ELON, N.C.—The Elon University women's basketball team came out strong on both ends of the court in their season opener against Western Carolina on Saturday night, defeating the Catamounts 68-24.
Jada Graves played a big role for Elon. The guard finished with a team-high 12 points, shooting 2-2 from beyond the arc and 5-7 from the field.
Just three points behind her was
Brie Perpignan and
Saadia Munford. The pair scored nine points apiece, while Perpignan also led the team in steals (3).
Western Carolina was led by Alyssa Walker and Andrea Martin Ruiz. Both players finished with six points and one steal.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Phoenix kept the Catamounts scoreless over a span of nine minutes during the first and second quarters. After a field goal at the 0:50 mark (18-14), Western Carolina would not score again until there was 1:46 left in the half. During that time, Elon managed to take a 16-point lead before heading into the lockeroom (32-16). Ariel Colón,
Jada Graves,
Jaylin Powell, and
Kayla Liles each chipped in three points, while
Maya Johnson added two.
Elon's defense held the Catamounts to just four points in the second and third quarters.
With 38 seconds left to go in the second quarter, a pair of free throws from
Duru Tasman began a 15-2 run for Elon that lasted until just under four minutes was left in the third. A three ball from
Micaela Ryan capped it off to make the score 48-16.
Despite the Catamounts nailing a couple of shots from beyond the arc in the final 10 minutes of play, Graves, Tasman,
Vanessa Taylor, Powell, and Perpignan combined for 17 points in the quarter to secure the win for the Phoenix.
NOTES
- No team in the CAA has allowed an opponent to score that low of points since at least the 1998-99 season.
-Tonight's win is the first home opener win in the Schar Center.
-The Phoenix held the Catamounts to just under a 19 percent field goal percentage (18.9%).
-Elon took its largest lead of the game (45) in the fourth quarter (4:32).
UP NEXT
Elon will next host Appalachian State on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
