HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Down 10 points with less than six minutes remaining, the Elon women's basketball team rallied to pull within three with 18 seconds left, but the Phoenix couldn't get any closer, falling 46-42 on Friday at Hofstra.
 
Raven Preston led all players with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting. She also contributed eight rebounds and a career-high six steals as the Phoenix (4-10, 0-3 CAA) surrendered a season-low 46 points.
 
The only other player on either team who finished in double figures, Rosi Nicholson paced the Pride (7-7, 1-2) with 12 points. And although Elon held Brandy Thomas – who entered the game ranked eighth in the CAA in scoring (15.1 points per game) – to just nine points, the LIU transfer notched 14 rebounds to help Hofstra to its first conference win of the season.
 
THE RUNDOWN
 

• Hofstra came out strong, scoring nine of the game's first 11 points. Preston made a layup with 5:36 left in the first quarter to cut the deficit to 9-4, but Elon didn't make another field goal for the rest of the period and entered the second down 13-5.
• The Pride opened the second quarter with a 6-0 run, extending its lead to a game-high 14 points. Not to be deterred, the Phoenix answered with an 8-2 run, but it still entered halftime trailing 25-15.
• After being outscored in each of the first two quarters, Elon outscored Hofstra 12-11 in the third. Neither team strung together consecutive field goals in the back-and-forth period as the Pride entered the fourth up 36-27.
• With 6:56 left in the fourth quarter, Thomas made a 3-pointer to push Hofstra's lead to 39-29. The Phoenix then started gradually chipping away at the deficit, using a 9-3 run to pull within four with 53 seconds left.
• After the Pride made a layup to go back up six, Preston went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line and then scored a layup off a steal to trim the deficit to 44-41. Ally Knights promptly drained two free throws to make it a five-point game, and although Elon held Hofstra scoreless the rest of the way, it couldn't take advantage, going 1-for-4 at the free-throw line and missing a pair of field goals.

 
NOTES
 

• Preston led the Phoenix in scoring for the sixth time while upping her season average to 13.1 points per game.
• Preston's six steals were the most by an Elon player since Kayla Liles tallied seven on Jan. 14, 2022, against the College of Charleston. Preston's previous career high was three, set on four occasions.
• After setting a career high with three assists against Hampton on Sunday, Evonna McGill matched that total Friday. Her seven rebounds were also a season high.
• The Pride's 46 points were the fewest allowed by the Phoenix since limiting William & Mary to 45 on March 5, 2022.
• Elon's 12 turnovers were its fewest since committing 12 on March 3, 2022, against the Tribe.
• The Phoenix's 21 offensive rebounds were its most since posting 23 on Feb. 13, 2022, at the College of Charleston.
• Elon's 42 points were its fewest since scoring 38 on Nov. 26, 2021, at then-No. 1 South Carolina. They were also the Phoenix's fewest points in a CAA game since scoring 30 on Jan. 27, 2019, at James Madison.
• Elon attempted 28 more shots than Hofstra, but it shot 24.3% (17-for-70) from the field, its worst mark since shooting 18% in that same game against the Dukes. The Phoenix shot 5.6% (1-for-18) on 3-pointers.
• Elon is 0-3 in conference play for the first time since starting SoCon play 0-15 in 2008-09.

 
UP NEXT
 

• The Phoenix will visit Monmouth at 2 p.m. Sunday.