Elon, N.C- The Elon Phoenix (7-17, 3-10 CAA) will finish off this three-game homestand and its final two-home-game weekend Friday and Sunday. Elon will take on two teams it has already faced this season with Monmouth (12-12, 7-6 CAA) making its first trip to the Schar Center, with tip-off on Friday at 7 p.m. The Phoenix will host the annual Play4Kay game this weekend as they face College of Charleston (10-13, 5-8 CAA) on Sunday at 2 p.m.
 

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FULL GAME NOTES

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Senior Day

• The Elon women's basketball program will hold Senior Day on Sunday, recognizing five student-athletes within the program
• Vanessa Taylor, Maya Johnson, Lenaejha Evans, Bria Harmon and Evonna McGill will be honored postgame for contributions to the program

Coverage

• Both games will air on FloSports
• Fans can also listen to the game on WSOE 89.3
• Live stats for Friday's game can be found by CLICKING HERE
• Live stats for Sunday's game can be found by CLICKING HERE
• Other in game updates with be provided via the program's Twitter account, @elonwbasketball

 
Tickets on Sale

• Single-game tickets are available beginning at $10.
• For the first time ever, fans can purchase a book of 10 ticket vouchers for $75. These vouchers are redeemable for a ticket to any Elon men's or women's basketball regular-season home game. Use all 10 for any one game or use one voucher for 10 different games.
• Fans who purchase voucher books will also receive an Elon mini autographed basketball from head coaches Charlotte Smith and Billy Taylor. These tickets represent a 50% savings for men's basketball tickets and a 25% savings for women's basketball versus single-game prices.
• Ticket vouchers must be redeemed for a reserved seat ticket prior to entry. This can be done at the Schar Center Box Office during regular business hours (M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) or starting 90 minutes prior to tipoff.
• For more information, visit ElonTickets.com or call the Elon Ticket Office at 336-278-6750.

Elon Basketball Live Returns

• With the start of the new calendar year coinciding with the beginning of Colonial Athletic Association play, Elon Basketball Live presented by MaGerks returned on Jan. 9. The show will take place at MaGerks Pub & Grill in Elon.
• Elon Basketball Live is the exclusive chance for fans to hear directly from head women's basketball coach Charlotte Smith and head men's basketball coach Billy Taylor all winter long. The longtime voice of the Phoenix, Taylor Durham, will chat with both Smith and Taylor, along with player guests, about recent and upcoming games.
• Fans are invited to attend the broadcast live and can also listen via The Varsity Network app on their phone or smart device. The show will also be available the next morning via The Voices of Elon Athletics Podcast on Spotify.
• Shows are tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 20 and 27.

Series History

• Elon trails in the all-time series with Monmouth 1-0.
• Friday's game will be the second between the two teams all-time and the second meeting this season. Monmouth took the first ever meeting between the schools back on January 8, 2023, 56-64.
• In the previous matchup, Evonna McGill finished one point off her season high, finishing with 16 points. Both Raven Preston and Lenaejha Evans finished in double figures with 15 and 13 points respectively. Preston also finished the contest with nine rebounds, a game high. This will be the first ever meeting at Schar Center between the two schools.
• The Phoenix leads the all-time series with the College of Charleston 25-15.
• Sunday's game will mark the second between the Phoenix and Cougars this season. The Phoenix came out with the victory, 62-49, in Charleston on Feb. 5, 2023. The victory was Elon's second CAA road victory in three games, and marked the Phoenix 11th straight victory against the Cougars in Charleston. Lenaejha Evans posted a then Phoenix career high with 20 points while shooting 8-14 from the field. Ajia James contributed 12 points, a game-high eight rebounds, and knocked down a pair of triples.
• Elon has won 17 of their last 18 games against the Cougars including four straight against Charleston in the Schar Center.

 
Play4Kay

• The women's basketball program and the Kay Yow Cancer Fund have teamed up for the annual Play4Kay game against the College of Charleston on Feb. 19, 2023.
• The Phoenix have been raising money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund throughout the month of February.
• Those interested in donating can make a one time contribution or make a pledge for every free throw made by a woman's basketball player throughout the month of February.
• Kay Yow began her Hall of Fame coaching career at Elon in 1971 and along with her sister Susan Yow led Elon to their greatest season by win percentage ( .952) with a 20-1 record. Kay Yow later became the head coach at North Carolina State where she spent 34 years and compiled 737 total career wins.

Last Time Out

• Elon fell to the William & Mary Tribe on Friday, Feb. 10, 84-74 in Elon's first overtime contest of the 2022-23 season.
• Raven Preston stuffed the stat sheet and was two assists shy from her first career triple-double. Preston finished with 13 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, and a career high eight assists. Lenaejha Evans poured in a career-high 23 points for the maroon and gold, while knocking down a trio of triples, also setting a Phoenix career high for the graduate. Evans also converted the free-throw to tie the game at 69 with six seconds left to force overtime.
• The Phoenix assisted on 16 of 28 made field goals. In the last three Phoenix contests, Elon has assisted made field goals at least 16 times, with 19 assists coming against North Carolina A&T.
• Chloe Williams had another productive game off the pine for the Phoenix, converting on three of her four field goals including two triples. The freshman from Wake Forest finished the contest with nine points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 24 minutes off the bench.
• Kamryn Doty joined Evans and Preston in double figures with 12 points, setting a career high for 3-pointers made and attempted finishing 4-10 from downtown.
• Elon continued to crash the offensive glass against the Tribe, snatching 11 offensive rebounds. This marks the third consecutive game where Elon has grabbed double-digit offensive rebounds. Raven Preston had the game high with four offensive rebounds contributing to her total of 14 rebounds.

 
That's So Raven

• Raven Preston put together her most complete performance of her freshman campaign against William & Mary last Friday. The rookie from Greensboro, N.C., finished the contest just two assists shy of a triple double. The final stats read 13 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists and 1 steal.
• Preston was awarded her fifth CAA Rookie of the Week honor, following the two victories over the Aggies and Cougars. Preston's five accolades are two more than any other freshman in the conference. With her fifth award, Preston surpasses Elon great Shay Burnett for the most CAA Rookie of the Week accolades in a single season.
• In a season full of highlights, Raven Preston delivered the signature moment of her young Elon career Friday when she banked in a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer in the Phoenix's 63-60 victory at Delaware.
• The miraculous shot – which came in at No. 9 on SportsCenter's Top 10 – secured Elon its first CAA victory this season. And on Monday, it earned the Greensboro, N.C., native her league-best fourth CAA Rookie of the Week award, tying her with Shay Burnett for the most by a Phoenix freshman since Elon joined the conference in 2014-15.
• Preston's 3-pointer handed the Phoenix its first walk-off win since Burnett made a buzzer-beating layup in a double-overtime victory at Delaware on Feb. 7, 2016. It also gave Preston a game-high 17 points, and she followed that up with nine points, six rebounds and three assists against Drexel on Sunday.
• With 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds against Northeastern on Jan. 15, Preston posted her fourth double-double, setting a new freshman record under Charlotte Smith. Burnett (2014-18) – who held the previous record of three – was in attendance as the Phoenix celebrated its alumni weekend.
• Preston's four double-doubles are the most by a CAA rookie since Delaware's Jasmine Dickey had five in 2018-19.
• Preston's 14 rebounds against Northeastern also marked the most by a freshman in CAA play since Towson's Allie Kubek had 14 against Drexel on Feb. 21, 2021.
• Preston's 19 points against Hofstra on Jan. 6 are tied for the most by a CAA freshman during league play. She also tallied six steals against the Pride, the most by a Phoenix freshman since Lei Lei Hairston had six against St. Andrews on Nov. 20, 2009.
• Preston's 31 points against Davidson on Dec. 18, 2022, marked the most by a Phoenix freshman since at least 2004-05.
• Having also scored 22 points against Old Dominion and 26 at NC Central, she's the only freshman to post three 20-point games under Smith.
• Preston's three 20-point games account for three of the top four scoring performances by a freshman in Smith's 12-season tenure.
• With 12 points and 13 rebounds against North Carolina A&T on Dec. 30, 2022, Preston joined Kayla Liles as the only Phoenix players to record a double-double in a CAA opener, and her 12 points were the second most by an Elon freshman in their CAA debut.
• Preston's 15 rebounds against Old Dominion tied for the third most by a Phoenix player and were the most by a freshman under Smith. They were also the most by a CAA freshman since UNCW's Taylor Webster had 19 against Norfolk State on Nov. 25, 2020.
• With her 22 points and 15 rebounds against the Monarchs, Preston became the fifth player and the second freshman to post a 20-point, 10-rebound game under Smith. The 20-point, 10-rebound game was the first by a CAA freshman since Towson's Allie Kubek had 20 points and 14 rebounds against Drexel on Feb. 21, 2021.
• Entering Friday, Preston ranked 16th in the CAA in scoring (12.7points per game) and third in rebounding (8.2 boards per game). Both figures were the best among CAA freshmen. She also led conference freshmen with 12.3 points per game and a league-best 9.0 rebounds per game in CAA play.
• Preston has scored in double figures in 10 of her first 13 CAA games and 15 times overall.

Preseason Accolades

• The Phoenix was picked to finish fourth in the CAA Preseason Poll, marking the sixth time in its nine CAA seasons that Elon has ranked fourth or better in the league's preseason balloting.
• Evonna McGill was named to the preseason All-CAA second team, becoming the first Phoenix post player to earn preseason All-CAA honors since Malaya Johnson made the second team in 2017-18.
• McGill averaged 11.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks last season. All three of those figures rank in the top six among CAA returners.
• Her 58.9 field-goal percentage was the third best in program history and is also the seventh highest among returning Division I players who made at least five shots per game and played in 75% of their team's games last season.

 
Fresh Faces

• Elon boasts seven newcomers, including six freshmen in Hannah Dereje, Raven Preston, Aly Wadkovsky, Regina Walton, Ruby Willard and Chloe Williams.
• The six-player freshman class matches the Phoenix's largest under Charlotte Smith; Elon's 2017 recruiting class also consisted of six players.
• Graduate transfer Lenaejha Evans also joined the Phoenix after two seasons at Rider. The guard – who averaged 14.0 points en route to third-team All-MAAC honors in 2021-22 – began her career at Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2018-19, then transferred to Pensacola State College for one season before enrolling at Rider.
• Although they aren't new to Elon, redshirt freshmen guards Kamryn Doty and Diamond Monroe are also new to the mix after missing the entire 2021-22 season due to injury.

Big Shoes to Fill

• Elon entered the 2022-23 season looking to fill the void left by Brie Perpignan, who finished her Phoenix career as one of only five players to record 1,100 points and 350 assists, along with Shay Burnett (2014-18), Ali Ford (2009-13), Lisa Briggs (1983-87) and Donna Trollinger (1981-85).
• Perpignan's 359 career assists are the eighth most in Elon history, and her 1,194 points are tied for the 14th most. She also ranks second in career free-throw percentage (min. 250 made) at 80 (335-for-419).
• The point guard was sensational in 2021-22, ranking second in the CAA in assists per game (5.5), third in free-throw percentage (81.1) fifth in points per game (16.6) and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
• For her efforts, she was named to the All-CAA second team, becoming just the fourth Phoenix player to make the first or second team and the first since 2017-18.
• Perpignan accounted for 26.6% of Elon's scoring, 36.6% of its free-throw attempts, 39.9% of its free throws and 43.6% of its assists last season.

 
2021-22 Rewind

• The Phoenix went 17-12 last season to post its seventh winning season under Charlotte Smith and its first since 2017-18.
• Elon went 9-9 in CAA play to finish tied for fifth in the league. That marked the Phoenix's best finish since placing third in 2017-18.
• Ten of Elon's victories came at Schar Center, its most since moving into the state-of-the-art facility before the 2018-19 season.
• The 2021-22 Phoenix ranked in the top 10 in school history in free-throw percentage (74.2, first), 3-point attempts (563, second), 3-pointers (171, fourth), field-goal percentage (39.9, ninth) and assists per game (12.6, 10th).
• Brie Perpignan led Elon in scoring (16.6 points per game) and assists (5.5 per game), while Kayla Liles paced the team in rebounding (6.2 per game).

 
Bonding Abroad

• As part of Elon's commitment to diversity and global engagement, the women's basketball team spent eight days in Italy in August.
• In addition to experiencing authentic Italian cuisine and seeing historical sites such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum, the Phoenix scrimmaged a pair of local teams.
• For a team that features seven newcomers, the trip proved incredibly valuable. Said head coach Charlotte Smith: "It came at the perfect time. Because we have so many new faces, it allowed us an opportunity to implement some things in our system and to practice and to play some games internationally before they even played a game in the United States."

Education Day Returns

• For the first time in more than a decade, the Phoenix welcomed local elementary school students to campus for a fun-filled Education Day on Dec. 15.
• The game against Richmond marked the first time that Elon held an Education Day since Jan. 27, 2011.
• The program welcomed more than 2,400 elementary school students from 10 Alamance-Burlington School System schools as well as Burlington Christian Academy and The Burlington School. Overall, 3,087 fans attended the game, marking the largest crowd in Elon's Division I era.
• Although the game between the Phoenix and Spiders was at the center of the festivities, the day also served as an opportunity for students to be introduced to the University and learn more about the importance of education and going to college. Different components of the in-game entertainment addressed that.
• Phoenix players also spent much of December visiting ABSS schools and talking about their experiences as collegiate student-athletes.

Making Moves

• Ahead of their 12th season together at Elon, Charlotte Smith announced the promotion of Josh Wick to associate head coach in September.
• Since arriving with Smith as a member of her coaching staff in 2011, Wick has been integral to the women's basketball program's turnaround. In his 11 seasons at Elon, the Phoenix has posted a winning record seven times, including back-to-back 25-win campaigns in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
• In 2016-17, Wick helped the Phoenix to a record-breaking season that saw it win the CAA regular-season and Tournament titles while reaching the first NCAA Tournament in program history. The Phoenix reached the NCAA Tournament the following season, as well, after winning its second straight CAA Championship.

Scouting Monmouth

• Monmouth (12-12, 7-6 CAA) has begun their time in the Colonial ahead of where many thought they would be. Under second year coach Ginny Boggess,  the Hawks upset the current top-seed in the CAA, Drexel Dragons, last Sunday in West Long Branch, 70-66.
• Monmouth was led by junior guard Ariana Vanderhoop who finished the night nearly perfect from the field, finishing 8-of-9 from the floor with 20 points. Lucy Thomas and Kaci Donovan also pitched in double-figure scoring performances with 15 and 11 points respectively.
• The Aggies were picked to finish in a tie for 10th in the CAA Preseason Poll.
• The Hawks are led by two top-25 league scorers in  Brianna Tinsley and Ariana Vanderhoop, who both average double-figures.
• Vanderhoop is also joined by Belle Kranbuhl and Lucy Thomas atop the CAA rebounding list. Monmouth is the only school to have three players in the top-21 for rebounding average in the conference.

Scouting Charleston

• The College of Charleston (10-13, 5-8 CAA) enters Friday's home game against Stony Brook having  lost five of their last seven games. The Cougars split their latest weekend series, dropping the first matchup to Drexel 86-61, then topping Delaware 90-56 on the road.
• Charleston went 18-13 overall and 9-9 in CAA play last season, finishing sixth in the league.
• The Cougars were picked to finish second in the CAA Preseason Poll.
• Charleston is led by Jada Logan, who entered Thursday ranked third in the CAA in scoring (17.7 points per game) and seventh in rebounding (7.2 boards per game).
• Logan is one of three Cougars averaging double-digit points, along with preseason All-CAA honorable mention Anika McGarity (11.7) and Jaila Roberts (11.4).

Up Next

• The Phoenix will travel to Williamsburg, V.A. to play their second matchup with the Tribe in as many weeks at 7 P.M. on Feb. 24.