ELON, N.C. – The Elon women’s basketball team plays its final two regular season road games of the year over the next four days, beginning with a trip to Statesboro, Ga., on Saturday, Feb. 18 to take on Georgia Southern. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside Hanner Fieldhouse.
THE SERIES: Elon and Georgia Southern will meet for the 19th time on Saturday, as GSU leads the all-time series, 11-7. Elon won the last meeting between the two squads, as a coast-to-coast layup from Aiesha Harper with 3.5 seconds remaining lifted the Phoenix to a 61-60 win on Jan. 13 in Alumni Gym. The last time the two teams met in Hanner Fieldhouse, GSU escaped with a two-point victory as a three-point heave near half court from then-senior Julie Taylor clanked off the back of the rim as the buzzer sounded.
LOOKING AHEAD: Following Saturday’s game, Elon shuffles off to Charleston, S.C., to take on College of Charleston on Monday night, Feb. 20, in its final regular season road game.
HOME COOKING: Elon has just two home games remaining this season. The Phoenix looks to White Out Alumni Gym on Saturday, Feb. 25, when it hosts Wofford at 2 p.m. The first 200 fans to the game will receive a free Elon basketball white t-shirt. Elon’s final home game of the regular season is slated for Feb. 27 against Western Carolina. The team will celebrate Senior Night and the careers of Aiesha Harper, Erica Keto, Kallie Hovatter and Jermile’ Batten.
ELITE COMPANY: Ali Ford moved into fifth all-time in scoring at UNCG on Feb. 6, passing former Elon great Holly Andrews. Ford now sits at 1,447 career points and is 12 shy of passing Elon Hall of Famer Donna Trollinger for fourth in program history. Including Trollinger, three of the four players ahead of Ford in scoring are in the Elon Hall of Fame (Trollinger, Lou Williamson and Venessa Corbett). Ford became Elon’s all-time three-point leader on Jan. 28 and the Southern Conference’s all-time leader from beyond the arc on Dec. 29.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Elon has at least one person who ranks in the top five in every major statistical offensive category. Ali Ford ranks second in the league in scoring and first in three-pointers made, Aiesha Harper is third in field-goal percentage and fourth in assists, Kelsey Evans is fourth in free-throw percentage and Zora Stephenson is first in three-point field goal percentage.
BLOCK PARTY: Kelsey Evans continues to move up Elon’s all-time blocks chart, as the Raleigh, N.C., native sits third all-time in program history with 157 blocked shots. Evans ranks behind Tashina DeVeaux (183) and Courtney Nyborg (197).
ON POINT: Aiesha Harper tied a career high with eight assists in Elon’s win at UNCG on Feb. 6. Harper is currently fourth in the Southern Conference in assists at 4.1 per game. Harper ranks second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.5.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Elon has held its opponent to 50 or fewer points in six of its victories this season. The Phoenix accomplished that feat four times all of last season.
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.