>Opponents: 
Salem at William Peace | January 7 | Hermann Athletic Center | 7 p.m. 
Salem at Greensboro | January 11 | Hanes Gym | 4:30 p.m. 

>SALEM ENTERS USA SOUTH CONFERENCE PLAY
The Salem basketball team goes full steam ahead into USA South Conference play this week with a pair of road contests at William Peace (January 7) and Greensboro (January 11). The Spirits have completed the non-conference portion of the 2024-25 campaign, along with facing three league opponents (Pfeiffer, Methodist, Meredith), in the first two months of the season. 

>SPIRITS MAKE BRIEF RETURN TO VARSITY GYM, CLASH WITH MEREDITH
Despite being lassoed with just five players, missing two due to health concerns, Salem head coach Danielle Dawson got a maximum effort from her unit, which fell 64-55 to Meredith in USA South Conference action at Varsity Gym on Tuesday afternoon. 

First year Nicole Hester notched her third double-double in the last four games, closing with 15 points and 15 rebounds, to lead the way for the Spirits. Hester was 5-of-11 from the floor and grabbed 11 of her 15 rebounds on the defensive glass. Joining her in double-digit scoring were Anayah Noell and Amy Pedroza, who closed with 13 and 11 points, respectively. 

The Spirits finished 18-of-53 (34%) from the floor, including four 3-pointers along the way. Salem collected 15 points from the free throw line, finishing 15-of-18 (83.3%) as a team. 

Meredith took advantage of 23 points from Danae Hawkins, who finished 8-of-14 from the floor and 6-of-11 at the 3-point line. Meanwhile, teammate Kylie Wade anchored the post with 11 rebounds, including seven defensive.

>SALEM CONCLUDES TWO GAME, FOUR-DAY STRETCH AT SEWANEE
Salem's Nicole Hester continued her solid play, recording her third straight double-double (25 points / 14 rebounds), but Sewanee countered with four double-digit scoring performances, including a game-high 27 from Olivia Falvey in a 96-49 triumph when the two teams clashed in the Volunteer State on Saturday afternoon. 

Hester finished 11-of-24 from the floor, knocked down 3-of-6 from the free throw line, and grabbed seven rebounds on both offense and defense en route to her fourth double-double outing in the last five outings. The trio of Amy Pedroza, Jade Ware and Anayah Noell contributed eight points each for Salem, which finished 20-of-66 from the floor and 8-of-17 at the free throw line in the first-ever meeting with Sewanee. 

The Tigers' offense capped off the victory by knocking down 36-of-81 (44.4%), including 13 from 3-point range, and managed to convert at least 54 percent from the floor in both the second (13-of-24) and third (12-of-21) frames. While Sewanee was led in scoring by Falvey's 27, teammate Cydney Wright posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Elliott Porter and Hannah Cleveland also reached double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively. 

The combination of Pedroza and Hester provided Salem with an early 5-2 lead inside the first two minutes, but the Tigers came through with 13 unanswered points to assume a 10-point lead at the close of the quarter.

>HESTER'S FOURTH DOUBLE-DOUBLE PUTS HER IN UNIQUE COMPANY
First year Nicole Hester placed herself in unique company with her fourth double-double of the season against Sewanee on Saturday. 

Hester became the 13th different Spirit to notch at least four double double's in the same season. She becomes the third Salem player in the last three seasons with at least four double-double games, joining Tamsi Echendu (2022-23) and Alize Munn (2023-24, who had four double-double outings apiece.

The last time a Salem player had at least five in a season was in 2017-18 when MiKayla Seivers tallied five and Sabrina Shepherd closed out the campaign with six. The most single-season double-double outings for a Spirit in program history is 18, which was by Quntashea Lewis in the 2015-16 season. Lewis closed her career with a program record 32 double-double performances.  

In 2024-25, Hester posted her first double-double (12 points / 12 rebounds) in 36 minutes against Pfeiffer (November 26). She followed that with a pair of double-double outings versus Methodist (15 points / 10 rebounds) and Meredith (15 points / 15 rebounds) in December. Hester's most recent double-double (25 points / 14 rebounds) came at Sewanee (January 4), where she established her single-game season-high in points and offensive rebounds (seven) along the way. 

>SCORING SHUFFLE
With the absence of Cree Bass in the Salem lineup due to a concussion, newcomers Nicole Hester and Amy Pedroza have ascended to the top of the scoring for the Spirits. 

Hester leads all Salem players with 96 points, averaging 12 points a game along the way. She has reached double figures in three consecutive contests and five of her last six outings. Only Johnson & Wales limited her to under 10 points in her last six games, which resulted in a three-point outing against the Wildcats. 

Hester is the most efficient shooter for head coach Danielle Dawson this season, hitting 34-of-73 (.466) from the field. She has also managed to convert 29-of-47 (.596) of her free throw attempts. 

Sophomore Amy Pedroza is second on the unit in scoring with 75 points (9.4 ppg). Pedroza has knocked down 27-of-95 from the floor and leads all Spirit scorers in 3-point field goals made (11). 

Anayah Noell has also made her offensive presence felt in the absence of Bass, delivering 13 points in a clash with Meredith and nine versus Sewanee. Noell is the most effective free throw shooter in the lineup this season, converting 20-of-24 (.833). 

>SCOUTING REPORT: WILLIAM PEACE PACERS
William Peace, which owns a 19-10 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools, will look to avenge a 95-83 setback to Salem in Raleigh on January 10, 2024. 

The Spirits picked up four straight wins in the head-to-head series, including two by forfeit in 2023. Salem has managed at least 84 points in its last five games against the Pacers, including 95 points in 2024 and 92 in the February 22nd contest. 

The Pacers are 1-9 overall and 0-3 in the USA South Conference entering Tuesday's contest with the lone victory on the season coming in the form of a 58-57 triumph over Lynchburg on November 16th. William Peace has lost seven straight since that win on November 16th, however the Pacers took Greensboro to overtime before falling 61-60 at the Hermann Athletic Center. 

Individually, William Peace is led in scoring by Zikira Henderson's 128 points (12.8 ppg). Henderson leads the unit with field goals (39) and free throws (43) on the season, hitting seven 3-pointers along the way. She has also gotten her teammates into the flow of the game with a team-best 16 assists. 

Teammates Brene'a Daye and Alayna Randolph are second and third in scoring with 74 and 73 points, respectively. Daye is the Pacers' leader in 3-point field goals made with 11. Meanwhile, Randolph tops the lineup in rebounds (56) and steals (24). 

>SCOUTING REPORT: GREENSBORO PRIDE
Salem heads to Triad rival Greensboro in search of its first-ever win at Hanes Gym on Saturday afternoon. The Spirits have suffered 11 setbacks all-time at Greensboro College, including a 62-56 loss on January 27, 2024. 

That six-point loss was the second-closest margin in the head-to-head series. The only closer game at Hanes Gym between the two came on November 24, 2015, when Greensboro emerged 71-68. 

Greensboro begins play this week with a clash against N.C. Wesleyan on Tuesday evening before hosting the Spirits. The Pride is 3-7 overall and 1-3 in the USA South Conference, earning two victories at Hanes Gym. Those two wins came back-to-back in mid-November against Regent (61-33) and Mid-Atlantic Christian (86-27). 

Greensboro has dropped two straight contests, against Brevard (72-39) and Southern Virginia (81-35), since posting a 61-60 win over William Peace in overtime. 

Meah Roberts leads the way for The Pride in scoring with 98 points, hitting 41-of-85 from the floor along the way. Roberts is also one of three Greensboro players with 16 made free throws on the season and is second in rebounds (54) and assists (11). 

Nakiyah Kelly tops the Greensboro lineup in rebounds with 70, grabbing 46 on the defensive end. Meanwhile, Azuria Barrino leads the unit in both steals (16) and blocks (10).