CANTON, OH – The Salem International University women's basketball team battled point-for-point in the first quarter with Malone University, but a 24-3 run for the Pioneers in the second quarter would sink the Tigers as they fell to Malone 77-39 on Tuesday night (Dec. 6) in NCAA women's collegiate basketball action.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final: Malone University 77, Salem Int'l 39
Records: Malone (3-3), Salem Int'l (0-8)  
Location: Osborne Hall | Canton, Ohio

HOW IT HAPPENED:

•  First Half
  • The Pioneers held a slim 16-13 lead after the first quarter of action.
  • The second quarter would see the Pioneers blitz the Tigers, out-scoring SIU 24-3.
  • SIU sophomore Jiahna Flood-Francis went 1-of-8 from the floor in the first-half and 0-of-4 from three-point range.
  • Gilmore finished 3-of-6 off of the bench for the Tigers and went 1-of-4 at the charity stripe.
  • Salem was 7-of-26 from the floor and 1-of-8 from downtown, while Malone was 15-of-32 from the floor and 7-of-114 from three-point range.
  • The Pioneers recorded 22 rebounds to the Tigers 16. SIU committed 13 turnovers, while Malone had eight.
  • Baylen Dyrlund and Hannah McCue each scored 10 points for Malone with McCue going 3-of-4 from downtown with six rebounds.

•  Second Half
  • Gilmore would try her best to get the Tigers back into the game, scoring eight points in the second half.
  • Gilmore scored six of her points at the free throw line, going 6-of-10.
  • Flood-Francis went 2-of-3 from the floor and recorded one steal.
  • Rachel Goddard and Dani Drayer paced the Pioneers offensively in the second-half, combining to go 6-of-8 from the floor.
  • McCue would record just two points for Malone in the second-half but register three steals and two assists in seven minutes of action.
  • The Tigers went 7-of-30 from the floor and 1-of-11 from three-point range, while connecting on 8-of-14 free-throws.
  • The Pioneers connected on 15-of-37 shots and went 5-of-10 from three-point range. Malone out-rebounded SIU 28-17.

 STATS FROM THE GAME:

• Gilmore finished the contest with 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting. She also went 7-of-14 at the free throw line.
• Flood-Francis and senior Franchessca Gill each finished with six points. Flood-Francis recorded five rebounds and Gill went 2-of-5 from three-point range.
• McCue recorded a double-double for Malone with 12 points and 11 rebounds. She also added five assists and four steals.
• Goddard and Dyrlund each finished with 12 points for the Pioneers.
• The Pioneers out-rebounded the Tigers 50 to 33 with 15 boards coming on the offensive end of the ball.
• Malone scored 27 points off of SIU turnovers and received 32 points from its bench.

UP NEXT:

The Tigers will face Bluefield State on Friday night (Dec. 9) in their opening-game of the Joe Manchin Classic. Tip-off is slated for 5 pm. The following night SIU will host Virginia State at 5 pm to conclude the tournament. Live stats and video for both of the Tigers games will be available at www.SIUTigerPride.com.