Elon Phoenix Women’s Basketball Fights Off Trojans for Win

ELON, N.C. – The Elon women’s basketball team (5-6) overcame a slow start to finish off a 16-point victory over Mount Olive (6-3), 84-48, today, Dec. 22, in Alumni Gym.

“Mount Olive is a very good team,” said Elon head coach Charlotte Smith. “Very well coached and it was a good way to end right before the Christmas break – to have a competitive outing today. I’m glad we were able to come out with the win.”

The Phoenix saw career highs in both points and field goals from Autumn Carter and Kelsey Harris. Carter went 9-of-14 from field-goal range and 7-of-10 from the charity stripe to score a game-high 25 points. Senior leader Harris also went 9-of-14 from the field for 22 points, 16 of which came in the second half, and handed out five assists. Both players finished one board shy of a double-double with nine rebounds.

As a team, Elon shot a season-high 56 percent from the field after a 31-of-55 performance, including 5-of-12 from three-point distance (42 percent). Mount Olive finished 24-of-57 for a 42 percent mark from the field and hit seven of the 23 three attempts taken (30 percent). The Phoenix won the battle on the boards, out-rebounding the Trojans, 35-28.

Two other players scored in double figures for Elon as Zora Stephenson finished with 12 points and Lenaira Ruffin with 10.

The Trojans grabbed as much as an eight-point lead, 20-12, in the first six minutes of the first half. From there, the Phoenix put together a 13-5 run to tie the game at 25-all, which was capped by a three by Ruffin and two free throws off a one-and-one opportunity by Lauren Brown with 6:22 remaining in the half. Elon took a 27-25 edge after Ruffin turned an offensive board into a jumper. Four straight points in less than 30 seconds by Carter gave the maroon and gold a 40-32 advantage with under a minute to play. The Trojans hit two free throws to cut its deficit to six, 40-34, at the break.

Elon hit 15-of-28 shots in the first half to shoot 54 percent, including 40 percent from long distance, while Mount Olive went 11-of-29 for a 38 percent mark. Both squads hit over 70 percent of its free throw opportunities and hauled down 17 boards.

The Phoenix opened the second frame on a 5-0 run after a basket by Carter and a three by Stephenson for a nine-point lead, 45-34. A long-range jumper by Carter and Jenifer Rhodes’ layup Rhodes helped Elon to its largest lead of the game thus far, 52-39, at the 15:23 mark.

An 8-2 run by Mount Olive would cut Elon’s advantage to just four, 61-57, but Elon answered to take a 12-point lead, 72-60, after back-to-back steals for the Phoenix on Trojan offensive possessions turned into baskets for Elon with 6:10 to play.

The maroon and gold’s biggest advantage came with just under three minutes remaining in the game after a Harris finished off an old-fashioned three-point play to make it an 81-60 game.

The Phoenix will take a few days off for the Holiday break and return to action on Sunday, Dec. 29, at West Virginia in Morgantown, W. Va. Tip is set for 2 p.m.

One thought on “Elon Phoenix Women’s Basketball Fights Off Trojans for Win

  1. Either it was more than a 16pt victory or the score is printed wrong at the beginning of this story. 84-48 is not a 16pt win

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