Elon WBB Phoenix Closes Out Regular Season Wednesday at William & Mary

ELON, N.C. – After a heartbreaking defeat in its last game, the Elon women’s basketball team (17-11, 10-7 CAA) looks to rebound and close out the regular season on a high note when it travels to Williamsburg, Va., to take on William & Mary (15-13, 6-11 CAA). Tip is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2, in Kaplan Arena.

Last Time Out

Elon once again gave James Madison all it could handle as the Phoenix fell just short, 73-72, in its last game on Feb. 28 in the JMU Convocation Center. Elon had the ball with 14 seconds left and was able to get a shot off before it was blocked by the Dukes as time expired. The Phoenix (17-11, 10-7 CAA) went 28-of-62 to shoot 44 percent from the field, hitting only one basket from long distance (1-of-9), but scored 48 points in the paint and saw 31 points from its bench. Elon also finished 75 percent from the line after hitting 15-of-20 attempts. The two teams finished even on the boards 41-all. Shay Burnett tallied her third straight double-double, and ninth of the season, after 12 points and a game-high 11 boards, while also handing out five assists. Jenifer Rhodes led the team with 17 points after a 7-of-12 performance from the field and Essence Baucom finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Scouting the Tribe

William & Mary is 15-13 on the year and 6-11 in conference play after a 69-53 setback at Drexel on Sunday. The Tribe leads the league in assists (15.6/game), steals (9.4/game) and in the turnover margin (+2.79) and is second in blocks (5.0/game). The team’s mark in blocked shots per game ranks 28th in the NCAA and ranks 43rd in assists per game. After losing one of its leading scorers, Abby Rendle, who is out for the rest of the season with an injury, Alexandra Masaqual and Marlena Tremba have taken the lead with 13.5 and 13.0 points per game, respectively. The duo both rank in the top 10 in the CAA in scoring, while Masaqual also ranks in the top 10 on the boards with 7.6 per game. Freshman Brianca Boggs is scoring 7.6 points per game and has been named the CAA Rookie of the Week three times this season.

The Series

Elon leads the all-time series between the Phoenix and the Tribe, 4-3. The maroon and gold has won the last four meetings, including the previous meeting this season on Feb. 5 when Elon claimed a 73-51 victory in Alumni Gym. Jan. 9, 2015, was the last time the two teams played in Williamsburg, Va., with the Phoenix taking the 72-59 final.

If the Season Ended Today…

If the regular season ended today, the Phoenix would be the fourth seed in the upcoming 2016 CAA Women’s Basketball Championship. Elon would play fifth-seeded Delaware in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 10, at 2:30 p.m. This year’s tournament returns to the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md.

From the Line

Shay Burnett owns an 80.9 percent mark from the charity stripe this season, which ranks second in the league. The sophomore ranks 49th nationally and first in the CAA in free throw attempts (157) and 30th overall and first in the CAA in free throws made (127). As a team, Elon leads the league in both free throw attempts (558) and free throws made (379), which ranks 49th and 74th in the NCAA, respectively.

Block Party

Elon’s 17 total team blocks on Nov. 29 against East Tennessee State marked a new Division I single-game high this season and also set a new CAA single-game record. The Phoenix saw five players set new or match career highs in blocks against the Buccaneers in Malaya Johnson (5), Autumn Carter (4), Essence Baucom (2), Lauren Brown (2) and Maddie McCallie (1). Elon is currently averaging 4.4 blocks per game as a team, which ranks 72nd nationally and fourth in the league.

On the Boards

Elon currently ranks second in the conference and 27th nationally in rebounds per game (42.5/game). The Phoenix holds a positive 3.7 rebounding margin, which is third in the CAA, is second in offensive rebounds (15.5/game) and is second in the league in defensive rebounds (27.0/game).

Off the Bench

The Elon bench has been a contributor to the maroon and gold’s success this season. The Phoenix bench is outscoring the opponents, 602-414, and averaging 21.5 points per game.

Season’s Best

The Phoenix shot a season high 49.2 percent against Towson on Feb. 12. Elon finished 30-of-61 from the field for the mark and tallied 42 points in the paint in its 80-58 victory. Prior to that the maroon and gold shot 48 percent in its Feb. 5 game against William & Mary. Elon went 26-of-54 from the field against the Tribe, including six buckets from long distance for 38 percent, and tallied 32 points in the paint.

ONE

Did you know that Shay Burnett’s game winner at Delaware on Feb. 7 was feature on ESPN’s SportsCenter as one of the top plays? Watch the highlight here.

Elon in Overtime

After its overtime game at Delaware on Feb. 7, Elon is now 17-11 all-time in overtime games and 1-3 when the overtime goes past one period. The Phoenix has played three overtime games this season, two of which have gone to double overtime. The maroon and gold fell in double overtime at Navy on Nov. 24 and to James Madison in single overtime on Jan. 10 before winning its first OT game of the season against the Blue Hens. The team’s double overtime game at Navy on Nov. 24 marked the first time Elon played more than one overtime period since a four overtime game against Western Carolina in 2008.

Elon is Perfect When…

The Phoenix has a perfect record on the season in games played on Saturday (3-0).

Head Coach Charlotte Smith

Elon head coach Charlotte Smith is in her fifth season with the Phoenix and owns an 86-68 career record. Smith has led Elon to three straight conference tournament semifinal appearances, as well as an at-large bid to the 2015 WNIT, the first in program history, after a 19-13 overall record and 11-7 league mark in its first season in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Home-Court Advantage

Alumni Gym has proven to be a tough place to play for opponents under head coach Charlotte Smith. The maroon and gold is 53-18 in Alumni Gym in five seasons under Coach Smith. The Phoenix went 10-3 at home this season after a 10-5 record during the 2014-15 season. The Phoenix has lost no more than five games at home in a season under Smith.

Next Up

Next up for the Phoenix is the 2016 CAA Women’s Basketball Championship in Upper Marlboro, Md., at the Show Place Arena. The tournament begins on Wednesday, March 9, with the championship game scheduled for Saturday, March 12. Elon will likely not play until the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 10.