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Elon Game Notes

ELON, N.C. – Off to a 2-0 start for the first time in five seasons, the Elon University women’s basketball team travels to Blacksburg, Va. on Thursday night, Nov. 18, for a 7 p.m. contest with the Virginia Tech Hokies.

THE SERIES: Elon and Virginia Tech will be meeting for only the second time ever on Thursday, as the Hokies captured the win in last year’s contest, 82-46, in Blacksburg. Tiara Gause led Elon with 12 points against the Hokies last year, while Ali Ford and Lei Lei Hairston each chipped in eight.

COMMON THREADS: Elon and Virginia Tech have just one common opponent this season, as the Hokies recently topped Wofford, 93-53, on Sunday, Nov. 14. Elon and Wofford meet twice this season, Jan. 16 in Spartanburg and Feb. 12 in Elon.

THE BAREFOOT FILE: Elon head coach Karen Barefoot enters Thursday’s game with a 191-131 career record in 13 seasons, including a 19-45 mark in her third season with the Phoenix.

ELON VERSUS THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE: Elon has a 20-23 all-time record against teams from the ACC. The last time Elon topped an ACC opponent was on Feb. 12, 1980 when it topped Wake Forest, 100-87. Elon’s record versus ACC teams is as follows: Wake Forest (14-2), Duke (4-3), North Carolina (2-7), NC State (0-5), Georgia Tech (0-1) and Virginia Tech (0-1).

STARTING BLOCKS: Elon’s 2-0 start marks the first time since the 2005-06 season that the Phoenix has started the season with wins in its first two games. The Phoenix topped North Carolina A&T and Guilford to start 2-0 in 2005-06. The last time Elon started better than 2-0 was 1997-98 (4-0).

BAREFOOT INKS THREE FOR 2011-12: Elon head women’s basketball coach Karen Barefoot announced that prep stars Sam Coffer (Greensboro, N.C./Northern Guilford; 6-foot-3, G/F), Zora Stephenson (Vienna, Va./Oakton; 5-foot-10, SG) and Shannen Cochraham (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield, 6-foot-3, C) have signed national letters of intent to join the Phoenix next season.

STOP, THIEF!: In Elon’s 83-52 win over Troy on Sunday, Nov. 14, the Phoenix totaled 16 steals on 34 turnovers while limiting the Trojans to three. As a team, Elon has tallied 29 steals in two games, with Tiara Gause leading the way with seven.  Gause tied a career-best mark with five steals in Elon’s win over Troy on Nov. 14.

OVER THE HUMP: Ali Ford’s first basket of the season at the 10:38 mark in the first half against Fordham put her over 500-point mark in her career. Ford finished her rookie campaign last year with 499 total points. Two games into this season, Ford has totaled 41 points, totaling 540 in her career.

CLEANING THE GLASS: Sophomore forward Lei Lei Hairston was dominant on the boards in Elon’s win over Troy on Nov. 14, as the Reidsville, N.C. native registered a career-best 12 rebounds in the victory.

ON THE MARK: Sophomore forward Kelsey Evans has started her second year in an Elon uniform on a great note, posting/tying career-best marks in points (18), field goals (8), steals (3), rebounds (13) and blocks (5) this past weekend versus Fordham and Troy. Evans registered a double-double with 13 points and 13 boards in Elon’s 91-77 win over Fordham on Nov. 12. Evans has recorded a double-double in four of Elon’s last six games. She was named the Phoenix Classic MVP after averaging 15.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg over the two-game stretch.

CLOSING IN ON THE CENTURY MARK: Elon senior guard Julie Taylor needs to play in one more game to have played in 100 in her career. The Columbia, Md. native has played in the most games of anyone on Elon’s current roster.