Post-game press conference

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The fifth-seeded Elon women's basketball team punched its ticket to its second straight Southern Conference Tournament semifinal appearance with a 59-56 win over fourth-seeded Appalachian State today, March 8, in Kimmel Arena.
 
"I'm excited about a big win today against a great team," Elon head coach Charlotte Smith. "I felt like we did a great job of coming out and focusing on our defensive plan, which was to pack it in and to rebound. We did a great job on the boards and our biggest focus was to make sure we box out and to limit their second chance opportunities."
 
Elon (15-15) finished the game 25-of-58 to shoot 43 percent but was held to a 13 percent clip from beyond the arc (1-of-8). The Phoenix won the battle on the boards, 45-30, limiting ASU to only eight offensive boards. At the charity stripe, Elon went 8-of-13 for a 62 percent mark. The Phoenix scored 26 points in the paint and 14 points off second-chance opportunities.
 
Lauren Brown and Kelsey Harris led the Phoenix with 14 points each. Brown hit seven field goals in the game and scored 12 of her points in the second half, while Harris also pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and handed out three assists. Jessica Farmer also finished in double figures with 10 points.
 
Appalachian State (13-16) shot 34 percent from the field off a 19-of-56 performance and went 3-of-12 from long distance (25 percent). The Mountaineers converted 15-of-19 chances at the free throw line for a 79 percent mark. ASU's Maryah Sydnor led all players with 16 points, while Katie Mallow followed with 15 points.
 
After the Phoenix opened the game on a 4-0 run, the Mountaineers rallied to take a 9-6 lead with 11:50 on the clock. A jumper by Lenaira Ruffin at the 8:41 mark put the maroon and gold back in the lead, 14-13. The game would stay tight for the remainder of the half with neither team taking more than a two-point advantage. Elon finished the frame with a 21-20 edge after Ruffin grabbed an offensive board and fed the ball to Harris for a layup with 22 ticks left.
 
Elon shot 20 percent from the field in the first half (10-of-33) and hit 1-of-3 attempts from the free throw line for a 33 percent clip. ASU went 28 percent, including one three, and had an 83 percent mark from the charity stripe (5-of-6). The Phoenix held the slight rebounding advantage, 21-20.
 
With the Mountaineers leading 30-29 in the second frame, a deep jumper by Brown sparked an 8-0 run for the maroon and gold that was capped by another basket by Brown and forced an App timeout with Elon holding a 37-30 advantage with 10:59 to play. The Phoenix led by as much as eight before ASU closed the gap to one, 41-40, after a shooting and technical foul on Farmer with 7:44 on the clock. Ruffin immediately answered with the only maroon and gold three of the game to make it a 44-40 Elon lead.
 
The Mountaineers would respond with the next five points to take go ahead by one, 45-44, and force an Elon timeout with under six minutes to play. Both teams would trade baskets and one-point leads for the next several minutes until back-to-back jumpers by Zora Stephenson and Harris gave Elon the extra advantage by three, 52-49, with 2:05 on the clock.
 
Elon led by three, 56-53, with 44 second remaining, forcing App to foul and send the Phoenix to the line. Harris hit 1-of-2 opportunities, making it a four-point advantage with 22 ticks left. The Mountaineers' Mallow sank a three with 13 seconds on the clock, making it a one-point maroon and gold advantage, 57-56. For the third time this season, Sam Coffer was sent to the line to secure a win for the Phoenix, converting both chances, the junior gave Elon a 59-56 lead with nine seconds left. The Mountaineers were able to get the ball down the court but a three attempt by Sydnor fell short and into the hands of Shannen Cochraham who held on as time expired for Elon to advance to the semifinals.
 
Elon will play top-seeded and reigning conference champion Chattanooga in tomorrow's semifinal at noon in the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville.