Box Score
Box Score

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Back-to-back three-pointers from Ali Ford late in the game and key free throws down the stretch from Aiesha Harper helped the Elon University women’s basketball team spoil Senior Night for Fuman on Monday, Feb. 14, as the Phoenix rallied late to claim a 58-57 win on Valentine’s Day in Timmons Arena.

Elon improves to 17-9 on the year and 11-6 in the Southern Conference, while the Paladins drop to 11-15 (7-10 SoCon) after falling to the Phoenix for the second time this season . Elon’s 17 wins this season mark the most since the 2003-04 squad finished with the same amount. Elon is two wins away from tying the most victories in a season since joining Division I.

Down by as many as nine points in the second half, the Phoenix chipped away at Furman’s lead until Ford connected on back-to-back shots from beyond the arc to give Elon a 56-54 lead with 1:03 left on the clock.

Harper managed to put the game out of reach with 6.7 seconds left after hitting a pair of crucial free throws to give Elon a four-point edge, 58-54, which proved important after Furman’s Kelly O’Connor heaved up a desperation three-pointer from the edge of the far sideline that connected off the glass with 1.1 seconds remaining to pull the Paladins within one point.

Harper led the Phoenix with a team-high 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from the free throw line, while Ford ended the night with 11 points.

“I’m proud of the way we matched [Furman’s] intensity for all 40 minutes tonight and grinded out a win,” said Elon head coach Karen Barefoot. “Tonight was a physical battle and we fought hard to come back on the road against a good team. We made key shots when we needed to tonight and this is a great win for us moving forward.”

Elon tied the game early in the first half at 13-all after Julie Taylor found Harper on a backdoor cut on the baseline for a layup just prior to the 12-minute media timeout.

Despite several players in foul trouble early, the Phoenix managed to limit the Paladins to a one-point edge, 30-29, at intermission after the Elon bench accounted for 19 points. Ford and Lei Lei Hairston played only ten and six minutes, respectively, in the first half due to foul trouble, but Harper and Candice Silas stepped up with six and eight points for the Phoenix.

Elon dominated the boards in the opening frame, 24-13, which included a total of 11 rebounds on offense. But the Paladins managed to get to the free throw line 12 times in the first period, sinking 10-of-12 attempts, while Elon managed just one trip to the free throw line after Kelsey Harris split a pair.

The Paladins forced an early Elon 30-second timeout in the second half after beginning the second session on a 6-0 run to take a 36-29 lead.

After going down by as many as nine points, Harper helped the Phoenix tie the game at 47-all with under seven minutes to play after slashing through the Furman defense for a layup.

But the Paladins answered, as an O’Connor jumper near the free throw line put the Phoenix behind, 54-50, with 2:05 to play.

But back-to-back triples from Ford helped the Phoenix take the lead, 56-54, with 1:03 remaining in the game for the first time since the 2:01 mark in the first half.

Harper iced the game for the Phoenix with 6.7 seconds remaining after hitting a pair of free throws to give Elon a 58-54 lead. O’Connor hit a desperation three off the glass with 1.1 seconds left on the clock to make it a one-point game, 58-57, but the Phoenix defense helped secure the win in the waning moments.

Elon plays its next two games at home, beginning with its Pink Zone game on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. against Samford. The game will also be televised on SportSouth. The Phoenix plays its final home game of the year a week from today when Chattanooga comes to Alumni Gym for Senior Night on Feb. 21.