Charleston, WV – Charleston returned to the Wehrle Innovation Center for an out-of-conference matchup against Salem University and continued its strong play, earning a 57–44 victory on Saturday afternoon.
The Basics
- Location: Wehrle Innovation Center
- Final Score: UC 57, SU 44
- Records: Charleston (8-6, 5-2 MEC), Salem (1-11)
How It Happened
Charleston entered the contest riding a two-game winning streak and looked to maintain its momentum. The opening quarter was tightly contested, with both teams struggling to find offensive rhythm early. Through the first five minutes, neither side could pull away, as the score sat knotted at 6–6 following an and-one by Paris Stokes. After Salem briefly took a 9–6 lead, Ksenija Mitric caught fire, scoring Charleston's final eight points of the quarter to give the Golden Eagles a 14–11 advantage.
The offense slowed again early in the second quarter, with UC not scoring until Faith Whalen drilled a three-pointer with 4:18 remaining to tie the game. Salem responded with a five-point run, but Bridget Womber answered with a layup and a putback to keep Charleston within striking distance. Paris Stokes then delivered a clutch jumper at the buzzer to send the Golden Eagles into halftime with a slim 23–22 lead.
Charleston found another gear coming out of the break. After Salem opened the scoring in the third quarter, Womber poured in six straight points, followed by five from Harper Annarino as UC built its first double-digit lead of the game. Salem trimmed the deficit, but Annarino calmly knocked down four consecutive free throws to stabilize the advantage. A late Salem push cut the lead to four heading into the final period.
Any hopes of a comeback were quickly erased in the fourth quarter. Stokes sparked the offense with a layup and two free throws, and Laynie Binion ignited the bench with a momentum-shifting three-pointer. From there, Charleston controlled the tempo and closed out the game, securing the 57–44 win.
Charleston's bench proved decisive, outscoring Salem 16–2. Annarino led all players with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Next Up
The Golden Eagles will stay at home, hosting West Virginia Wesleyan College on Wednesday, January 14, with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m.
