WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Salem's Alize Munn put on an impressive display in her first collegiate start, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds and five steals, but it was Pfeiffer that took advantage of a 54-point second half outburst as the Falcons rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to earn a 78-63 USA South Conference win over the Spirits at Varsity Gym on Tuesday evening.
Munn, who logged 30 minutes in the game, finished 7-of-14 from the floor and was a perfect 4-of-4 at the free throw line as she topped her previous single-game high (11). Cree Bass joined her teammate in double-digit scoring with 10 points, knocking down 2-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. Tyler Davenport added eight points for the Spirits (2-14, 1-10 USA South), while Dionne Sampson and Savanah Atkins came through with six points apiece.
One of the bright spots for the Salem offense came from the free throw line, where the Spirits finished 22-of-26 (84.6%). Davenport (6-of-6), Munn (4-of-4), Bass (4-of-4) and Atkins (2-of-2) were perfect, while Tamsi Echendu converted four and Sampson added two of her own.
Along with being an integral part of the offense, Munn contributed a game-high eight rebounds, including five on the defensive glass. That was two more than Sampson and Davenport, who had six apiece. Munn forced five steals, tying Atkins for the team lead, and equaled Sampson in assists with four.
The entire starting five for Pfeiffer (9-13, 5-9 USA South) scored double figures, including Brina Bentley, who closed with a game-high 22 points. Bentley closed the game by hitting 8-of-17 from the floor and 6-of-10 at the charity stripe. The five Falcon starters were 26-of-35 at the line as a group, highlight a unit that finished 36-of-53 (67.9%) in the contest.
After a back-and-forth start to the first, Salem grabbed an 11-5 lead behind a series of free throws by Davenport with 2:17 left in the quarter. Munn and Bass followed with points of their own as Salem grabbed a 15-5 lead with just over a minute remaining. e
The Spirits established a 36-24 lead by the intermission by virtue of hitting 7-of-18 (38.9%) from the floor. With a seven-point lead entering the frame, the Spirits capitalized on buckets from Echendu and Alize Brooks to stretch the advantage to 19-8 inside the first two minutes. The Falcons pulled to within eight, 21-13, at the 6:31 mark following a pair of free throws from Alexis Bynum. Pfeiffer managed to trim its deficit to six, but a Bass 3-pointer coupled with a jumper from Natasha Guo and Atkins resulted in Salem moving its lead back to double figures at the close of the quarter.
Pfeiffer broke through offensively in the third quarter, outscoring the Spirits 23-13, behind the play of Bentley (nine points) and Tanaeshea Ellison (six). The Falcons held Salem scoreless for the first 3:04 of the frame, knotting the game at 35 following a 3-pionter by Kenadie Hudler. A pair of Davenport free throws kept the Spirits close, 42-38, before she came through with a jumper at the 3:38 to mark the first Salem field goal of the frame. Munn forged Salem back in front, 44-42, with three minutes left in the quarter, as the two were separated by one point entering the fourth.
Hudler put Pfeiffer into the lead, 50-48, with a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter scoring. The Falcons would put together an 18-2 run, assuming the 68-50 advantage, before a series of free throws by Munn at the 3:30 mark. Sampson trimmed the margin to 69-56 just under a minute later, but Pfeiffer's defense allowed just seven points down the stretch to complete the 78-63 win.
Salem remains at Varsity Gym for the next two games, which pit the Spirits against Greensboro (Feb. 3) and Averett (Feb. 5).