Need to Know
Score: Piedmont 88, Salem 65 
Records: Lady Lions 2-3, Spirits 1-6
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina - Salem College

Winston-Salem, NC - In a battle of past and future conference foes, the Piedmont College women's basketball team defeated the Spirits of Salem College by 23 points on the road in a 88-65 win on Saturday afternoon.

The two spent three years competing as conference foes as members of the Great South Athletic Conference before Piedmont joined the USA South in 2012.  The Sprits are set to be added to the USA South as one of three new members starting next season.  

Piedmont put on an absolute clinic defensively holding the Salem Spirits to one of their worst shooting performances of the season as the home team connected on only one of 19 three-pointers taken.  LE'SHAUNDA JONES came up with three steals to lead the way in that category including a key stop-and-score that pushed a 7-point Piedmont lead to nine just after the halftime break.

The Lady Lions held a 7-point edge at halftime before clamping down on the Spirits in the 3rd quarter to allow just 12 points in the period and take a commanding 19-point lead into the 4th and final quarter in Winston-Salem.  

Five Lady Lions were in double figures on the afternoon including points leader DAKOTA SULLENS, for the second time in three games, as well as Jones.  The remaining three in double-digits came on the bench for Piedmont, an area of the contest where PC held a 37-point edge over the Spirits.  

For Piedmont, the win stops a 3-game slide and continues its 6-game road trip to start the season, a streak that wraps up with the 2015-16 USA South opener for the Lady Lions on Sunday, December 13.

Turning Point
--After a Mikayla Seivers jumper cut the Piedmont lead to two early in the 2nd quarter, the Lady Lions responded with a 10-0 run that set the tone for the rest of the afternoon as Salem never took the lead again.

Standout Performances
--DAKOTA SULLENS continues her tear as of late leading the Lady Lions for the 2nd time in three games in scoring with 17 points while also topping the charts in rebounds with 12 for a double-double, her second of the season.
--The Piedmont bench which outscored the subs of the Spirits 39-2, the 2nd largest difference in that category in a single contest for the Lady Lions so far in 2015 (60-pt. difference vs. Toccoa Falls).
--LE'SHAUNDA JONES came up just two boards shy of her own double-double scoring 15 on 7-of-16 shooting while also posting a game-high three steals.

Inside the Box Score
--Piedmont doubled up the hosting Spirits 24-12 in the 3rd quarter holding any 2nd half rally by the home team.
--The Lady Lions held Salem to less than 30% shooting overall and less than 6% from downtown as the Spirits connected on just one of 19 tries from beyond the arc.
--Salem's previous low from 3-point land had been 21% which they shot on two occasions including their previous game to today, a loss to Lynchburg. 

News & Notes
--Salem held just two leads in the contest, both of which came in the first quarter.
--Two of Piedmont's top performers for the day are making waves in the league as well with LE'SHAUNDA JONES ranking in the top 20 in steals while DAKOTA SULLENS' 12.8 points per game is ranked 7th in the USA South.

Up Next
Piedmont stays on the road for the last of a 6-game stretch to open the season away from Cave Arena traveling to playing USA South foe Huntingdon College on Sunday, December 13.  The contest will be the conference opener for the Lady Lions and will tip off at 3:00 pm ET, 2:00 pm CT in Montgomery, Alabama.

How to Follow
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