Elon WBB Phoenix Takes on Hofstra on Today

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s basketball team wraps up its regular season schedule this week, starting with hosting Hofstra on Thursday night, March 7, in a Colonial Athletic Association contest at Schar Center. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES

Follow @ElonWBasketball
Thursday’s game will be streamed on 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 Pride will be provided on Twitter at the handle @ElonWBasketball.

Series History (Elon leads 8-2)
Elon holds an 8-2 all-time series advantage over the Pride and won the matchup at Hofstra earlier this season, 77-64. Three players scored in double-figures for the Phoenix with Emily Maupin scoring a game-high 18. Saadia Munford tied her career-high with 15 points while Jaylin Powell contributed with 11 off the bench.

Last Time Out
The Phoenix closed out the road portion of its regular-season schedule at Drexel on Sunday, March 3. Elon was handed a 68-45 setback at the hands of the Dragons, who earned the season sweep versus the maroon and gold. Facing one of the top defensive teams in the country, Elon was held to 17-of-46 shooting overall and was without a three-point make for the first time this season after going 0-for-5 from downtown. Brie Perpignan led the Phoenix with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting. It was the fourth straight game in double-digits for the Alexandria, Va., native and the 11th time overall this season.

Fastbreaks
• Elon comes into Thursday’s contest with an 8-19 overall record and a 3-13 ledger in the CAA, which is currently ninth overall in the standings tied with Hofstra. College of Charleston is a game behind both teams with its 3-14 mark in the CAA.
• Elon is sixth in the CAA in scoring at 62.1 points per game. The Phoenix is also in the top-five of the league in free throw percentage at .711 and three-point percentage at .307.
• Maupin has led the Phoenix in scoring 10 times this season and continues to be a key part of the Phoenix offense. The Charlottesville, Va., native is averaging a team-high 11.8 points per game after only averaging less than two a game during her freshman year. She has also scored in double figures in 16 games and is averaging 11.9 PPG during CAA play.
• Maupin is in the top-three of the CAA in field-goal percentage at .480 percent. Her team-high 6.1 boards per game is eighth overall in the league.
• Perpignan has come on strong during league play in her first season with the Phoenix. The Alexandria, Va., native had her 11th double-digit scoring game of the season against the Dragons and the ninth out of her last 11 games. She is averaging 9.4 points per game during CAA play and is sixth overall in the league in field goal percentage at .469 percent.
• Powell has provided a scoring boost for the Phoenix beyond the arc this season. The Raleigh, N.C., native currently leads the CAA in three-point percentage at .425 percent and is knocking down .444 percent from downtown in league games. Her overall percentage would stand as the best single-season performance in school history.
• Lexi Mercer leads the Phoenix with 36 makes from beyond the arc this season and twice tied a personal-best with five three-pointers in a game at College of Charleston and versus UNCW.
• 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 Hofstra (9-19, 3-13 CAA)
Hofstra has won two of its past three games, but is coming off a 61-51 defeat versus UNCW on Sunday. The Pride sit at 9-19 overall on the season and are tied with the Phoenix with their 3-13 record in the CAA standings.

As a team, Hofstra ranks 10th in the CAA in scoring offense at 58.8 points per game, 10th in free throw percentage (.621) and eighth in field goal percentage (.391). Boogie Brozoski leads the team with her 15.3 points per game, which is sixth in the league. Her 113 assists are sixth overall in the CAA and she has scored in double figures in the past three games. Sica Cuzic is second on the team with her 10.5 points per game and paces the the squad on the boards at 6.3 rebounds per contest.

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 concludes its regular season hosting Northeastern on Saturday, March 9. That game is scheduled for 2 p.m.