Elon Hosts Triad Rival UNCG on Monday Night

ELON, N.C. – The Elon women’s basketball team rides its three-game winning streak back into Alumni Gym on Monday night, Jan. 23, when the Phoenix hosts Triad rival UNCG. Tip is set for 7 p.m.

ELON VS. UNCG: The Phoenix and Spartans will be meeting for the 39th time on Monday night. UNCG leads the all-time series 23-15 and has won three out of the last five meetings. Elon’s last win over the Spartans came in dramatic fashion, as an Ali Ford buzzer-beater at UNCG last season on Jan. 19 gave the Phoenix a 63-61 victory and allowed the maroon and gold to stay atop the Southern Conference standings. Elon is 10-9 all-time at home versus UNCG. The two teams meet again on Feb. 6 in Greensboro.

COMING UP NEXT: Following tomorrow’s game against UNCG, the Phoenix plays its next two games on the road and begins the second half of the Southern Conference season. Elon heads to Birmingham, Ala., on Jan. 28 to face Samford before making the trek to Chattanooga, Tenn., on Jan. 30 to take on the Lady Mocs.

ON THIS DATE: Elon has a 5-8 record all-time in games played on Jan. 23. The Phoenix’s last game on Jan. 23 was in 2010 against Georgia Southern when the team dropped a 71-66 decision to the Lady Eagles. Elon and UNCG have met on one occasion on Jan. 23, as the Phoenix fell 71-64 to the Spartans in 1985. The Phoenix returns home on Feb. 4 for its Play4Kay pink game against Furman.

DOUBLE DOWN: Kelsey Evans recorded her 19th career double-double in Elon’s last game at Western Carolina after finishing with 14 points and 15 boards in a 51-45 victory. Evans has grabbed 15 or more rebounds in a game four times in her career, including twice at WCU. Last year against Western Carolina in Cullowhee, Evans went for 24 points and 15 rebounds. Evans went over the 800-point plateau in the win and now sits at 811 career points.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Elon has held its opponent to less than 50 points in four of its victories this season, including the last two. The Phoenix accomplished that feat four times all of last season.

FROM LONG DISTANCE: Ali Ford sits at 231 three-pointers in her career – four shy of breaking Lorretta Lawson’s school record of 234. Ford became the Southern Conference’s all-time three-point leader on Dec. 29 against Wagner, passing Davidson’s Janna Magette, who made 213 in her career. Nationally, Ford ranks 10th in the country in three-pointers per game at 3.1. Ford has made a league-best 55 shots from beyond the arc this season.
BATTLE ON THE BOARDS: Elon is a perfect 8-0 this season when it outrebounds its opponent. Conversely, the Phoenix is 1-9 when losing the battle on the boards.

PLAY4KAY SET FOR FEB. 4: Elon will participate in the 2012 Play 4Kay initiative when the Phoenix women’s basketball team plays host to Furman on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. Play 4Kay, formerly known as WBCA Pink Zone, is an initiative that allows a nation of coaches to raise awareness and funds for cancer research on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. The official charity is the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. The late Kay Yow, former Elon and NC State University head women’s basketball coach, served as the catalyst for Play 4Kay after her third recurrence of breast cancer in 2006. Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and passed away on January 24, 2009.

ROAD TO ASHEVILLE: The 2012 Southern Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 2-5 in Asheville, N.C. Kimmel Arena will play host to the first round and quarterfinal games on March 2-3 before the tournament shifts to the Asheville Civic Center for the semifinals and championship on March 4-5.