Box Score
Box Score

ELON, N.C. – A career-high 18 points and 14 rebounds by sophomore forward Kelsey Evans lifted the Elon University women’s basketball team to victory on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 21, inside newly renovated Alumni Gym, as the Phoenix claimed a 73-58 victory over the visiting Chanticleers from Coastal Carolina.

Evans scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field while grabbing 14 boards to secure her second double-double of the season. Evans also recorded two blocks for the Phoenix in 36 minutes. The Raleigh, N.C. native’s 18 points ties her previous career-best mark set against Troy earlier this season.

Sophomore guard Ali Ford tallied a game-high 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field, while also dishing out four assists and tallying four steals. Ford has tallied 20 or more points in three out of four games this season and 15 times in her career.

Elon shot 43.9 percent from the field in the win and 71.4 percent from the free throw line, while limiting CCU to a 34.4 percent mark from the field.

The victory for Elon (3-1) is the first over Coastal Carolina (2-2) since the 2002-03 season, while also marking the team’s best start since the 1997-98 season when the Phoenix started 4-0.

“Our team executed the game plan perfectly today and came out on top over a very good Coastal Carolina team,” said Elon head coach Karen Barefoot. “Our defensive pressure really made a difference today and allowed us to score points off turnovers.”

The Phoenix scored 22 points off 19 Coastal Carolina turnovers, while dominating the Chanticleers, 44-18, in the paint.

Already ahead 10 points in the early stages, the Phoenix’s full court press paved the way for a 24-10 run over the final 7:55 of the half to take a commanding 42-18 lead into the locker room.

Elon shot a blistering 53.1 percent from the field in the opening frame while limiting the Chanticleers to 21.2 percent shooting from the field, including a 1-for-11 (9.1 percent) clip from beyond the arc. Ford led all scorers at intermission with 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field, including a 2-of-5 performance from three-point land.

The Phoenix continued to keep the pressure on the Chanticleers, as a steal by Ford led to an easy layup, giving Elon its largest lead of the game, 51-20, with 17:33 remaining.

Coastal Carolina managed to cut the deficit to 18 points with less than two minutes to play on a Shanika Maddox jumper, but the Phoenix’s defense kept the Chanticleers at arm’s length down the stretch to secure the win and improve to 3-1 on the year.

The Phoenix plays its final game before Thanksgiving on Tuesday night, Nov. 23, when the Virginia Intermont Cobras come to Alumni Gym for a non-conference matchup.