ELON, N.C. – Kelsey Evans surpassed the 1,000th career point milestone today, Dec. 1, as the Elon women’s basketball team (2-3, 0-1 SoCon) fell in another heartbreaker, 57-55, to College of Charleston (3-4, 1-0 SoCon) in Alumni Gym.
The Phoenix outscored the Cougars in the paint, 32-14, as Elon shot 33 percent from the field on 23-of-68 field goal attempts. CofC went 20-of-64 from the field for 31 percent, but was able to make 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. The Cougars held the advantage on the glass with 53 rebounds to Elon’s 39.
“I thought we got off to a slow start, but in the second half I was pleased with our intensity and our focus,” said Elon head coach Charlotte Smith. “We just have to find a way to put it together for 40 minutes. When the shots aren’t falling our way we need to control the things that we can and that’s defense and rebounding. We did not play our best basketball today, but we still had an opportunity to win the game, so I’m looking forward to getting back to playing the way we are capable.”
Ali Ford was the leading scorer for the Phoenix with 13 points, marking her fourth straight game in double digits. Kelsey Harris fell just short of a double-double with 12 points and nine boards. Evans pulled down an Elon game-high 11 rebounds and finished with eight points.
Just 19 seconds into the game, Evans scored on a jumper to reach the 1,000-career point milestone. That marked Elon’s only lead of the half as the Cougars opened up a seven-point advantage, 16-9, at the 10:49 mark.
With CofC holding the same advantage with 1:26 left on the clock, the Phoenix cut the deficit by halftime to only two, 26-24, after a three by Ford and a jumper by Harris with six seconds remaining.
In the second half, a layup by Zora Stephenson at the 18:34 mark ignited a 17-6 run for the Phoenix, which was capped by a Ford three, to put the maroon and gold up by nine, 43-34. CofC scored 10 of the next 11 points to even the score at 44-all for the fourth tie of the game with 8:31 remaining.
The Cougars would keep the momentum and go up by six, 55-49, with just under four minutes on the clock. A jumper by Evans tied the game once again, 55-all, after a span of six straight for the Phoenix at the 1:21 mark.
With six ticks on the clock, CofC was able to knock down its second free throw of the final minute to take a two-point lead, 57-55. A three at the buzzer by Evans did not fall for the Phoenix and gave the Cougars the win.
Elon will continue conference play with its first SoCon road game of the season at Western Carolina on Monday, Dec. 3. The Phoenix will take on the Catamounts for its Education Day game in a noon tip.