Chambers' 26 lifts Bishops to 67-57 victory over Salem

Rocky Mount, NC - The women's basketball team of North Carolina Wesleyan picked up its third straight victory on Wednesday night, downing Salem College by a 67-57 score in Everett Gymnasium. Senior Essence Chambers poured in a game-high 26 points to pace the Bishops, who move to 4-5 overall with the win. Chambers (pictured) knocked down 11-of-12 attempts at the free throw line on the night, including an 8-for-8 stretch over the final two minutes of play.

The first half saw both squads turn in significant runs. Wesleyan was up first with a 10-2 run midway through the period that gave the Bishops a 21-10 lead at the 12:43 mark.  The Spirits (5-14) countered with a 13-2 run of their own that tied the score at 23-23 with 5:41 left in the half.

The Bishops, however, outscored their opponents 14-7 to close out the period to take a 37-30 lead into the break. The surge was due in part to junior Jessica Jones, who came off the bench to nail two key three-pointers in the final two minutes.

In the second half, both teams struggled offensively at the start as the Spirits held a slim 10-6 advantage over the first ten minutes of the period. Salem later tied the score on two occasions, the latter coming at 50-50 with 4:33 remaining, but a lay-up by sophomore Gretchen Tobias on the Bishops' next possession gave NCWC the lead for good. 

Wesleyan proceeded to hit 11-of-14 free throws over the final three minutes of play to seal the victory.

In addition to her 26 points, Chambers had five rebounds, five steals, and four assists. Tobias recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, while freshman T'Keya Holloway chipped in 13 points.  Driver finished with seven points and seven rebounds.

For Salem, Destiny Harris had a team-high 12 points, and Joanne Hall added 10. Michale Micheaux and Sarah Smith pulled down 12 and 10 boards, respectively.

Turnovers proved to be the difference-maker in the game as Wesleyan scored 29 points off of 27 Salem miscues on the night.

Wesleyan resumes USA South play on Saturday versus Shenandoah University on Take a Kid to the Game Day. Game time is slated for 2:00 p.m. in Everett Gymnasium, and kids 12 and under will be admitted free.