ELON, N.C. — Raven Preston exploded for 22 points and 15 rebounds as the Elon women's basketball team rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to outlast Old Dominion 71-68 Tuesday at Schar Center.
 
Playing in just her fifth career game, Preston poured in the second-most points by a freshman in the Charlotte Smith era while going 8-for-12 from the floor. Preston's 15 boards were the most by a freshman in Smith's 12-season tenure and helped the Greensboro, N.C., native to the first 20-point, 10-rebound performance by a Phoenix freshman in seven years.
 
Lenaehja Evans and Evonna McGill followed Preston with 14 and 12 points, respectively, as Elon (3-2) won its third straight game and handed the Monarchs (2-3) their second straight loss.
 
"This is a really big win for our team," Smith said. "We are a young team, but we are a resilient team. We talked at halftime about controlling the things you can control – defense and rebounding – because our defense was atrocious in the first half. But they knew we needed to clean it up, and I think we did a much better job of defending in the second half and controlling the rebounds. We won the boards, which is huge for us, and a lot of that goes to Raven Preston, who had a big game."
 
THE RUNDOWN

• Both teams traded baskets throughout the first quarter, as neither extended its lead to more than three. Old Dominion appeared poised to end the period with a three-point lead when Brenda Fontana received a pass under the basket with just a few seconds left, but Vanessa Taylor blocked her layup and Kamryn Doty beat the buzzer with a halfcourt shot, giving the Phoenix a 16-14 advantage.
• Elon twice pushed its lead to five points early in the second quarter, but that didn't deter the Monarchs, who outscored the Phoenix 21-4 over a six-minute stretch to seize a 39-27 lead. Despite turning in its best shooting percentage of any first half this season at 52% (13-for-25), Elon ultimately entered the break down 41-31.
• Still down 10 early in the third quarter, the Phoenix went on an 18-4 run to go up 53-49. Both teams exchanged free throws the rest of the period, and Elon entered the fourth and final quarter leading 56-54.
• Thanks to back-to-back baskets by McGill to open the period and a 3-pointer by Preston, the Phoenix seized its largest lead of the game (63-56) at the 7:51 mark of the fourth quarter. Old Dominion didn't go away quietly, though, using a 10-0 run to secure a three-point lead with 4:20 left.
• Elon eventually tied the score with a free throw by Preston and two by Chloe Williams, only to see the Monarchs regain the lead on a layup with 1:56 left. As it turned out, that proved to be Old Dominion's last bucket, as the Phoenix locked down on defense and scored the game's final five points to secure the comeback win.

 
NOTES 

• The 12-point deficit marked the largest overcome by Elon in a win since rallying from a 19-point hole to beat UNCG 52-49 on Dec. 15, 2021, in Greensboro, N.C.
• The Phoenix shot a season-best 50% (25-for-50) from the field.
• Old Dominion turned 10 offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance points in the first half, marking the most allowed by Elon in a game this season. The Phoenix, however, limited the Monarchs to four offensive boards and two second-chance points in the second half.
• Preston's 22 points were the most by an Elon freshman since Malaya Johnson had 22 at Campbell on Dec. 17, 2014. Zora Stephenson – who scored 28 points against Virginia Intermont on Nov. 18, 2011 – is the only freshman to score more under Smith.
• Preston's 15 rebounds tied for the third most by a Phoenix player in Smith's tenure. As a senior, Kelsey Evans had 21 against Chattanooga on Jan. 7, 2013, and 17 against VCU on Nov. 12, 2012. She also registered a pair of 15-rebound games as a junior. Shay Burnett (one as a junior and one as a sophomore) and Emily Maupin (one as a sophomore) are responsible for the other 15-rebound games under Smith.
• Preston became the first freshman to record a 20-point, 10-rebound game since Burnett had 21 points and 11 rebounds on March 1, 2015, at Hofstra.
• Preston's previous career high was nine points, set on three occasions.
• Preston's double-double marked Elon's first since McGill had 19 points and 10 rebounds against the College of Charleston on March 11.
• The double-double was the first by a Phoenix freshman since Kayla Liles had 15 points and 10 rebounds on Jan. 4, 2019, at Northeastern.
• Preston is now averaging a team-best 8.6 rebounds this season.
• After scoring six points on 3-for-12 shooting in her first two games with Elon, Evans has responded with three straight double-digit efforts. In that span, the Rider graduate transfer has averaged 15.3 points on 53.6% shooting (15-for-28). She's also gone 15-for-19 on free throws after not logging an attempt in her first two games.
• Despite missing most of the second and third quarters due to foul trouble, McGill scored in double figures for the fourth time in five games this season. She leads the team in scoring at 10.8 points per game.
• Doty's four assists were a career high.

 
UP NEXT

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