Box Score SALEM, W. Va. (Feb. 12, 2018) – Too many empty offensive possessions betrayed a stout defensive performance from the Salem University Tigers women's basketball team in a 50-42 loss to the University of Charleston Golden Eagles.
For three quarters, the Tigers played defense on a string. When the Golden Eagles pulled at one seam of the defense, it signaled the rest to move behind it. One defensive rotation pulled another to fill the vacated area, walling off the most obvious threats.
Charleston shot just 26.9 percent in the first half, making only seven field goals on 26 attempts, four of them coming from behind the three-point line to take a 21-18 lead at the half.
Working primarily out of a 2-3 zone, the Tigers seamlessly passed off defensive assignments from one defender to another, marking Charleston's Brooklyn Pannell as she roamed from baseline to baseline seeking an opening, or rotating out to Abby Watson, deterring outside shots without ceding driving attacks against closeouts.
At times, Salem rotated ahead of passes with nearly precognitive ability, forcing 12 first-half turnovers, including five steals.
But where the defensive flowed smoothly and seamlessly, the Tigers' offense stagnated. Though the ball moved at times, it did so without purpose or puncture. Two-player actions dissolved without movement off the ball around them. Simple ball screens and dribble handoffs were met with switches—the Golden Eagles taking advantage of their team length and negating the decisions such offensive actions are designed to make, often leading the Tigers working late into the shot clock against a set defense.
Salem shot just 31.9 percent for the game (15-for-47), including 28.6 percent from the 3-point line (4-for-14); committing 15 turnovers to just six assists.
Keishla Gilmore led the Tigers with 14 points on 5-for-11 shooting, finding the tiniest of cracks in the defense and bursting through them before the defense could recover.
Isis Mance contributed 10 points and six rebounds, working inside and on the glass while serving as a defensive anchor with two blocks and two steals.
Jillian Romero and
Aaliyah Dotson finished with nine and seven points, respectively, with
Erica Lawrence scoring two points on one shot to round out all Salem's scorers.
Eventually, Charleston's Abby Watson found a rhythm against the Tiger's zone defense, finding open spaces in the middle of the zone for short jumpers (22 points, 7-for-14 shooting), offensive rebounds (four of her 10 rebounds), and cutters for five assists. Watson scored 17 points in the second half, hitting 6-for-8 from the field.
With the loss, the Tigers drop to 6-17 on the season and 4-9 at home. Salem will return to action on Feb. 15 against Washington Adventist University at home.
