ELON, N.C. – Looking to end its three-game homestand on a high note, the Elon women's basketball team (2-2) welcomes Old Dominion to Schar Center on Tuesday for the first-ever game between both programs. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
 
COVERAGE

• Tuesday's game will air on FloSports.
• Fans can also listen to the contest on WSOE 89.3 FM.
• Live stats can be found here.
• Other in-game updates will be provided via the program's Twitter account, @ElonWBasketball.

 
TICKETS ON SALE

• The best way to see the women's basketball team this season is by purchasing season tickets for just $40.
• Single-game tickets are also available, beginning at $10.
• For the first time ever, fans can purchase a book of 10 ticket vouchers for $75. These vouchers are redeemable for a ticket to any Elon men's or women's basketball regular-season home game. Use all 10 for any one game or use one voucher for 10 different games.
• Fans who purchase voucher books will also receive an Elon mini autographed basketball from head coaches Charlotte Smith and Billy Taylor. These tickets represent a 50% savings for men's basketball tickets and a 25% savings for women's basketball versus single-game prices.
• Ticket vouchers must be redeemed for a reserved seat ticket prior to entry. This can be done at the Schar Center Box Office during regular business hours (M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) or starting 90 minutes prior to tipoff.
• For more information, visit ElonTickets.com or call the Elon Ticket Office at 336-278-6750.

 
SERIES HISTORY VS. OLD DOMINION

• The Phoenix and Monarchs have never met on the hardwood.

 
COACHING CONNECTION

• Tuesday's coaching matchup will be the first between Phoenix head coach Charlotte Smith and her former WNBA teammate DeLisha Milton-Jones, who's in her third season at the helm of Old Dominion.
• Best known for her buzzer-beating 3-pointer that won North Carolina the 1994 national title, Smith enjoyed a stellar career with the Tar Heels from 1991-95. Following it, she played professionally in Italy and the American Basketball League before being picked 33rd overall by the Charlotte Sting in the 1999 WNBA Draft. She went on to play eight WNBA seasons with the Sting, Washington Mystics and Indiana Fever.
• Following a standout career at Florida, Milton-Jones was selected fourth overall in the same 1999 WNBA Draft as Smith. Milton-Jones went on to win two WNBA championships, earn two All-Star nods and play in a then-league record 499 games over 17 seasons. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in June.
• Smith and Milton-Jones spent one WNBA season together in 2005 with the Mystics. Milton-Jones averaged 11.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 33 games (30 starts) while Smith averaged 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while starting all 34 games.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Vanessa Taylor led a season-high four double-digit scorers with 14 points as Elon defeated Triad rival UNCG 75-58 on Saturday.
• The Phoenix's four double-digit scorers were its most since having five on Feb. 11 at UNCW.
• Elon shot 49.1% (27-for-55) from the field, its best mark since shooting 50% against William & Mary on March 3. Its 75 points also marked its most since scoring 85 in that same game against the Tribe.
• The Phoenix posted season highs in rebounds (45) and rebound margin (+18) while holding UNCG to just 27 boards.
• Taylor went 5-for-7 from the field and tallied six rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal as part of an impressive all-around effort. Her 14 points were the second most of her career, three shy of her personal best of 17 set at Gardner-Webb on Nov. 25, 2020.
• Lenaejha Evans scored 13 points, bringing her total to 32 on 11-for-20 shooting over the last two games. In her first two games of the season, the Rider graduate transfer scored six points on 3-for-12 shooting.
• Kamryn Doty matched her career high with 11 points. Her four steals were also a career high and the most by a Phoenix player since Kayla Liles had four against Hofstra on Feb. 18.
• Bria Harmon's 10 points matched her career high, set against North Carolina Central on Nov. 29, 2021.
• Raven Preston matched her career high with nine points on 4-for-5 shooting. She also registered a career-high three steals and six rebounds, increasing her team-best total to 28.
• Chloe Williams added seven points and six rebounds, matching her career high.

 
PRESEASON ACCOLADES

• The Phoenix was picked to finish fourth in the CAA Preseason Poll, marking the sixth time in its nine CAA seasons that Elon has ranked fourth or better in the league's preseason balloting.
• Evonna McGill was named to the preseason All-CAA second team, becoming the first Phoenix post player to earn preseason All-CAA honors since Malaya Johnson made the second team in 2017-18.
• McGill, a center from Lowell, N.C., averaged 11.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks last season. All three of those figures rank in the top six among CAA returners.
• Her 58.9 field-goal percentage was the third best in program history and is also the seventh highest among returning Division I players who made at least five shots per game and played in 75% of their team's games last season.

 
FRESH FACES

• Elon boasts seven newcomers, including six freshmen in Hannah Dereje, Raven Preston, Aly Wadkovsky, Regina Walton, Ruby Willard and Chloe Williams.
• The six-player freshman class matches the Phoenix's largest under Charlotte Smith; Elon's 2017 recruiting class also consisted of six players.
• Graduate transfer Lenaejha Evans also joins the Phoenix after two seasons at Rider. The guard – who averaged 14.0 points en route to third-team All-MAAC honors in 2021-22 – began her career at Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2018-19, then transferred to Pensacola State College for one season before enrolling at Rider.
• Although they aren't new to Elon, redshirt freshmen guards Kamryn Doty and Diamond Monroe are also new to the mix after missing the entire 2021-22 season due to injury. Doty has started each of the Phoenix's first four games at point guard.

 
BIG SHOES TO FILL

• Elon entered the 2022-23 season looking to fill the void left by Brie Perpignan, who finished her Phoenix career as one of only five players to record 1,100 points and 350 assists, along with Shay Burnett (2014-18), Ali Ford (2009-13), Lisa Briggs (1983-87) and Donna Trollinger (1981-85).
• Perpignan's 359 career assists are the eighth most in Elon history, and her 1,194 points are tied for the 14th most. She also ranks second in career free-throw percentage (min. 250 made) at 80 (335-for-419).
• The point guard was sensational in 2021-22, ranking second in the CAA in assists per game (5.5), third in free-throw percentage (81.1) fifth in points per game (16.6) and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
• For her efforts, she was named to the All-CAA second team, becoming just the fourth Phoenix player to make the first or second team and the first since 2017-18.
• Perpignan accounted for 26.6% of Elon's scoring, 36.6% of its free-throw attempts, 39.9% of its free throws and 43.6% of its assists last season.

 
2021-22 REWIND

• The Phoenix went 17-12 last season to post its seventh winning season under Charlotte Smith and its first since 2017-18.
• Elon went 9-9 in CAA play to finish tied for fifth in the league. That marked the Phoenix's best finish since placing third in 2017-18.
• Ten of Elon's victories came at Schar Center, its most since moving into the state-of-the-art facility before the 2018-19 season.
• The 2021-22 Phoenix ranked in the top 10 in school history in free-throw percentage (74.2, first), 3-point attempts (563, second), 3-pointers (171, fourth), field-goal percentage (39.9, ninth) and assists per game (12.6, 10th).
• Brie Perpignan led Elon in scoring (16.6 points per game) and assists (5.5 per game), while Kayla Liles paced the team in rebounding (6.2 per game).

 
BONDING ABROAD

• As part of Elon's commitment to diversity and global engagement, the women's basketball team spent eight days in Italy in August.
• In addition to experiencing authentic Italian cuisine and seeing historical sites such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum, the Phoenix scrimmaged a pair of local teams.
• For a team that features seven newcomers, the trip proved incredibly valuable. Said head coach Charlotte Smith: "It came at the perfect time. Because we have so many new faces, it allowed us an opportunity to implement some things in our system and to practice and to play some games internationally before they even played a game in the United States."

 
EDUCATION DAY RETURNS

• For the first time in more than a decade, the Phoenix will welcome local elementary school students to campus this season for a fun-filled Education Day matinee.
• Elon Athletics has partnered with the Alamance-Burlington School System to bring back the annual Education Day to Elon's campus when the Phoenix faces Richmond on Thursday, Dec. 15.
• The game, set for 11 a.m., will mark the first time that Elon has held an Education Day since Jan. 27, 2011. It will also be the first Education Day at the state-of-the-art Schar Center, which is expected to welcome approximately 2,500 elementary school students for the event.
• While the game between the Phoenix and Spiders will be at the center of the festivities, the day will also serve as an opportunity for students to be introduced to the University and learn more about the importance of education and going to college. Different components of the in-game entertainment will address that, but students will also be treated to other fun activities, such as a spirit contest.

 
MAKING MOVES

• Ahead of their 12th season together at Elon, Charlotte Smith announced the promotion of Josh Wick to associate head coach in September.
• Since arriving with Smith as a member of her coaching staff in 2011, Wick has been integral to the women's basketball program's turnaround. In his 11 seasons at Elon, the Phoenix has posted a winning record seven times, including back-to-back 25-win campaigns in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
• In 2016-17, Wick helped the Phoenix to a record-breaking season that saw it win the CAA regular-season and Tournament titles while reaching the first NCAA Tournament in program history. The Phoenix reached the NCAA Tournament the following season, as well, after winning its second straight CAA Championship.

 
SCOUTING OLD DOMINION 

• Old Dominion is 2-2 and coming off a 65-49 loss at Xavier on Saturday. The Monarchs' other loss came at Florida Gulf Coast, while its two wins are against Texas Southern and William & Mary.
• Old Dominion went 24-10 overall and 12-6 in Conference USA play last season, finishing third in the league's East division.
• A member of the Sun Belt during its first women's basketball season in 1983, the Monarchs rejoined the conference this offseason. Old Dominion claimed five conference tournament titles, made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won the 1985 national championship during its first stint in the league.
• The Monarchs were picked to finish second in the Sun Belt preseason coaches poll. They also received one first-place vote.
• Amari Young was Old Dominion's lone representative on the preseason All-Sun Belt teams, earning third-team honors. She's averaging 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds this season.
• Transfers Jordan McLaughlin (Chipola College) and Makayla Dickens (Boston College) lead the Monarchs in scoring at 10.3 points per game.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon will return to action Sunday when it visits North Carolina Central. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m.