ELON — The Elon women's basketball team continues its season-opening road swing Thursday night, traveling to Chapel Hill to face No. 11 North Carolina. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Carmichael Gymnasium.
GAME INFORMATION
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Series record: North Carolina leads 12-2
- The Phoenix has dropped the last 11 contests against the Tar Heels, including a 68-39 setback on Nov. 18, 2023, in Chapel Hill.
STARTING FIVE
- Game Won
- The Phoenix opened the 2024-25 season with a thrilling 65-56 overtime victory at ETSU on Monday night.
- Jayda Angel led the charge in the second half, scoring 13 of her 16 points to pace the team. She hit a game-tying jumper with three seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.
- Elon held a 51-45 advantage on the boards, including a 17-8 edge on the offensive glass, which translated into 19 second-chance points for the Phoenix.
- Tyana Walker helped Elon control the glass, pulling down a career-high 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive end.
- All 12 Phoenix players who saw the court Monday contributed at least one point.
- Freshman Ashanti Fox led the team with three assists, while graduate transfer Quinzia Fulmore matched her career high with three blocks.
- Back For More
- Sophomore Jayda Angel returns for the Phoenix after being the first player in program history to win both CAA Rookie of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year in the same season in 2024-25.
- In her first collegiate start on Monday, Angel notched her 14th career double-figure scoring effort, finishing with a team-high 16 points.
- Last season, she finished second on the team in scoring (9.9 PPG) and steals (1.6 SPG), and third in assists (1.3 APG), while posting 12 double-figure scoring performances.
- She led Elon in scoring eight times and collected a league-best five CAA Rookie of the Week honors, all while coming off the bench.
- Charlotte Era, Year 15
- It's year 15 at Elon for head coach Charlotte Smith.
- Under Smith's leadership, the Phoenix have captured two CAA Championships (2017, 2018) and made multiple postseason appearances, including the program's NCAA Tournament berths (2017, 2018).
- A former North Carolina standout and WNBA player, Smith is known for her 1994 NCAA Championship-winning buzzer-beater for the Tar Heels.
- Smith stands as the most decorated player in North Carolina history and is one of only two UNC women's basketball players to have had her jersey retired.
- Smith worked as an assistant coach under head coach Sylvia Hatchel from 2002-11, when the Tar Heels went 257-54, including a 100-30 mark in the ACC. UNC made it to the NCAA Tournament in all nine seasons during Smith's tenure as an assistant, making two trips to the Final Four.
- Smith has recorded seven winning seasons and multiple 20-win campaigns as the Phoenix's head coach.
- Smith has helped produce numerous All-CAA honorees, including three straight All-Rookie Team selections leading into this season in Raven Preston, Maraja Pass, and Jayda Angel.
- Been Here Before
- Graduate transfer Quinzia Fulmore and sophomore transfer LaNae' Corbett have played in the CAA before, giving the Phoenix an experience boost with two of their newcomers.
- Fulmore played three seasons at Towson, where she was a threat in the paint and made the CAA All-Tournament Team in 2022-23.
- Corbett comes to the Phoenix squad after spending her freshman campaign at Hofstra. She was named to the 2024-25 All-CAA Rookie Team, averaging 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
- Fulmore made an immediate impact in her Elon debut, matching her career-high with three blocks while pulling down nine rebounds, including three on the offensive glass.
- Corbett added steady production in her first regular-season action, finishing with six points and three rebounds in 20 minutes of play.
- New Faces, New Talent
- Junior Tyana Walker joins Corbett and Fulmore as a transfer on the Elon roster after spending her last two seasons at Howard.
- In her freshman year with the Bison, she was named 2024 MEAC Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All-Rookie Team.
- Walker appeared in all 34 games, averaging 4.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last season.
- Walker nearly notched a double-double, finishing with nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. The junior transfer helped Elon control the paint and create second-chance point opportunities. She also added two assists and a steal in 25 minutes of action.
SUPPORT THE PHOENIX
Fans can support Elon Athletics through the
Phoenix Club. To purchase 2025-26 Elon women's basketball tickets, visit
TicketMaster.com/ElonTickets.
STAY POSTED
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