Last Thursday, the Salem University women's basketball team cut a 19-point deficit down to a single point. The Tigers had to play from behind again Monday night, but this time, they would not be denied.

Nerea Arambarri Fernandez hit the tying and winning free throws with 4.9 seconds left as Salem University rallied from 16 points down to defeat Alderson Broaddus University 79-78 in NCAA Division II women's basketball Monday at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. Fernandez led Salem with 16 points as the Tigers posted their fourth consecutive home victory.

Salem (7-16) cut into a 13-point halftime deficit as three-pointers by Alicia Smith and Aaliyah Holmes pulled the Tigers within 49-47 with 5:01 left in the third quarter. Nia Bishop found Endia Jones in the paint for a short jumper to give Salem its first lead of the contest at 52-51 with 1:59 remaining. Alderson Broaddus regained the lead, but Bishop dished to Smith for a layup with 30 seconds left and the two teams went into the fourth quarter tied 57-57.
 
Alderson Broaddus (6-20) scored the first four points of the final period to break the tie. Holmes chased down her own offensive rebound of a three-point attempt and found Daniela Quesada in the right corner for a three to pull Salem within 61-60.
 
The margin grew to five points as Madelin Moyer's three-pointer with 4:04 left to play gave the Battlers a 70-65 lead. Inari Jones sandwiched a pair of three-pointers from the left corner around an Alderson Broaddus basket to make it a one-point game again with 3:26 remaining.
 
Salem answered a pair of Battler baskets with a Tamia Tart layup and an Endia Jones putback to keep it a one-point game at 76-75 with 1:11 left. The margin went back up to three when Jeana Weatherspoon hit a pair of free throws with 59 seconds left for Alderson Broaddus. Only seven seconds elapsed when Bishop got the Tigers back within one with a driving layup.
 
Alderson Broaddus ran the shot clock down to three seconds before missing an off-balance layup. Endia Jones pulled down her 11th rebound of the game – eighth of the second half – and Salem called timeout with 20.1 seconds remaining. The Tigers missed a shot attempt, but Inari Jones drew a foul going for the rebound with 10.4 seconds left.
 
Salem was not in the bonus and both teams used a 30-second timeout before the Tigers inbounded the ball from the baseline.
 
Bishop inbounded the ball to Fernandez, who drove from the left corner up to the middle of the lane. Fernandez looked to pass, faked to the left and drew a foul on her eight-foot right-handed attempt. Both free throws were all net as Salem took its first lead of the fourth quarter.
 
After Salem called its final timeout, Alderson Broaddus drove the ball across halfcourt and into the arc. But Quesada knocked the ball loose and the Battlers were unable to get off a shot as the Tigers held on to improve to 6-5 at home.
 
Fernandez said after the game the Tigers always believe they're still in the game, regardless of the deficit.
 
"We always feel like we can come back, no matter the score," said Fernandez, a sophomore guard from Vigo, Spain. "We play very aggressive and we feel like we can come back in any game."
 
A 10-0 run helped Alderson Broaddus vault out to a double-digit lead midway through the first quarter and the Battlers took their biggest lead of the night at 44-28 with 1:03 left before halftime. A short jumper by Quesada and a pair of free throws by Precious Price with exactly 3.0 seconds remaining brought Salem within 46-33 at the break.
 
Endia Jones finished with 13 points for her third double-double of the season. Holmes and Quesada added nine points apiece, while Bishop tallied eight points, six steals and five assists.
 
Simone Smith led five Alderson Broaddus players in double figures with a game-high 20 points.
 
Salem is off until Saturday when the Tigers play host to Bluefield State College. Seniors Imari Bowers, Aaliyah Holmes, Reeva Jackson, Endia Jones and Precious Price will be honored during Senior Day ceremonies. Tip-off is 2 p.m. at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.