WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Serena Lytton contributed a game-high 19 points in reserve and led four Hollins players in double figures as the Green and Gold emerged with a 76-52 win over Salem at Varsity Gym on Monday, December 30.
Lytton led the way for the Hollins bench, which accounted for 24 points, by hitting 7-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-10 from 3-point range. Hollins (7-3) also received double-digit points from Kayla Surles (18), Lenah Clements (13) and Yasmine Tyler (10). Surles came through with 6-of-12 field goals, including two from 3-point range, while Tyler was 5-of-11 from the field. Clements drove home 5-of-8 field goal attempts, while grabbing seven rebounds.
Keyazia Taylor anchored the post for Hollins with 12 rebounds (10 defensive), while Surles handed out four assists.
Salem (0-10) was led in scoring by Shenell Pharr, who returned to the program after a three-year hiatus. Pharr was 5-of-13 from the floor, along with hitting 4-of-8 from 3-point range, to finish with 14 points. She was also active on defense with seven rebounds and three steals.
Sydney Bowen tallied nine points, hitting 4-of-8 from the floor, while Alize Brooks contributed seven. The combination of Lauren Privette (seven rebounds) and Aubrey Slaughter (five rebounds) were active on the glass for Salem.
Facing a 16-point deficit at the intermission, Salem opened the third with a layup from Slaughter, but Hollins came through with 10 unanswered points to establish a 46-22 lead. A 3-pointer from Pharr, coupled with a free throw by Privette, cut the margin to 18 points. The Green and Gold countered with a 15-5 run, highlighted by a trey from Surles, as the lead reached 61-33.
The Spirits closed out the fourth quarter with a 19-16 edge in scoring behind five points each from Pharr and Brooks. Brooks came through with the first two points of the frame for the Spirits, as Hollins built a 74-44 lead with just under five minutes left. Pharr and teammate Dionne Sampson scored the final four points of the contest as Salem completed the non-conference portion of its home schedule.
The Spirits offense got off to a sluggish start in the opening frame, hitting just 2-of-19 from the floor (10.5%), as Hollins jumped out to a 19-5 lead. The Green and Gold knocked down 6-of-14 (42.9%) from the floor in the first quarter and was led individually by Tyler, who finished with six points.
Behind the tandem of Bowen and Privette, who scored six and four points, respectively, Salem posted 15 points in the second quarter. Bowen, who was 3-from-5 from the field in the frame, led the way for a Spirits offense that finished 7-of-16 (43.8%) from the floor. Meanwhile, Lytton led the way for Hollins' attack with 11 points, knocking down 4-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Bowen opened second quarter scoring with a jumper, following a pass from Shenell Pharr, but Hollins stretched the lead to 18 on two occasions over the first three minutes of play. Shenique Pharr trimmed the margin to 14, 28-14, but a timely trey by Lytton extended the Hollins advantage to 17. Privette scored four points in the final 4:19 of the half to make for a 36-20 Green and Gold lead at the intermission.
The Spirits return to the court this weekend when they host Meredith (2 p.m.) and Mary Baldwin (2 p.m.) on Jan. 4 and Jan. 5, respectively. For more information on Salem basketball check out www.salemspirits.com.