from the floor and was responsible for game high's in offensive (five) and defensive (seven) rebounds for the Spirits, who slipped to 1-12 overall and 0-7 in USA South Conference action. She was joined in double figure scoring by classmate Kyana Thomas, who tallied 10 points by virtue of hitting 4-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. Teammates Cree Bass and Alize Munn added nine points each, while Savanah Atkins contributed eight.
Salem finished 32.3 percent from the field, hitting 20-of-62 in the process, while knocking down 16-of-20 (80%) at the free throw line. Atkins was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line, while Alize Brooks (3-3) were Dionne Sampson (2-2) were also perfect.
Methodist (6-4, 5-1 USA South) had three reach the double-digit mark in scoring, including Kiley Hicks (19), Melissa D'Oleo (13) and Aniyah Tate (15). The Monarchs ran an efficient offense throughout the course of the game, hitting 32-of-67 (47.8%) from the floor and 13-of-20 (65%) at the free throw line. Aneesa Irizarry and Jessica Drake piloted the offense with seven and five assists, respectively.
Hicks put the Monarchs in control 11-5 at the 6:36 mark, but a 3-pointer off the hand of Bass trimmed the margin quickly back to three. Methodist again distanced itself, 17-8, following a trey by D'Oleo, before a pair of free throws by Brooks with 1:31 sliced that deficit to four. The Monarchs ended the quarter with a 21-13 lead.
The Methodist lead ballooned to double figures, 25-13, early in the second following a pair of free throws from Hicks. Munn and Brooks helped Salem pull to within eight, 26-18, before a 7-1 run extended the margin to 15 at one point. The Spirits received seven points from Munn over the course of the quarter, but headed to the intermission facing a 43-26 deficit.
Salem regrouped in the third quarter, outscoring the Monarchs 17-14, behind the play of Thomas and Echendu, who combined for nine points. Methodist forged in front by 17 on two occasions, including a 53-36 lead at the 4:55 mark, but Thomas drained a 3-pointer and Bass added four points to result in a 14-point margin separating the two heading into the fourth quarter.
Sampson opened fourth quarter scoring with free throws, allowing Salem to trim the lead to 57-45, before a 9-4 run by the Monarchs put the lead at 17. Thomas knocked down a 3-pointer and Atkins converted two free throws, but D'Oleo pushed the margin to 19 with 2:31 left. Alyssa Shazer hit a jumper, following a pass from Emmenia Lynch, to secure the 20-point margin between the two teams.
Salem returns to action on Wednesday, January 12th, when the Spirits host Southern Virginia at 6 p.m.
