ELON, N.C. – Winner of three of its last four games, the Elon women's basketball team (7-16, 3-9 CAA) kicks off a three-game homestand Friday when it welcomes William & Mary to Schar Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
COVERAGE
 

• Friday's game will air on FloSports.
• Fans can also listen to the contest on WSOE 89.3 FM.
• Live stats can be found here.
• Other in-game updates will be provided via the program's Twitter account, @ElonWBasketball.

 
TICKETS ON SALE
 

• The best way to see the women's basketball team in February is by purchasing the new CAA Women's Play Pack. For just $15, fans can secure a ticket to the Phoenix's home games against William & Mary (Feb. 10) and Monmouth (Feb. 17).
• Single-game tickets are also 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. 15, 20 and 27.

 
SERIES HISTORY VS. WILLIAM & MARY
 

• Elon leads the all-time series with William & Mary 12-8.
• The Phoenix is 11-5 against the Tribe under Charlotte Smith.
• Friday's game will be the first between the two teams since March 5, 2022, when Elon won 49-45 in Williamsburg, Va. Evonna McGill posted a game-high 13 points as the Phoenix scored its third fewest in a victory under Smith.
• That win came two days after Elon defeated the Tribe 85-61 at Schar Center. Ajia James scored the most points in her Phoenix career (17) as Elon snapped a four-game losing streak against William & Mary.

 
LAST TIME OUT
 

• Elon went 2-0 last weekend, upending CAA leader North Carolina A&T 63-56 last Friday at Schar Center before winning 62-49 on Sunday at the College of Charleston.
• Evonna McGill led all scorers with 16 points against the Aggies, tied for her second most of the season. The graduate center also played a crucial role in holding North Carolina A&T's Jazmin Harris – who entered the contest averaging 15.1 points – to a season-low two points.
• Raven Preston followed McGill with 12 points. The freshman also added 12 rebounds to notch her fifth double-double, the most by a Phoenix player since Shay Burnett and Malaya Johnson notched seven and five, respectively, in 2017-18.
• Lenaejha Evans rounded out Elon's double-digit scorers with 10 points and finished a team-best plus-19.
• The Phoenix registered its second-most assists (19) and steals (12) of the season against the Aggies.
• At the time, North Carolina A&T's 56 points and 34% (17-for-50) shooting percentage were the second-lowest marks by an Elon opponent this season.
• The Phoenix continued its stellar defense Sunday, holding Charleston to 28.6% shooting (18-for-63) – the lowest mark by an Elon opponent since Howard shot 26.3% on Nov. 15, 2021.
• The Cougars shot just 10.5% (2-for-19) on 3-pointers, the lowest mark by an Elon opponent since the Phoenix held UNCG to 10% (2-for-20) on Dec. 18, 2020.
• Charleston's 49 points were the second fewest allowed by Elon this season.
• Evans erupted for 20 points, besting her previous season high of 19, set against High Point on Nov. 13, 2022. The double-digit effort marked her third in a row, her longest streak since a seven-game stretch from Nov. 13-Dec. 18, 2022.
• Ajia James and Preston joined Evans in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively, and James added eight rebounds and four assists as part of a strong all-around effort.

 
THAT'S SO RAVEN
 

• For the second time in as many weeks and the fifth time in her sensational freshman season, Raven Preston was named the CAA Rookie of the Week on Monday after helping Elon to an undefeated weekend against North Carolina A&T and the College of Charleston.
• Preston's five CAA Rookie of the Week honors are three more than any other league freshman and are the most by a Phoenix rookie since Elon joined the CAA in 2014-15. Shay Burnett held the previous record of four, set in the Phoenix's inaugural season in the conference.
• In the Phoenix's 63-56 win over the Aggies, Preston totaled 12 points and 12 rebounds for her fifth double-double – the most by a Phoenix player since Burnett and Malaya Johnson registered seven and five, respectively, in 2017-18.
• Preston's five double-doubles are also the most by a CAA freshman since Delaware's Jasmine Dickey tallied five in 2018-19.
• Preston followed that up with 10 points and four rebounds in Sunday's 62-49 win at Charleston. She also played a large role in holding the Cougars to 28.6% shooting (18-for-63), the lowest mark by an Elon opponent since Howard shot 26.3% on Nov. 15, 2021.
• In a season full of highlights, Preston delivered the signature moment of her young Elon career when she banked in a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer in the Phoenix's 63-60 victory over Delaware on Jan. 27. The miraculous shot came in at No. 9 on SportsCenter's Top 10. It also 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.
• 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 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 six steals against Hofstra on Jan. 6 marked 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 on Nov. 22, 2022, 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 boards 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 Kubek had 20 points and 14 rebounds against Drexel on Feb. 21, 2021.
• Entering Thursday, Preston ranked 15th in the CAA in scoring (12.7 points per game) and fifth in rebounding (7.9 boards per game). Both figures were the best among CAA freshmen. She also led conference freshmen with 12.1 points per game and a league-best 8.6 rebounds per game in CAA play.
• Preston has scored in double figures in nine of her first 12 conference games and 14 times overall.

 
GETTING DEFENSIVE
 

• Elon enters Friday's game against William & Mary having won three of its last four. Three of its seven best shooting performances have come in this stretch, but most importantly, the Phoenix has made significant strides defensively.
• Through its first 19 games, Elon's opponents were averaging 66.3 points on 44% shooting. Over the last four, they're averaging 56.5 points on 35% shooting; through Wednesday's games, both of those figures would've ranked in the top 30 nationally on the season.
• In its 62-49 win over the College of Charleston on Sunday, the Phoenix held the Cougars to 28.6% shooting (18-for-63), the lowest mark by an Elon opponent since Howard shot 26.3% on Nov. 15, 2021. The Phoenix also limited Charleston to 10.5% shooting (2-for-19) on 3-pointers, the lowest mark by an opponent since UNCG shot 10% (2-for-20) on Dec. 18, 2020.
• The Cougars' 49 points marked the second fewest allowed by Elon this season.
• That performance came after the Phoenix limited CAA leader North Carolina A&T to 34% shooting (17-for-50) in a 63-56 victory last Friday. The Aggies' 17 field goals are tied for the fewest Elon has allowed this season, and their shooting percentage and points are the third-lowest marks by an opponent.
• The Phoenix did an especially good job of defending North Carolina A&T's Jazmin Harris, limiting the center – who entered the contest averaging 15.1 points – to a season-low two points on 0-for-6 shooting.
• That's not the only time in this stretch that Elon has held one of the CAA's stars in check, as it limited Preseason Player of the Year Keishana Washington to her worst shooting performance of the season – 25% (5-for-20) – in a 61-49 loss at Drexel on Jan. 29. As a team, the Dragons shot 39.3% (22-for-56).
• En route to its first CAA win on Jan. 27 at Delaware, the Phoenix held the Blue Hens to 38.9% shooting (21-for-54).

 
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, a center from Lowell, N.C., 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. She ranks second on the Phoenix in scoring (10.9 points per game), average minutes (27.3) and starts (21).
• 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. Doty has started 19 of the Phoenix's 23 games at point guard.

 
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, 2022.
• 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 WILLIAM & MARY
 

• William & Mary (12-10, 7-4 CAA) enters Friday as perhaps the hottest team in the CAA, having won six of its last seven games. The Tribe went 2-0 last weekend, defeating Hampton 77-67 and Monmouth 73-68.
• William & Mary went 10-20 overall and 5-13 in CAA play last season, finishing eighth in the league.
• The Tribe was picked to finish seventh in the CAA Preseason Poll.
• William & Mary is led by a pair of preseason All-CAA first-team selections in Riley Casey and Sydney Wagner. Casey ranks second in the conference in scoring at 17.1 points per game, and Wagner is fifth at 15.8. Casey also paces the league in 3-point percentage (40.8%).

 
UP NEXT
 

• Elon will continue its homestand when it hosts Monmouth at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17 and the College of Charleston at 2 p.m. on Feb. 19. The Phoenix will hold its Play4Kay game and Senior Day against the Cougars. For more information on the Play4Kay game, visit here.