ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite turning in one of its best defensive halves of the season in the first, the Elon women's basketball team couldn't muster enough offense to keep up, falling to UCF 64-46 on Wednesday in the UCF Christmas Classic.
 
One day after seeing her seven-game double-digit scoring streak end, Lenaejha Evans led the Phoenix (4-7) with 10 points. Raven Preston followed her with nine points and six rebounds, and Kamryn Doty fell just short of her first double-double with seven points and a career-high nine rebounds.
 
Rachel Ranke paced the Knights (8-3) with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, including 5-for-8 on 3-pointers. Destiny Thomas added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds as UCF outrebounded Elon 53-43.
 
THE RUNDOWN
 

• Elon came out hot out of the gate, scoring the game's first five points via a 3-pointer by Preston and two free throws by Chloe Williams. UCF responded with a 7-0 run to seize its first lead, but the two teams traded baskets the rest of the way and ended the first quarter tied at 11. Both teams combined to shoot 22.2% (8-for-36) in the period.
• The defensive battle continued into the second quarter, as both teams combined for six points in the first 5:01. Preston scored four straight points to cut the Knights' lead to 21-18 with 3:04 left in the period, but the Phoenix didn't make another field goal the rest of half and entered the break down 29-21.
• Elon outscored UCF 6-3 coming out of the break, trimming the deficit to 32-27. The Knights, however, used a 10-2 run to go up 42-29, and despite a late surge by the Phoenix, it entered the fourth down 46-35.
• UCF dashed any hopes of an Elon comeback by scoring 16 of the first 20 points of the fourth quarter.

 
NOTES
 

• The Phoenix shot a season-low 25.4% (15-for-59). That included a 20% mark (6-for-30) in the first half, its worst shooting percentage in any half this season.
• Elon matched its season low for points (46), set against Loyola Chicago on Tuesday.
• The Phoenix held the Knights to 34.8% shooting (24-for-69), the second-worst shooting percentage by an opponent this season. High Point shot 33.3% on Nov. 13.
• UCF's 53 rebounds marked the most by an Elon opponent since Delaware recorded 59 on Jan. 30. The Knights hauled in 18 offensive rebounds – including 14 in the first half, which led to 14 second-chance points.
• Ranke's 21 points tied for the second most by a Phoenix opponent this season. Her five 3-pointers also tied for the most by an Elon foe.
• Doty's nine rebounds bested her previous career high of four, set on three occasions.
• Williams' six rebounds matched her career high, set on two occasions.

 
UP NEXT
 

• Elon will take eight days off before opening CAA play against North Carolina A&T on Dec. 30. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C.