WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Tamsi Echendu scored a game-high 20 points, while pulling down nine rebounds (five defensive), and was joined in double figures by Tyler Davenport (13) and Dionne Sampson (11) as a well-rounded Salem squad defeated USA South Conference rival Meredith 74-61 on Saturday, January 29th at Varsity Gym.
It is the first USA South Conference win under Spirits head coach Quntashea Lewis and the first for the program since downing Meredith by a 70-69 margin on February 10, 2018.
Echendu was the offensive spark for a Salem (2-13, 1-8 USA South) squad that hit 28-of-61 (45.9%) from the floor and 16-of-24 (66.7%) at the free throw line. She knocked down 8-of-10 from the field and was successful on 4-of-6 free throw attempts, while hauling in nine rebounds. Echendu was one of five players with at least four rebounds as Salem collected 42 rebounds (29 defensive) as a unit. Teammate Alize Munn led the way with 10 rebounds, grabbing eight on the defensive glass.
Davenport reached the double-digit scoring mark for the 10th time this season with 13 points, after converting four field goals and all four free throws. Sampson topped the double figure scoring plateau for the fifth time this season with an 11-point effort, while posting team high's in assists and steals with five apiece.
Entering the fourth quarter with a seven-point advantage, Salem used the offensive trio of Echendu (eight points), Davenport (six) and Bass (four) to complete its first conference win in nearly four seasons. That group sparked an offense that finished 8-of-14 (57.1%) from the floor and 9-of-12 (75%) at the free throw line as the Avenging Angels (2-16, 2-10 USA South) committed 10 personal fouls.
Sampson stepped up early in the quarter with a jumper, stretching the Salem lead to 54-44, before a run by the Avenging Angels trimmed the margin to four, 56-52, with 5:53 remaining. Munn delivered a layup, quickly followed by buckets from Echendu and Davenport, to help stretch the Salem lead to 64-57 following a free throw by Alize Brooks. Brooks drove through the lane for a layup at the 1:25 mark, while Davenport added a pair of free throws just over 30 seconds later to provide Salem with a double-digit margin it would not relinquish.
The Spirits enjoyed one of the best first halves of the season, establishing a 23-20 lead after the first quarter by hitting 10-of-18 (55.6%) from the floor. Echendu and Savanah Atkins provided the offensive punch, scoring six and four points, respectively, while Kyana Thomas forced a pair of steals. Trailing 18-17 with 1:45 left of a tightly-contested first quarter, Salem scored six of the final eight points to lead by three.
That momentum carried over into the second quarter for the Spirits, who stretched their lead to 40-28 behind as the offensive tandem of Sampson and Echendu combined for 13 points. Salem was 6-of-13 (46.2%) from the floor and added five free throws, while limiting the Avenging Angels to 2-of-16 (12.5%) from the floor and 0-of-6 from beyond the arc. The Spirits scored the first 11 points of the quarter, capped off by a pair of Echendu free throws, to build their double-digit halftime lead.
With Salem leading by 12 at the intermission, Meredith took advantage of four points from Danika Ray and five others with two points, to cut the Spirit lead to 49-42 at the close of the third. The defensive pressure forced Salem into a 4-of-16 (25%) shooting performance for the frame, which included just one 3-pointer.
Salem and Meredith will face off against each other again on Sunday, January 30th, when the two collide in Raleigh, N.C., at 2 p.m.
