Elon WBB Phoenix Heads to Winthrop for Road Matchup on Sunday

ELON, N.C. – Winners of two straight and three of its last four, the Elon University women’s basketball team travels to Winthrop for a road matchup versus the Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 9, inside Winthrop Coliseum. Tip-off of that game is scheduled for noon.

GAME NOTES

The contest was originally scheduled for a 2 p.m. start time before being moved to its noon start due to the threat of the upcoming winter storm expected to hit the region this weekend.

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The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with a paid subscription. Fans can also listen to the game on WSOE 89.3 with David Flynt (play-by-play) and Tom Castle (color) on the call. Other updates of the game between the Phoenix and the Eagles will be provided on Twitter at the handle @ElonWBasketball.

Series History (Elon leads at 9-8)
Elon owns a slight 9-8 lead in the all-time series versus Winthrop since the two began meeting on the hardwood in 1974. The Phoenix has won three straight over the Eagles and eight of the last nine contests. Last season, Elon earned a 98-37 victory against the Eagles at home. Sunday’s game will be the Phoenix’s first visit to Winthrop since 2003.

Last Time Out
Elon edged out a 73-72 victory in overtime versus Davidson on Wednesday, Dec. 5, in a midweek matchup. The Phoenix held off a furious comeback from the Wildcats in the fourth quarter and overtime to earn its second straight win and improved to 4-4 on the season. Ariel Colón had her third double-double of the season with a team-best 16 points and 12 rebounds while fellow sophomore Saadia Munford tied her career-high with 15 points. Munford also went 10-of-10 from the free throw line, helping the Phoenix to a 20-of-25 effort from the charity stripe.

Fastbreaks
• Elon leads the CAA in scoring at 71.6 points per game in its eight games. The Phoenix is also first in the league at field goal percentage at .430 percent.
• Three active players are averaging double-figures on the season for Elon. Colón leads the team with her 13.0 PPG while Emily Maupin (12.6 PPG) and Lexi Mercer (12.0 PPG) are next.
• Three players for the Phoenix rank in the top-10 of the CAA in field goal percentage with Brie Perpignan (.529 – second), Maupin (.512 – fourth) and Mercer (.491 – eighth).
• Colón leads the Phoenix in rebounding at 7.9 boards per contest, good for fourth in the league. She also is also seventh in the CAA in three-point percentage at .440 percent.
• The Phoenix grabbed a season-high 45 rebounds against the Wildcats on Wednesday. Going into Sunday’s contest, Elon has grabbed 40 or more rebounds in its last three contest, averaging 43.3 boards per game.
• Elon returns eight letterwinners from its team that successfully defended its Colonial Athletic Association Tournament title and made a return trip to the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
• The Phoenix closed out 2017-18 with a 25-8 record overall and a 14-4 mark during league play including a 13-game winning streak to close out the regular season and conference tournament.
• The Phoenix was tabbed to finish third in the 2018-19 CAA Preseason Poll as conducted by the league’s head coaches on Oct. 18. Elon received one first-place vote en route to 61 points for a tie for third place. James Madison (79 points) and Drexel (71 points) were selected in front of the Phoenix, who tied with Delaware for third with 61 points.
• Elon returns three starters from last year’s team including sophomore guard Saadia Munford, an CAA All-Rookie team selection in 2017-18. Munford was chosen as a Preseason All-CAA selection this season with her spot on the third team.
• Additionally, the Phoenix added five newcomers to the 2018-19 roster, which will again be one of the youngest in the nation with only two upperclassmen and no seniors.

Scouting Winthrop (4-4)
Under second-year head coach Lynette Woodard, the Eagles are 3-5 on the season and have won two straight with victories versus in-state foes College of Charleston and South Carolina State in its most recent contest. Members of the Big South Conference, Winthrop was selected to finish 11th in the league’s 2018-19 preseason poll.

Winthrop is averaging 53.8 points per game and is shooting .327 percent from the floor including .303 from three. No Eagles player is averaging double figures in scoring with freshman forward Kem Nwabudu topping out at 8.6 points per game. Sophomore Anika Riley is next with 8.0 PPG along with a team-best 7.1 boards per contest. Riley was a member of the Big South All-Freshman Team a season ago.

Schar Center
After playing its home games in Alumni Gym since the start of the program in 1972, Elon moves into its new facility, Schar Center, this season. The 5,100-seat facility will provide an elite venue for Phoenix basketball and volleyball games in addition to convocations, speakers and other major campus events. The facility is named for Dwight and Martha Schar, of Palm Beach, Fla.

20-Game Winners
With 25 victories last season, Elon posted back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time as a Division I program. Overall, Elon has posted three 20-win seasons during the Division I era.

Up Next
Elon will break for finals week before returning to its home floor on Tuesday, Dec, 18, to host North Carolina A&T. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start time at Schar Center.