Elon Women’s Basketball Looks to Extend Win Streak Against Furman

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s basketball team (8-7, 5-1) looks to extend its winning streak to five games when it hosts the Furman Paladins (6-9, 2-4) on Friday, Jan. 18, with a 7 p.m. tip. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for all youth 12 and under.

Friday, Jan. 18
Site: Elon, N.C. (Alumni Gym)
Series: Furman leads, 12-8
Last Meeting: Feb. 4, 2012 – Elon won, 76-58
Radio: WSOE 89.3 FM – Matt Curry and Matthew Krause will have the call

Last Time Out
The Phoenix won its third straight game with a 71-60 victory over UNCG on Monday. Elon overcame a 10-point first-half deficit before taking the lead in the second frame by as much as 14. The maroon and gold shot 62 percent from the field in the second half, including 55 percent from beyond the arc, and held the Spartans to a 21 percent clip. Ali Ford scored a game-high 21 points and Kelsey Harris recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 boards.

Scouting the Paladins
Furman is coming off a loss to Davidson on Tuesday after winning two straight SoCon games. Teshia Griswold leads the team with 13.7 points per game after 23 threes this season and owns three-point shooting percentage of 45. Sarah Durdaller also averages in double figures with 10.3 a game, while Brittany Hodges hauls down 7.4 boards per game. Hodges also as 21 blocks and ranks fifth in the conference in blocked shots per game (1.5).

The Series
Furman owns the all-time series against Elon, 12-8, but the Phoenix has won six of the last seven contests. Last time the two programs met in Alumni Gym, Elon came away with a 76-58 win. Ali Ford scored a game-high 26 points after hitting five threes. Kelsey Evans finished with 20 points and eight boards along with two blocks.

Record Book Watch
Both Kelsey Evans and Ali Ford are closing in on important program and SoCon records. Evans is four blocks away from breaking Elon’s all-time blocked shots record of 197. The Raleigh, N.C., native has 194 career blocks and is averaging 2.1 blocks per game. Ford needs 12 more three-pointers to set the new conference career record. The senior broke the Elon record last season and has 304 career threes.

Looking Ahead
Elon will head out on a two-game road swing beginning with a matchup at College of Charleston on Sunday, Jan. 20. Tip is set for 2 p.m. in Charleston, S.C.