CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Elon University women's basketball team's hard-fought first half was not enough as No. 17 North Carolina won 68-39 Saturday afternoon.
 
Maraja Pass and Jessica Booth led the Phoenix with eight points. Pass went 3-for-7 from the floor and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line. Booth went 75% (3-for-4) from the floor. As a team, the Phoenix shot 41.7% (10-for-24) in the first half.
 
Head Coach Charlotte Smith returned to her alma mater seeing her #23 jersey hanging in the rafters of Carmichael Arena. Smith said, "I'm very proud of our effort today. We played respectable and we competed, so I am very proud of this team. Unfortunately, the shots didn't fall but we can walk away from this learning a lot about ourselves and feeling proud about ourselves."
 
THE RUNDOWN

• The teams traded a pair of baskets to start off the first quarter. Tied at 4-4 North Carolina went on a quick 9-2. With the score 18-8 in favor of the Tarheels, Elon responded with a 7-0 run and eventually ended the quarter with a three-pointer from Ajia James to end the first down 18-15. The Phoenix shot 58.3% from the field going 7-for-12, forcing five Tarheel turnovers.
• North Carolina opened the second quarter with an 11-4 run to pull ahead 29-19. Elon got within eight thanks to a Jessica Booth jumper, however, that is as close as Elon would get, as the Tarheels went on a 5-2 run to eventually enter halftime with a 36-23 lead.
• The Phoenix opened the third quarter on a 6-2 run to cut the North Carolina lead to nine at 38-29. The Tarheels answered with a 18-5 run to close the third with a 56-34 lead.
•  North Carolina outscored Elon 12-5 in the final 10 minutes to clench a 68-39 victory.

NOTES

• Iycez Adams, Jessica Booth, Maya Johnson, Vanessa Taylor and Regina Walton started for the Phoenix. 
• Maraja Pass led the team for the third consecutive game along with Jessica Booth with eight points.
• On the boards, Adams posted a season-high eight rebounds.
• Johnson and Adams recorded a block each. This is Johnson's third straight game with a blocked shot.
• Ava Leroux stated a career-high three steals followed by Pass who matched her career-high with two.
• This is the second consecutive game Elon has forced double digit turnovers from a ranked ACC opponent.
• Elon's first quarter field goal percentage of 58.3% (7-for-12) was a second-best so far this season.
• For the fourth time this season, all 12 players for Elon saw action.

UP NEXT

• The Phoenix is back on the road next week for a Thanksgiving tournament at Georgia State on Nov. 22-23. Elon is set to play Bradley on Wednesday and tournament host Georgia State on Thursday.