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

>Score: 
Salem 48, Greensboro 47

>Records: 
Salem (1-20, 1-14 USA South) / Greensboro (5-18, 3-13 USA South)

>Next Game:
N.C. Wesleyan at Salem | February 23 | Varsity Gym | 2 p.m. 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Cree Bass provided the game-winning jumper with eight seconds remaining as Salem head coach Danielle Dawson earned her first collegiate head coaching victory with a 48-47 triumph over Triad and USA South Conference rival Greensboro when the two teams collided at Varsity Gym on Saturday afternoon. 

Trailing by one point with 49 seconds remaining on the clock, Hester hit one of two free throws, to even the game at 46-all. On the next possession, Greensboro's Nakiyah Kelly took advantage of a Hester foul, hitting one of her own to give The Pride a 47-46 edge. Bass and the Spirits headed down the court with a chance to regain the lead, with the graduate senior guard converting a jumper at the top of the key for the game-winning shot. 

Bass led all Salem scorers with 15 points, finishing 6-of-14 from the field, while grabbing eight rebounds. Teammate Nicole Hester notched her seventh double-double, closing with 12 points to go along with a team-best 10 rebounds. Jade Ware rounded out Salem double-digit scorers with 10 points. 

As a unit, the Spirits finished 17-of-51 from the floor (33.3%), while adding 13-of-19 (68.4%) from the free throw line. Greensboro countered by hitting 19-of-62 (30.6%) while adding seven free throws and two 3-pointers. The Pride were led in scoring by Azuria Barrino, who closed with 16 points and added nine rebounds. Barrino was 5-of-14 from the field and was 6-of-9 at the charity stripe. 

FIRST QUARTER: Trailing by a 9-4 margin at just over the midway point of the quarter, Salem got an injection into its offense when Bass hit a jumper in the lane to slice the margin to three. After attempting to cut the deficit to two with a free throw, Nicole Hester cleaned up the glass with a put back, resulting in a 9-8 score. Salem continued to push offensively and assumed a one-point advantage on a jumper from Cristina Battistini. Knotted at 13 all, Ware and Hester converted a pair of free throws to give the Spirits a two-point lead at the close of the frame. Salem closed out the frame by hitting 5-of-10 from the floor and 5-of-9 at the free throw line to establish its lead. 

SECOND QUARTER: The two teams remained evenly matched in the second, where the Spirits took a 27-26 lead into the intermission. The Spirits turned to their inside game, resulting in six points from Hester and four from Lily Gorum. Salem finished the frame with four field goals, while adding four free throws along the way. Greensboro responded by converting six field goals in the frame. The Pride were led on offense by Azuria Barrino, who tallied five points, along with Nakiyah Kelly, who added four. 

THIRD QUARTER: Bass opened the half with a 3-pointer for the Spirits, stretching their lead to four, following an assist from Ware. Greensboro answered with seven unanswered points, capped off by a free throw from Barrino, jumping in front 35-30. However, Gorum broke the scoring drought for the Spirits with a jumper from the perimeter, cutting the deficit to three. Clinging to a three-point advantage with under a minute left in the quarter, Nataya Atwater was issued a technical foul. Bass calmly knocked down to free throws to cut the margin to one before a three-point play from Ware provided the Spirits with a 39-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

FOURTH QUARTER: With the Triad rivals pitted in an emotional contest, the two teams reached a 41-41 tie inside the first minute of the quarter. Barrino broke the tie with a pair of free throws, providing Greensboro with a two-point advantage. Salem grabbed a 45-43 lead with 4:10 on the clock when Battistini willed home a pass from Bass. However, The Pride answered with a 3-pointer off the hand of Taya Simpkins, moving in front by one just over a minute later.