>Site: 
Winston-Salem, N.C. | Varsity Gym

>Score: 
William Peace 63, Salem 56

>Records: 
Salem (0-13, 0-7 USA South) / William Peace (4-10, 3-4 USA South)

>Next Game:
N.C. Wesleyan vs. Salem | January 21 | Hanes Gym | Faculty Staff Appreciation Night | 6:00 p.m. 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — William Peace scored 24 points in the final frame, finishing with seven field goals along the way, to close out a 63-56 win over Salem when the two teams clashed at Varsity Gym on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Spirits countered with four players in double figures, including Cree Bass (13), Amy Pedroza (12), Nicole Hester (10) and Anayah Noell (10). 

Salem finished the day by knocking down 17-of-51 (33.3%) from the floor, including two from beyond the arc, while the Pacers were 24-of-65 (36.9%) from the field and converted six 3-pointers along the way. The biggest difference came at the charity stripe, where Salem was 20-of-25 (80%) and William Peace knocked down 9-of-12 (75%). 

Hester narrowly missed her seventh double-double of the season, closing with nine rebounds (six defensive) to go along with her 10 points. Bass contributed the most field goals (five), while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists, in 30 minutes off the bench. Pedroza capped off her afternoon with 12 points, six assists and two steals. 

Another major contributor for Salem was Jade Ware, who tallied nine points, dished out a game-high seven assists and hauled in seven rebounds for the Spirits. Ware collected five of her points at the free throw line. 

FIRST QUARTER: Salem held a slight 13-12 edge on the scoreboard after converting four field goals, including three from long distance. With the scored knotted at six-all, following a series of free throws from Pedroza, Salem capitalized on buckets from Gorum and Bass to give the Spirits a four-point lead. Bass converted a jumper and Ware added the final free throw of the quarter to give the Spirits the one-point lead. 

SECOND QUARTER: The Spirits offense was limited to just three field goals in the second quarter as William Peace emerged with a 15-11 advantage. Hester provided the first points of the half for the Spirits, stretching the margin to 15-12, but William Peace responded with a four-point run to assume the lead. Noell briefly put Salem back in the lead, but the Pacers scored 11 unanswered points to move in front 27-17. Two points each from Hester and Ware, coupled with a 3-pointer off the hand of Bass, helped the Spirits shave the deficit to three, 27-24, at the intermission. 

THIRD QUARTER: Salem amped up its defensive efforts in the third quarter, holding the Pacers to just five made shots, while hitting seven free throws and adding three field goals of its own to pull the score to 39-37. Salem used a Noell jumper to even the contest at 28 at the 7:54 mark of the frame. The two teams would endure three ties, reaching a 35-all deadlock, before Hannah Lewis put William Peace up by two with 1:12 remaining in the quarter. After a Bass jumper that evened the scored at 37, Kaylan Logan provided the Pacers with a two-point lead to close the frame.  

FOURTH QUARTER: Pedroza forged Salem back into the lead in the opening stages of the fourth, hitting a 3-pointer before being fouled as she converted a four-point play, resulting in a 41-39 lead. William Peace responded with an 8-0 run, capped off by a layup from Jada Kent at the 6:33 mark. The two teams evenly split the next eight points, resulting in a 51-47 contest. Salem sliced the deficit to three, 53-50, on a layup by Hester with 1:57 left. William Peace closed out the game by scoring 10 of the final 16 points, including six from Zikira Henderson, to pick up its fourth win of the slate.