Box Score
Box Score

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Despite a late 14-4 run to take a one-point lead and overcome a nine-point deficit, the Elon University women’s basketball team could not hold off the Davidson Wildcats down the stretch, as the Phoenix fell 69-65 on Monday night, Jan. 31, at John M. Belk Arena.

The loss marks only the second in Southern Conference play for the Phoenix since Jan. 3, as Elon drops to 15-7 overall (9-4 SoCon) with the setback. The loss is Elon’s first SoCon road loss since dropping a decision to Appalachian State on Nov. 29. Elon finishes the month of January with a 9-2 record.  

“We fought hard to get back in the game and had good looks at the basket down the stretch, but Davidson is a very talented team and we knew tonight was going to be a tough battle,” said Elon head coach Karen Barefoot. “We played well enough down the stretch to win the game but it was hard for us to find a rhythm. Tonight is a game that will make us stronger in the long run and we will learn from this going into our next game against Georgia Southern.”

Elon put four players in double figures in the loss, as Ali Ford led the Phoenix with 13 points. Lei Lei Hairston, Kelsey Evans and Lisa Archie all pitched in 10 points for Elon, which shot 41.5 percent from the field and outscored Davidson, 44-40, in the paint. Archie also finished with a game-high 10 boards for her first-career double-double, while Evans recorded her fifth five-block game of the season.

Elon overcame a nine-point deficit after its stingy defense helped spark a 14-4 run over a four minute stretch to give the Phoenix its first lead, 64-63, since the 5:46 mark of the first half.

But miscues on offense and missed jumpers from the Phoenix, coupled with made free throws from the Wildcats, proved to be the difference in the waning moments as Davidson managed to escape with the win. Tonight’s game saw the lead change five times with a total of 10 ties.

Davidson’s Sophia Aleksandravicius finished with a game-high 18 points for the Wildcats, who put five players in double figures in the win.

Elon began the game on a 6-0 run and forced Davidson head coach Michele Savage to call a timeout with 17:43 to play in the first half. But the Wildcats battled back to eventually tie the game at 8-all after Jasmine Calin hit a layup with 13:17 remaining in the first half.

Laura Murray helped the Wildcats take their first lead of the game with 3:58 to play in the first half after connecting on a three-pointer to put the Phoenix behind, 26-23. Davidson took its largest lead of the half, 30-25, with under two minutes to play after Amanda Ottaway took it to the basket for the layup and forced Barefoot to call a 30-second timeout with 1:52 left.

Elon limited the deficit to two points at intermission after Ford drew a foul with one-tenth of a second remaining on a three-point attempt and sunk all three attempts to make it a 32-30 game.

Ford led all scorers with 11 points at the half, as the Phoenix shot 42.9 percent as a team on 12-of-28 field goal attempts. But turnovers and easy points in the paint proved to be the difference in the opening frame, as the Wildcats scored 11 points on 11 Elon turnovers and held a 20-16 advantage in the paint.

Archie limited the Wildcats to a two-point lead with 12:17 remaining after completing an old-fashioned three-point play to make it a 48-46 game.

After the Wildcats took a nine-point lead, the Phoenix’s hands-on defense paid dividends on both ends, as the maroon and gold clawed back with a 14-4 run to reclaim the lead, 64-63, with less than three minutes remaining after an Evans layup.

But Davidson managed to hold on down the stretch for the victory after the Phoenix shot 0-for-4 from the field in the final 2:17 of the game.

Elon is idle for a week until the Phoenix heads to Statesboro, Ga. on Feb. 7 to face the Georgia Southern Eagles. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside Hanner Fieldhouse.