Salem University cut a 16-point deficit down to single digits early in the third quarter, but Ohio Dominican University pulled away to defeat the Tigers 99-68 in NCAA Division II women's basketball Wednesday at Columbus, Ohio. Daniela Quesada led Salem with 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
 
Quesada scored Salem's first seven points as the Tigers rallied from an early 5-0 deficit to even the score at 7-7 with 7:26 left in the first quarter. Ohio Dominican broke the tie with a 7-0 run before Nia Bishop's three-pointer helped pull the Tigers within 14-12. Ohio Dominican outscored Salem 11-2 to end the quarter and scored the first five points of the second quarter to take its biggest lead of the half at 30-14.

Precious Price's jumper with 7:14 left before halftime ended a near five-minute scoring drought as the Tigers clawed their way back into the game. Quesada's two free throws and her lob pass to Alicia Smith for a layup off the left glass cut the margin to single digits as Salem (3-12) pulled within 38-30 with 1:18 left in the half. But Ohio Dominican scored the next four points and the Panthers went into the locker room with a 42-30 halftime lead.

Aaliyah Holmes hit a three-pointer and a pair of free throws in the first 71 seconds of the third quarter to keep Salem within 44-35. Ohio Dominican (7-9) responded with a 22-6 run and the margin stayed above 20 points the remainder of the game.

Smith finished with 10 points for Salem, while Nerea Arambarri Fernandez added nine points. Tamia Tart hit a pair of late three's to finish with eight points. Endia Jones pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.

Angela Troyer led all scorers with 23 points for Ohio Dominican.

Wednesday's contest was the first meeting between the two teams since November 13, 2012.

Salem is off until Monday when the Tigers play host to Cheyney University as part of a doubleheader with Salem men's basketball. The women's game tips off at 6 p.m., followed by the men's game at 8 p.m. at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.