Salem vs. Methodist | November 22 | Varsity Gym | Virginia Beach, Va. | 6 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT (at Virginia Wesleyan Tournament)
vs. Virginia Wesleyan | November 19
Salem's Tamsi Echendu continued her solid play on the season, delivering her first double-double (11 points / 10 rebounds) in 2022-23, but it was the Virginia Wesleyan trio of Adaje Williams (17), Natalia Collier (12) and Jada Norman (10) that guided the Marlins to a 73-50 victory on Saturday afternoon in Virginia Beach, Va.
Echendu was joined in double-digit scoring by Dionne Sampson, who scored 11 points by virtue of hitting 3-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Echendu's performance came after she knocked down 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-6 at the free throw line. Echendu came through with five offensive and five defensive boards to led the Spirits on the glass.
The Marlins received 53 of their 73 total points from their starting lineup and closed off the game by hitting 24-of-63 (38.1%) from the floor and converted 21-of-31 at the free throw line.
vs. Mary Washington | November 20
The Salem basketball team received 10 point each from the trio of Savanah Atkins, Tamsi Echendu and Alize Munn, but it was overshadowed by a 30-point effort from Keagan Schwab, who led Mary Washington to a 91-48 victory when the two teams collided at the Townebank Arena on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan on Sunday afternoon.
Atkins closed the contest by hitting 4-of-11 from the floor along with a pair of free throws, while snatching a team-best eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Both Munn and Echendu knocked down three field goals on the afternoon.
Schwab capped off her performance by hitting 13-of-22 from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, leading the way for an Eagles unit that finished 38-of-84 (45.2%) from the field and 9-of-18 (50%) at the free throw line.
SALEM IN USA SOUTH OPENERS
The Spirits head into their first USA South Conference game of the season looking to halt a three-game skid after setbacks to Randolph, Virginia Wesleyan and Mary Washington in succession.
Salem is also looking to snap a three-game skid in league openers, which dates back to November 30, 2018, following a 94-71 setback to Mary Baldwin.
The 2022-23 unit will look to begin USA South Conference play like the 2017-18 team, which opened with 75-52 win over Meredith on November 26, 2017. That is the only Salem team to begin the conference campaign with a victory in the opener at Varsity Gym. The Spirits have claimed two USA South Conference openers at home, since joining the league in 2016-17, and both came in the 2017 calendar year.
(SALEM IN USA SOUTH OPENERS)
| Date | Year | Opponent | Result |
| Dec. 3 | 2016 | at Piedmont | L, 82-62 |
| Nov. 26 | 2017 | vs. Meredith | W, 75-52 |
| Nov. 30 | 2018 | vs. Mary Baldwin | L, 94-71 |
| Dec. 4 | 2019 | vs. N.C. Wesleyan | L, 80-59 |
| Nov. 23 | 2021 | vs. N.C. Wesleyan | L, 89-70 |
(SALEM AT HOME IN USA SOUTH OPENERS)
| Date | Year | Opponent | Result |
| Jan. 14 | 2017 | vs. Agnes Scott | W, 65-61 |
| Nov. 26 | 2017 | vs. Meredith | W, 75-52 |
| Nov. 30 | 2018 | vs. Mary Baldwin | L, 94-71 |
| Dec. 4 | 2019 | vs. N.C. Wesleyan | L, 80-59 |
| Nov. 23 | 2021 | vs. N.C. Wesleyan | L, 89-70 |
ECHENDU IS THE CHART TOPPER
Sophomore Tamsi Echendu leads the Spirits (1-3) in scoring through the first four games of the season, while teammates Cree Bass and Dionne Sampson are second on the unit.
Echendu has reached double figures in each of her last three outings, including a 22-point performance which started the streak against Randolph on November 12th. She followed that by notching 11 against Virginia Wesleyan and 10 in a clash with Mary Washington.
Both Bass and Sampson have amassed 38 points for Salem, placing themselves in a tie for second on the team. Bass opened the season with 25 points in the 87-66 victory over Warren Wilson (Nov. 8), but since that point her best offensive performance was six points at Virginia Wesleyan. Meanwhile, Sampson has had three double-digit scoring performances for Salem, including a single-game season-high 12 against Warren Wilson. She scored 11 points against both Randolph and Virginia Wesleyan in back-to-back games.
Echendu is also making her presence felt on the glass for Salem with a team-best 25 rebounds, 14 of which have come on the offensive boards. Bass and Sampson share the team lead in assists with 13 apiece, while Echendu leads the way in steals (seven).
ANALYZING METHODIST
Methodist (2-1) leaves Fayetteville, N.C., for the second time this season when it makes the trip to Winston-Salem on Tuesday evening.
The Monarchs are 1-0 on the road this season, which came in the season opener against Agnes Scott (68-60) on November 11th. The following afternoon, in a neutral site clash with Berea (Ky.), Methodist fell by a 69-54 margin.
Methodist opened USA South play on Saturday afternoon, earning a 54-53 win over Southern Virginia. The Monarchs, who were leading 52-48 with 32 seconds remaining, capitalized on free throws by Serenity Webb and Melissa D'Oleo to hold off a hard-charging Southern Virginia squad.
The Monarchs, who own a 14-5 lead in the head-to-head series with Salem, are led in scoring by Kiley Hicks (47 points). Methodist has won five straight in the series with Salem, since posting a 71-51 win on January 16, 2019.
While Hicks leads the team in scoring, hitting 19-of-29 from the floor along the way, teammates Aniyah Tate (28 points) and Jessica Drake (26) are second and third, respectively. Collectively, the Monarchs are 62-of-160 (38.8%) from the field and 41-of-79 (61.9%) at the free throw line.
Tate also tops the unit in rebounds with 23, hauling in 10 on the offensive glass. D'Oleo has dished out a team-high 14 assists, while Tate has forced six steals.