ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s basketball team returns to the hardwood this week with back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18 and 19. The Phoenix hosts Virginia Intermont on Friday at 5:30 p.m. inside Alumni Gym before making the trek to Charlotte, N.C., to take on the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

Friday, November 18
Site: Elon, N.C.
Arena: Alumni Gym
Series: Elon leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Elon won, 80-55, on November 23, 2010
Radio: WSOE 89.3 FM — Matt Curry and Greg Brzozowski will call the action
Television: None
Twitter Updates: @ElonScores

Live Stats
Live Video
Live Audio
Elon Game Notes

Saturday, November 19
Site: Charlotte, N.C.
Arena: Halton Arena
Series: Charlotte leads, 3-2
Last Meeting: Elon won, 89-86, on February 28, 1981
Radio: WSOE 89.3 FM — Matt Curry and Greg Brzozowski will call the action
Television: None
Twitter Updates: @ElonScores

Live Stats
Live Video
Live Audio

ELON VS. VIRGINIA INTERMONT: The Phoenix and Lady Cobras have met just once on the hardwood prior to Friday’s game. Elon topped Virginia Intermont 80-55 last year at home on Nov. 23. Ali Ford led Elon with 17 points in the win, while Kelsey Evans finished with 16 points and 12 boards.
 
ELON VS. CHARLOTTE: The Phoenix and 49ers will be meeting for only the sixth time on Saturday, as Charlotte leads the all-time series, 3-2. The two teams have not met since the 1980-81 season in the NCAIAW Division II Playoffs in Hickory, N.C., as Elon came away with an 89-86 win.
 
ELON HEAD COACH CHARLOTTE SMITH: Elon head coach Charlotte Smith enters this week with a 1-0 career record as a head coach. Elon’s 70-46 win over Virginia Union on Nov. 12 was Smith’s first career win. Smith was an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina for nine seasons before coming to Elon. The most decorated player in UNC history, Smith was a four-year letterwinner for the Tar Heels from 1992-95 and is one of only two UNC women’s basketball players to have had her jersey retired. The six-foot forward who wore No. 23 was named National Player of the Year by ESPN in 1995 following a career in which she scored 2,094 points (fifth all-time at UNC) and grabbed 1,200 rebounds (second all-time at UNC). Smith is perhaps best known for her performance in the 1994 NCAA Championship game, when her buzzer-beating three-pointer gave UNC the national crown with a 60-59 win over Louisiana Tech. She also had a championship-record 23 rebounds in the game and was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
 
ABOUT VIRGINIA INTERMONT: The Lady Cobras enter Friday’s game with a 4-2 record having played in two tournaments already this season. Virginia Intermont won three straight games to start the season, capturing the title at the Bluefield Classic on Nov. 5. The Lady Cobras are led by head coach Jaclyn Dickens, who is in her sixth season.
 
ABOUT CHARLOTTE: The 49ers enter Saturday’s game with a 3-0 record with wins over Presbyterian, Arkansas State and most recently, an overtime win at Virginia Tech on Nov. 16. The 49ers are led by head coach Cara Consuegra, who is in her first season at Charlotte.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Following this week’s games, Elon will head to Greenville, N.C., for the East Carolina Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 26-27. The Phoenix takes on Robert Morris at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 26 before playing tournament host ECU a day later at 4:30 p.m.
 
DOUBLE YOUR FUN: Junior Kelsey Evans recorded her 16th career double-double in Elon’s 70-46 win over Virginia Union on Nov. 12 after going for 14 points and 15 boards. Evans led the Southern Conference in double-doubles with 11 last year and was the league’s leading rebounder at 9.2 boards per game.
 
MOVING ON UP: With 26 points in Elon’s 70-46 win over Virginia Union, junior Ali Ford passed Jamie McNeely and Elizabeth Ward on the all-time scoring chart and is now 16th in program history with 1,089 career points. Ford needs 11 points to pass Lisa Hairston for 15th on the all-time scoring list.
 
SEASON OPENERS: With a win over Virginia Union on Nov. 12, Elon improved to 26-15 all-time in season lid-lifters, having won its last four and six of the last seven.
 
CAREER-HIGH MARKS: Sophomore Kelsey Harris set a new career-high mark against Virginia Union on Nov. 12, as the Gastonia, N.C., native pulled down 10 boards for the Phoenix. Junior Lisa Archie also set a new career-best mark with 11 rebounds.