Elon Phoenix Women’s Basketball Tops Eagles On Road

STATESBORO, Ga. – The Elon women’s basketball team put up a 19-point win, 68-49, over Georgia Southern tonight, Jan. 13, in Hanner Fieldhouse. The Phoenix is now 6-10 on the season and 2-3 in Southern Conference play, while the Eagles are 5-12 (3-3 SoCon).

“Definitely feels great to win,” said Elon coach Charlotte Smith. “I’m very proud of my team. I feel like we just had and outstanding game tonight and we did it together. We were piranhas out there. I felt like we did good job of being aggressive and in our rotations defensively. Kudos to our girls.”

The Phoenix finished 25-of-59 from the field and shot 42 percent, including five threes (33 percent), and scored 32 points in the paint. The Eagles were held to a 25 percent shooting clip, hitting only 17 of its 69 shots from the field. GSU did take the advantage from the charity stripe with a 71 percent mark, compared to Elon’s 54 percent, as well as the battle on the boards, 51-42.

Elon put four players in double figures led by Kelsey Harris with 12 points. Jessica Farmer posted her first double-double of the season with 10 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Lauren Brown and Shannen Cochraham each finished with 10 points. Jenifer Rhodes posted a career-high six blocks to help Elon to a season-high 11 blocked shots as a team.

With the score tied at five-all a few minutes in, the Phoenix used a Harris jumper to spark a 9-0 run to take a 14-5 advantage, keeping GSU from a score for over five minutes. Elon took its biggest lead of the half, 31-13, after a layup by Rhodes and a free throw by Harris put the maroon and gold up by 18 with 3:59 on the clock. The Eagles hit a basket inside one minute remaining to make it a 33-17 score at the break.

Elon went 12-of-32 in the first frame to shoot 38 percent, while GSU was held to seven field goals for a 23 percent mark. Both teams grabbed 22 rebounds in the first 20 minutes.

In the second half, a three by Zora Stephenson at the 13:54 mark extended the Elon edge to 21, 40-19. With 5:48 on the clock, GSU’s Anna Claire Knight knocked down a three to help start a 10-3 Eagle run to bring GSU within 11, 57-46. Elon answered with an old fashioned three-point play by Cochraham and a layup by Farmer to move back ahead by 16, 62-46, with 2:39 to play. Lauren Brown hit a dagger of a three with 40 seconds left to make it a 20-point game, 67-47, and keep the Eagles off course.

Elon will return home for its first home game in over two weeks on Friday, Jan. 17. The Phoenix will host Appalachian State in a 7 p.m. tip in Alumni Gym.