Box Score Nia Bishop and Nerea Arambarri Fernandez shared team-high honors with 21 points apiece as Salem University tipped off its 2019-20 women's basketball season with a 118-70 victory over Miami University-Hamilton (Ohio) Saturday at T. Edwards Gymnasium. The Tigers connected on seven 3-pointers in a game-breaking second quarter to turn a three-point margin into a 31-point halftime advantage.
 
Salem (1-0) fell behind early in the contest before rallying to take a 25-22 lead at the end of the first quarter. Arambarri Hernandez already reached double figures in the first 10 minutes of play.
 
The Tigers built a 10-point lead early in the second period and the margin never fell below double digits the remainder of the contest. Salem outscored the Harriers 37-6 in the second period to take a 62-31 lead at the half.
 
Arambarri Fernandez hit three 3's in the second quarter to give her 19 first-half points. Aaliyah Holmes hit a pair of three-pointers in the quarter, while Bishop and Alicia Smith also connected from beyond the arc.
 
Miami-Hamilton (0-1) kept pace in the third quarter before Salem pulled away in the fourth quarter to extend the lead beyond 40 points. The Tigers reached the century mark with just over six minutes left in the contest.
 
Five Tigers finished in double figures as Smith, Inari Jones and Daniela Quesada-Villalobos each scored 10 points. Holmes scored all of her nine points from three-point range, while Endia Jones added eight points.
 
Sierra Mills led all scorers with 24 points for Miami-Hamilton.
 
Salem plays its first away game of the regular season as the Tigers travel to Canton, Ohio, to take on Malone University. Tip-off is 6 p.m.
 
The Tigers' next home contest is next Saturday as part of a women's and men's basketball doubleheader against Tiffin University.