Career-High By Evans Not Enough For Elon Women’s Basketball

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Despite a career-high 26 points by Kelsey Evans, the Elon women’s basketball (4-5) team was not able to outlast Campbell (9-2) tonight, Dec. 20, as the Lady Camels took a 79-69 win in Gore Arena.

“Campbell played really well tonight and I commend them for that,” said Elon head coach Charlotte Smith. “It was a battle for us. We missed some key players tonight in Sam Coffer and Shannen Cochraham. I’m looking forward to getting everyone back healthy over the break and coming back strong in the second half of the season.”

Campbell went 32-of-61 from the field for an impressive 52 percent shooting clip. The Phoenix shot 40 percent after making 25-of-62. The Lady Camels won the battle on the boards, 41-33, and scored 22 of its points off fast breaks.

Evans’ fell just shy of a double-double with a team-high nine boards and recorded another career-high after making 10 of her 16 field goal attempts. The senior finished with one block in the game to reach 182 for her career (22 this season) and move into second on Elon’s all-time list.

Ali Ford and Shon Redmond also finished in double figures with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Zora Stephenson notched a new career high with a game-high seven assists, while Ford recorded six on the night

Campbell took the early advantage in the game and led by nine, 15-6, at the 11:42 mark before the Phoenix began to chip away at the deficit. A layup by Kelsey Harris and a jumper by Ford pulled the maroon and gold within two, 19-17, before a three by Stephenson gave Elon its first lead of the game, 20-19, with 6:34 on the clock.

Ford’s third three of the half gave the Phoenix its largest lead of the game, making it a 36-27 advantage with a minute and a half to play and capped a 25-8 run for Elon. After the first 20 minutes, the maroon and gold led the Lady Camels by six, 32-28.

Both Ford and Evans scored in double figures in the first half with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Stephenson tallied five of her six assists in the first frame.

Campbell shot 48 percent from the field in the first, while Elon shot a 55 percent clip from beyond the arc. The Lady Camels held the advantage on the boards, 21-16.

CU came out strong again at the top of the second frame to tie the score at 40 and then take a four-point lead, 49-45, with 13:37 on the clock. A steal by Harris followed by an Evans’ layup put the Phoenix back within one, 49-48, with under 13 to play.

With the Lady Camels leading by seven, 60-53, baskets by Redmond and Evans and a freebie by Harris cut the deficit to two for Elon, 60-58, with 5:34 left in the game. Campbell then managed a 7-0 run to take control of the game and win with a final 10-point advantage.

Elon will continue its road swing with a game after the holiday at East Carolina on Saturday, Dec. 29. Tip is scheduled for 3 p.m.

2 thoughts on “Career-High By Evans Not Enough For Elon Women’s Basketball

  1. Natalie Harper had 7 three’s to set a school-record for her team down in Alabama last night…Natalie, from NWG, doing real well as a college freshman as are many of our other young ladies….Coffer, Lovette and Pone, plus more…..

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