SALEM, W. Va. (Feb. 10, 2018) — A short-handed Salem University Tigers women's basketball team faded in the second half of a 57-41 loss to the Davis & Elkins College Senators. 

The Tigers were without Jillian Romero and a limited Aaliyah Dotson started the game on the bench, taking a large does of shot creation and playmaking out of the lineup.

Keishla Gilmore led Salem with 14 points and seven rebounds, carrying the Tigers early with tremendous energy, working in constant motion and following her own shot for four offensive rebounds and getting to the free-throw line eight time, making five. 

But without Romero's combination of floor spacing and passing, or Dotson's ability to knife through the defense, Salem's offense grew stagnant, falling behind 17-11 after the first quarter. 

Salem received a boost in the second quarter when Dotson entered the game, providing some much-needed off-the-dribble punch to the offense to help the Tigers pull within two at 26-24 at the half. 

Dotson and Gilmore have worked as a two-pronged attack all season. Gilmore with her quickness, blinding straight-line speed and willingness to create contact at the rim; and Dotson adding sharp crossovers, spins, changes of direction and an ability to power through contact from the first line of defense. 

Once again, Dotson had little trouble breaking down the first line of defense. But without Romero and with Salem struggling from deep (2-for-24, 8.3 percent), the defense was able to rotate ahead of any dribble penetration, deterring any drives. 

The ripple effects moved throughout the lineup. The open corner 3-pointers Isis Mance feasted on the previous game were nowhere to be found, leaving Salem's versatile forward to play in a crowd, where she struggled with just eight points on 4-for-15 shooting, finding little room to maneuver and fouling out after committing a number of offensive fouls.

For the game, Salem shot j just 31.4 percent (16-for-51), committing 15 turnovers to just six assists. 

Davis & Elkins came after Salem in wave after wave, substituting two or three players at a time to wear the Tigers down. Aliyah Dukes led the Senators with 19 points and four assists and Sydney Turner had 13 points and five rebounds while Salem scored just 17 points in the second half. 

With the loss, Salem drops to 6-16 on the season and 4-8 at home. The Tigers face a short turnaround for their next game, hosting the University of Charleston on Feb. 12 at 6 p.m.