Salem University opens its 2020-21 women's basketball season this afternoon in a battle of Tigers vs. Tigers against Georgetown College at Georgetown, Ky. Tip-off is 2 p.m. Spectators will not be permitted due to COVID-19 protocols.
 
Live Video and Live Stats are available, courtesy Georgetown College.
 
Salem posted an 8-18 record in 2019-20 and matched a 25-year school record with five games of 100 points or more. The Tigers won five of their final six home games last season and hope to carry that momentum both at home and on the road this season.
 
Salem graduated five seniors from last year's squad and has eight newcomers on this year's 12-player roster, but the Tigers return three of last year's top four scorers. After setting a school record with 241 three-pointers in 2018-19, the Tigers topped that with 273 treys last season.
 
Daniela Quesada averaged 10.0 points per contest in 2019-20, including a four-game stretch in which she scored at least 16 points. The 5-6 junior guard had a season-high 18 points in the Tigers' 115-71 victory over Cheyney University. Quesada is the top returning rebounder.
 
Nerea Arambarri Fernandez posted a 9.1 points per game scoring average last season and scored a season-high 18 points in three contests. A 5-7 junior guard, Fernandez capped Salem's 16-point comeback in a79-78 victory over Alderson Broaddus University, hitting the tying and winning free throws with 4.9 seconds remaining.
 
Alicia Smith averaged 8.8 points per game and scored in double figures 13 times last season, including five of her final six contests. The 5-7 guard tallied season highs of 17 points and seven rebounds in the Tigers' 92-86 victory over Virginia State University. Smith is a graduate student in her final season of athletics eligibility.
 
Inari Jones played in 24 games and started in two contests as a freshman in 2019-20. The 6-0 guard scored 10 points in Salem's season-opening 118-70 win over Miami University-Hamilton (Ohio) and scored nine points against nationally 17th-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan.
 
Today's contest is also the season opener for Georgetown, which posted a 14-16 mark in 2019-20.
 
Salem and Georgetown are facing each other in women's basketball for the first time since December 7, 2002. Salem fell 74-47 one day after defeating Oakland City University 74-71 in a tournament hosted by Alderson Broaddus.
 
Cody Gilmore enters his third year as Salem's head coach. The Tigers have been nationally ranked in three-point field goals in each of Gilmore's first two years at Salem, finishing 12th in the nation last season. He is assisted by first-year assistant coach Brad Zinn, who spent the previous three years as an assistant coach at Highland Community College (Kan.). Highland CC compiled an 80-10 record during his three years, including a national third-place finish in the NJCCA Tournament.
 
Salem's first home game is scheduled for December 12 in a rematch against Georgetown. Due to COVID-19 protocols, spectators will not be allowed at Tiger contests at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium in 2020-21.