Elon WBB Phoenix Hosts College of Charleston in CAA Home Opener

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s basketball team hosts College of Charleston in its Colonial Athletic Association home-opener on Friday night, Jan. 11, inside Schar Center. The Phoenix and the Cougars are set for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

GAME NOTES

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The game will be streamed through Phoenix All-Access at elonphoenix.com. Fans can also listen to the game on WSOE 89.3. Other updates of the game between the Phoenix and the Cougars will be provided on Twitter at the handle @ElonWBasketball.

Series History (Elon leads 17-14)
Elon and College of Charleston will meet for the 32nd time on Friday in a series that dates back to 1981. The Phoenix holds a 17-14 all-time advantage over the Cougars and have won the last nine matchups and 13 out of the last 14. Elon defeated CofC 97-44 in its most recent contest last season at Elon with five players scoring in double figures including Jaylin Powell tying team-high honors with 15. The Cougars’ last victory in the series came on Dec. 1, 2012 when the two programs were members of the Southern Conference.

Last Time Out
Elon earned its first win in CAA play with a 77-64 victory at Hofstra on Sunday, Jan. 6. Three players scored in double figures for the Phoenix including a team and game-best 18 from sophomore Emily Maupin. Saadia Munford tied her career-high with 15 points while Powell added 11 off the bench while also going a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. The win also earned Phoenix head coach Charlotte Smith her 145th career win while giving the maroon and gold its 300th win at the Division I level.

Fastbreaks
• Elon is 3-1 in its CAA home openers since joining the league in 2014-15. The Phoenix’s lone blemish came versus Drexel in 2015 in its first season in the league. Last year, Elon defeated UNCW 75-67 en route to a perfect 9-0 record at home during league play.
• The Phoenix has been one of the top scoring offenses in the CAA this season and currently ranks second in the league at 68.8 points per game. Charleston is third at 66.7 points per contest.
• While Elon has allowed opponents to score 71.5 points per contest against them, the Phoenix is only allowing 65.3 points per game versus non power-five opponents. Versus those opponents, Elon is putting up 71.8 points per game.
• Elon currently has four active players averaging seven points or more with three of the four in their first or second year of collegiate basketball. Maupin leads the team with 12.2 points per game followed by Lexi Mercer, the lone active upperclassman for the Phoenix, at 11.2.
• Since entering the starting lineup for the first time this season versus Northeastern on Jan. 4, Munford is averaging 11.0 points per game while also averaging 5.0 boards per contest and 6.0 assists per game.
• Maupin leads the Phoenix in rebounding at 6.5 boards per contest. Ariel Colón is currently second at 5.7 boards per contest and is also third in the CAA in double-doubles with three this season.
• Freshman Kayla Liles made her third start of the season versus Hofstra and had a team-best eight assists. The Owings Mills, Md., native has averaged 11.5 PPG along with 7.5 RPG and 4.0 APG in the Phoenix’s last two games.
• Elon has made the most of its chances at the free throw line this season, ranking 48th in the nation in free throws made at 198.
• 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 College of Charleston (4-8, 0-1 CAA)
College of Charleston opened CAA play at UNCW last Friday and was handed a 71-49 setback. The loss was the third straight for the Cougars, who have been idle since that contest. Coming off a 7-24 record in 2017-18, the Cougars were tabbed 10th in the 2018-19 CAA Preseason Poll.

College of Charleston’s offensive scoring has been one of the best in the league this season with senior guard Darien Huff and junior guard Deja Ford leading the charge. Huff paces the team at 13.0 points per game and is third overall in the CAA in three-point percentage (.433) and fifth in three-pointers made (26). Ford is second on the team at 12.3 PPG and is hitting .425 percent of her treys this season.

Defensively, the Cougars are allowing 66.8 points per game and is pulling down 37.1 rebounds per contest. Senior Bri Sullivan leads the team with 5.2 RPG, one of four players on the team averaging four or more rebounds on the team.

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 is back at home to host College of Charleston in its CAA home-opener at Schar Center on Friday, Jan. 11. The Phoenix and the Cougars are scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m.