FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Kodi Centry was a rebound shy of a double-double as Methodist defeated Salem College, 71-51, Wednesday evening in USA South women's basketball action.

The Monarchs would have led wire-to-wire if not for a pregame technical foul that resulted in two made Salem free throws. Logan Lee opened regulation with a made three-pointer and Methodist led from that point forward.

The 20-point win was the Monarchs' largest margin of victory this season.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Methodist def. Salem, 71-51
Records: Methodist 5-19 (3-12 USA South), Salem 1-24 (1-15 USAS)
Location: Riddle Center; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the final two minutes of the third period, Salem went on a 8-0 run to end the quarter with the score of 48-40. Tamara Blanton scored the final five points. Blanton was the main reason for the Spirits outscoring Methodist, 20-19 in the third frame. She had nine points, including two made long-range treys and two steals in the quarter alone.
• Centry shut down all of the Spirits' momentum with a heat-check shot from downtown. She made the three-pointer, much to the crowd's delight, and gave the Monarchs a 51-40 lead to start the final frame.
• Salem managed to claw back and cut the deficit to 11 points several times but were unable to get the game back within single digits. With 1:52 remaining in the game, the Spirits were held scoreless as Methodist ended the game on a 9-0 run with Machiah Moore accounting for the final seven points.
• Midway through the third quarter, a 10-1 run by Methodist turned a ten-point advantage into a 44-25 lead. The 19-point lead was the Monarchs' biggest lead until the last basket of the game.
• The Monarchs outscored the Spirits 29-20 in the first half. Methodist held their opponent to seven-of-40 (17.5 percent) from the field in the first two quarters. Late in the second quarter, the Monarchs used a 7-2 run to gain their biggest lead of the first half, a 29-16 advantage.
• The Monarchs opened regulation with a 7-0 run en route to a 14-7 first quarter score.

MONARCH MOMENTS

• The best moment of the game came with a minute left to play. The Methodist bench and the crowd erupted when Moore scored her first basket of her collegiate career but she was not done. On the very next possession, Moore earned a steal and completed a three-point play following the turnover. She also scored the final basket of the game. Her teammates and the fans were ecstatic after every touch. In just 1:18 of play, Moore had seven points, two rebounds, and one steal on three-of-four shooting.
• Logan Lee had 12 points on four-of-six shooting and a perfect two-of-two from behind the arc, as well as five rebounds and three assists. Tyzarea Alexander was the other Monarch to score in double-digits with 10 points, five assists, and four rebounds.
• It was a joint block party thrown by Kayla Goldsmith and Kadie Snipes. Snipes had two blocks and Goldsmith had nine points and seven rebounds to go with her three blocks.
• Methodist set season-highs with 62 total rebounds and 23 offensive rebounds. The Monarchs were also an assist shy (19 in the game) of tying the season-high in a game.
• Methodist was able to exact its revenge on Salem after the Spirits won the January 16th matchup in Winston-Salem, 78-66.

UP NEXT

• Methodist closes out their season with a Saturday home matchup against William Peace at 2 p.m. The season finale will also be Senior Night for the Monarchs, as well as the 13th Annual Play 4Kay event hosted by Methodist women's basketball.
• Wednesday's contest was the regular season finale for Salem as the Spirits close out their 2018-19 campaign with a 1-24 overall.