WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Elon University women’s basketball team made a comeback in the third quarter to take the lead, but could not hang on to the advantage as the Phoenix fell, 65-60, at William & Mary on Sunday, Jan. 20, in a Colonial Athletic Association contest inside Kaplan Arena.
Elon (7-9, 2-3 CAA) was led Jaylin Powell’s 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, the first double-double of the season for the Raleigh, N.C., native. Emily Maupin added 11 points for her seventh straight game in double figures and 11th overall on the season. The Phoenix shot 24-of-59 (.407) from the floor and was only 1-of-16 from three.
William & Mary (10-6, 3-2 CAA) had three players in double figures with Bianca Boggs and Harper Birdsong leading the Tribe with 13 points each. Victoria Reynolds had 11 points for William & Mary and a team-best six rebounds. The Tribe shot 22-of-50 (.440) from the floor and was 9-of-21 (.429) from beyond the arc.
The Rundown
Maupin opened the game with a sweeping hook in the lane to put Elon up first. William & Mary answered with a three before Brie Perpignan drove the baseline to put Elon back up 4-3. The Tribe then went on an 8-0 run to move ahead 11-4 and extended the lead to 10, 18-8, but Perpignan scored the next two baskets to cut the Phoenix’s deficit to six, 18-12 to end the quarter.
William & Mary started the second quarter on a 9-2 run including five points scored by Birdsong during the streak. A jumper by the Tribe with 6:07 left in the quarter helped build their lead to 27-14, but the Phoenix responded with a 10-1 run to cut the deficit to four. Saadia Munford started the run with five straight points followed by a layup by Kayla Liles. Three straight free throws from Powell made the score 28-24, but William & Mary moved back up by eight, 36-28, on a three by Emma Krause with 56 seconds left in the half. Powell answered with a triple of her own and helped the Phoenix go into the locker room only down five, 36-31.
The Tribe moved up 39-31 to start the second half as Gabby Rodgers converted an old-fashioned three-point play. A 14-3 run by the Phoenix aided Elon to take the lead for the first time capping with an and-one play by Perpignan at the 4:06 mark that made the score 45-42. Elon went up by as many as five, 51-46, on a layup by Liles with 1:04 left in the third, but the Tribe closed out the quarter on a 4-0 run.
A layup and a jumper from the Tribe gave them the lead to start the fourth, 54-51. After Elon split a pair at the free throw line, William & Mary connected on two more jumpers to push its advantage to 58-52. Maupin scored to bring the Phoenix within four, but a Tribe three from Misha Jones put William & Mary ahead 61-54 forcing Elon to call a timeout with 6:06 left to play.
Elon kept the game close after the timeout as Maupin scored on a layup and went one of two at the free throw line, bringing the Phoenix within four, 61-57. A pair of free throws from the Tribe pushed its advantage to six, 63-57, but the Phoenix sliced the lead in half on a Powell layup and a Lexi Mercer free throw, trailing by three with 1:05 left in the game. The Phoenix made a defensive stop on the other end of the floor and regained possession with a chance to tie the game with 18 seconds left to play. Elon had a couple of looks for the tying basket, but both hit the back rim before William & Mary gained the defensive board and forced the Phoenix to foul. The Tribe would close out the game at the line and moved on for the 65-60 win over the Phoenix.
Up Next
The Phoenix continues its road trip with a trip to Towson next Friday, Jan. 25. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.