WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Elon women's basketball team fought back from a 10-point second-half deficit to pull within two late and committed its fewest turnovers in head coach Charlotte Smith's 12-season tenure, but the Phoenix ultimately fell, 62-58, to UNCW on Friday.
 
Lenaejha Evans paced Elon (4-14, 0-7 CAA) with 16 points, including 13 in the first half. Kamryn Doty joined Evans in double figures with 10 points, and Raven Preston fell just short of her fifth double-double with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.
 
Jayde Gamble led the Seahawks (4-13, 1-5) with 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting. Lexi Jackson followed her with 11 points, nine rebounds and four blocks as UNCW picked up its first CAA victory.
 
THE RUNDOWN
 

• Both teams traded baskets over the first five-plus minutes, with neither seizing more than a two-point lead. Then, with 4:06 left in the first quarter, Evans made a pair of free throws for her first two points, igniting an 8-0 run that gave Elon a 16-9 lead. Not to be outdone, UNCW responded with a 7-0 run of its own over the last 1:39 to tie the game at 16 entering the second.
• The Seahawks scored the first four points of the second quarter to extend their run to 11-0 and their lead to 20-16, but the Phoenix scored the next four to tie the game. The teams continued to go back and forth the rest of the period, and after Ajia James made a layup to tie the score at 32, Gamble made a jumper with five seconds remaining to give UNCW a 34-32 halftime lead.
• Coming out of halftime, the Seahawks went on a 10-2 run to seize a 44-34 lead.  They maintained their 10-point advantage for most of the rest of the third quarter and entered the fourth up 50-41.
• With 6:47 left in the fourth quarter, Evans made a layup for the first points of the period by either team. That marked the start of a 10-3 run that saw the Phoenix pull within 53-51 with 2:24 left.
• Neither team scored over the next 1:27, but with 56 seconds left, UNCW made a pair of free throws to go up 55-51. Bria Harmon answered with a layup 10 seconds later to get Elon back within two points, but it couldn't get any closer as the Seahawks iced the game at the free-throw line.

 
NOTES
 

• The Phoenix's six turnovers marked its fewest under Smith. Its previous low of seven came against Northeastern on Feb. 10, 2017. Elon entered Friday averaging 20.1 turnovers this season.
• The Phoenix held UNCW without a field goal for the final 5:51.
• Elon made a season-high 19 free throws on 23 attempts. The Seahawks went 22-for-26 at the free-throw line.
• The back-and-forth contest featured 11 ties and nine lead changes.
• Evans' 16 points tied for her second most of the season and were her most since scoring 16 in back-to-back games against North Carolina Central and Howard on Nov. 27 and Dec. 2, 2022, respectively.
• After scoring 11 total points over her first three CAA games, Evans has scored in double figures in three of the last four. The Rider graduate transfer leads the Phoenix with 11 double-digit outings.
• Doty's 10 points marked her most since scoring 11 against UNCG on Nov. 19, 2022. Her two 3-pointers matched her career high, set against Richmond on Dec. 15, 2022.
• Vanessa Taylor tallied three rebounds and a steal while playing 15 minutes in her first game since Jan. 6 at Hofstra.
• Harmon – who didn't start any of her first 46 collegiate games – earned her third straight start.

 
UP NEXT
 

• Elon will return to Schar Center to host Stony Brook at 1 p.m. Sunday. The game against the Seawolves will also serve as Princess Day – all children dressed as their favorite princess or prince will receive free admission.