ELON, NC Holly Andrews poured in a game-high 24 points and Jayme Chikos logged another double-double as Elon overcame five-time defending Big South champion Liberty 68-59 Monday night at Alumni Gym in a showdown of unbeaten league leaders.

Andrews' total represented her sixth 20-point-plus scoring performance of the season and third in as many contests. Chikos' double-double, her second in three games, consisted of 10 points and 10 assists. Meanwhile, teammate Janis Hepburn hauled in a season-best eight boards.

The Phoenix (10-8 overall, a best-ever 6-0 in Big South play) battled to a 20-14 advantage with 7:20 to play in the first half after Ivey Ghee canned four consecutive free throws. The Flames (10-7, 4-1) responded with a 14-6 run to take a 28-26 edge into halftime.

Liberty stretched its lead to 34-28 with 18:07 remaining in the contest when Monique Leonard connected on a pair of charity shots, and then hit a jumper. A three-point play in the paint by Chikos capped a 24-9 surge to give Elon a 52-43 advantage with 8:14 left.

Kristal Tharp's three-point bucket concluded a 10-5 spurt that drew the Flames within 57-53 at the 4:02 mark, but Liberty would inch no closer. The preseason league favorite Flames were paced by Stephanie Walker's 12 points and Kristina Usaite's game-high nine rebounds.

The Phoenix (a perfect 5-0 at Alumni Gym so far this season) claimed advantages in field goal accuracy (42.9 percent-34.5), free throw marksmanship (69.2 percent-60), assists (19-7), turnovers (11-19), blocked shots (5-4) and steals (9-4) in becoming the first Big South team to defeat the Flames three years in a row. Liberty won the battle of the boards 43-36.

Next up: Elon, the winner of five in a row and seven of eight, heads to High Point for a 1 p.m. confrontation on Saturday. The Flames host High Point at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Game Box Score

Big South Conference Standings

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