Elon Phoenix Continues Women’s Basketball Invitational Play Against Cowgirls Saturday

ELON, N.C. – The fourth-seeded Elon women’s basketball team (19-13) will continue postseason play when it hosts eighth-seeded McNeese State (19-14) in the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational on Saturday, March 23, at 2 p.m. in Alumni Gym. Tickets for the game will be $5 general admission. If any community groups are interested in attending the game, please contact the ticket office at (336) 278-6750 for group ticket specials.

Saturday, March 23
Women’s Basketball Invitational – Second Round
#4 Elon (19-13) vs. #8 McNeese State (19-14)
Site: Elon, N.C. (Alumni Gym)
Series: First meeting

Last Time Out
Elon picked up its second postseason win of the Division I era with a 68-61 victory over Eastern Kentucky in the first round of the WBI on Wednesday. The Phoenix shot 42 percent from the field, scoring 36 points in the paint, and hauled down 46 boards in the win. Ali Ford reached the 2,000-career point milestone with her 14 points, while Kelsey Evans led all players with 26 points.

The Series
Saturday will mark the first ever meeting between the Phoenix and the Cowgirls.

Scouting the Cowgirls
McNeese State defeated top-seeded Mercer on Thursday, 82-70, in Macon, Ga., for its first postseason win. Caitlyn Baggett scored a career-high 38 points in the game and made all 17 of her attempts from the free throw line. Ashlyn Baggett also contributed in a big way with 26 points. The sisters are the team’s leading scorers with A. Baggett averaging 18.9 points and C. Baggett averaging 15.2 points per game. The Cowgirls score 68.5 points as a team and shoot 39 percent from the field, including 32 percent from beyond the arc, and 74 percent from the charity stripe.

Elite Company
Ali Ford became only the second player in program history to reach the 2,000-career point mark. The senior reached the monumental milestone in the team’s first round WBI game against Eastern Kentucky.

On the Glass
Kelsey Evans’ 21 rebounds against Chattanooga on Jan. 7 was the second-best single game mark in program history (two shy of Venessa Corbet’s 1979 record) and ranks as the 15th best single-game performance in DI play this season. The senior has 996 career boards after the first round of the WBI. Currently just four shy of the 1,000-rebound mark, Evans will become only the third player in program history to have 1,000 points and rebounds.

Looking Ahead
If the Phoenix defeats the Cowgirls, Elon will play the winner of Sunday’s second-seeded Lamar vs. sixth-seeded South Dakota game. The higher seed will host the semifinal game (West region final) on either March 27 or 28.