BUENA VISTA, VA. — Playing on their home court since the first game of the season, the Southern Virginia University Women's Basketball team (3-2) welcomed Salem College (1-5) to Knight Arena for a USA South Conference matchup Tuesday night. After the final whistle, the Knights won their second consecutive victory, taking down the Spirits 76-53.
 
Southern Virginia ended the game shooting 45.2% from the field and out-rebounded Salem 44-29 and dominated in the paint with 52 points while dishing out a season-high 28 assists. The Knights bench came up big for the squad, scoring 34 points compared to Salem's 15.
 
Continuing her dominant year, Courtney Olson led the team in points for the third straight game, recording 12 points along with 12 rebounds and one block. Coming off the bench, Eve Schmalbeck impressed with her second straight 11-point game, while Sophomore, Jadie O'Bray recorded a career-high 10 points, shooting a perfect 100% from the field. O'Bray added two rebounds, dished out three assists, and tallied four steals.
 
"The team played very selfless basketball tonight, which I credit for allowing me to have a career-high night," exclaimed O'Bray. "We had really good ball movement that lead to really good looks inside the paint and we had 28 assists which is why I was able to perform so well. Overall this game just makes me more excited for upcoming games and what we will do this season as a team."
 
It did not take long for the Knights to set the tone of the game, opening with 13 unanswered points led by four O'Bray and Alyssa McKrola points. Ruth Kempler would sink a jumper inside the paint to close out the first quarter, guiding the team into the second with a 18-4 lead.
 
Midway through the next quarter, Courtney Olson hit a jumper in the paint to give the Knights there largest lead of the game so far at 20 points, 29-9, before Maria Savvun drained a three to extend the lead to 22 points, 40-18, with 1:46 remaining on the clock. RaeAnn Lessing recorded a jumper to close out the first half, heading into the locker room with the team with a comfortable 42-20 advantage.
 
At the midway point, Southern Virginia shot 47.35% from the field, going 18-for-38 and brought in 22 rebounds.
 
After struggling to get the offensive production going in the second half, Southern Virginia got back on track, scoring 16 total points in the third quarter, grabbing a 23-point lead off an Abbigail Snyder layup to head into the final quarter.
 
O'Bray started the final quarter off strong with back-to-back buckets, followed by Alyssa McKrola snagging a steal eventually finding her sister, Courtney Olson, for a fastbreak layup, recording their largest lead at 28 points, 66-38 with under nine minutes remaining. Sierra Banz got into the scoring category with a savvy layup in the paint, before Schmalbeck tallied six of the final eight points scored to lock in the team's 76-53 victory.
 
The Knights hit the road again on Thursday, December 1, traveling to Fredericksburg, Virginia, to take on the University of Mary Washington. Tip-off is set for 6 pm.
 
For the most up to date information and details pertaining to the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_wbb on Instagram.