Site: Buena Vista, Va. / Knight Arena & Stoddard Ctr.
Score: Southern Virginia 76, Salem 53
Records: Southern Virginia (3-2, 2-1 USA South) / Salem (1-5, 0-2 USA South)
Next Game: Salem at Brevard / Saturday, December 3 / 2 p.m.
BUENA VISTA, Va. — Southern Virginia scored 13 unanswered points to open the game and lead wire-to wire as it claimed a 76-53 victory over Salem at the Knight Arena & Stoddard Center in USA South Conference basketball action on Tuesday, November 29th.
Courtney Olson's 12 points led the way for Southern Virginia, while teammates Eve Schmalbeck (11) and Jadie O'Bray (10) reached double figures as well.
Alize Munn finished with a game-high 17 points, knocking down 8-of-15 (53.3%) from the floor, and Dionne Sampson closed with 10 points by virtue of a 3-of-7 shooting performance. Munn also climbed the glass for a team-high seven rebounds (three offensive), while Cree Bass added six assists for the Spirits.
Southern Virginia capitalized on a 33-of-73 (45.2%) outing from the floor, receiving 34 points from the reserves and 23 points via the fast break. Meanwhile, Salem was successful on 19-of-51 (37.3%) shooting from the floor and 14-of-22 (63.6%) at the free throw line. The Spirits scored 30 of their 53 points in the paint.
FIRST QUARTER
Olson capped off a 13-0 Southern Virginia run to open the game as the Knights finished off the half by hitting 8-of-19 (42.1%) from the floor. O'Bray and Alyssa McKrola led the way with four points each in the first quarter as the Knights led 18-4 through after 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Salem struggled to get into an offensive rhythm, finishing 2-of-15 (13.3%) from the floor, with Munn netting all four points.
SECOND QUARTER
The Spirits reached double figures in the second quarter, behind six points from Munn and four each from Savanah Atkins and Tamsi Echendu adding four each. Salem was 5-of-10 from the floor and 6-of8 from the free throw line, while Southern Virginia countered with a 10-of-19 (52.6%) performance from the field, which included three 3-pointers. Emma Camden led all Knight scorers with five points. After establishing a 29-9 lead in the game, Echendu hit a free throw to put Salem into double figures. The Spirits were unable to trim the margin under 16 at any point of the frame.
THIRD QUARTER
Salem had its best offensive output of the game in the third quarter, scoring 17 points in the process. Minnie Griffin was the catalyst to the offense with seven points, hitting 3-of-8 from the floor, while Munn contributed four points of her own. The duo helped the Spirits finish 8-of-15 (53.3%) from the floor, while Southern Virginia was 8-of-17 (47.1%). On three occasions, Salem pulled the deficit under 19, but the Knights owned a 60-37 lead entering the fourth. 0
FOURTH QUARTER
The two teams scored 16 points apiece in the fourth as Sampson singlehandedly scored half of those for the Spirits. Sampson was successful on two shots from the floor and 4-of-6 free throws to lead all players in the frame.
SALEM NOTES
-Alize Munn finished with a game-high 17 points, knocking down 8-of-15 (53.3%) from the floor.
-Dionne Sampson closed with 10 points, hitting 3-of-7 in the process, resulting in her fifth double-digit outing of the campaign.
-Munn reached double figures for the fourth time in 2022-23, converting her single-game season-high in field goals (eight).
-Munn has had at least five rebounds in four of six contests this season and seven in each of her last two outings.
