ELON, N.C. ? Tierra Bumbrey knocked down a contest-best 19 points and Kitara McMoore put up 16 points as Elon turned back Presbyterian for an 82-51 non-conference women’s basketball victory during “Education Day with the Phoenix” festivities Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Gym, bringing an abrupt end to a seven-game losing streak.
The game capped Elon’s fourth annual “Education Day with the Phoenix” as nearly 600 fifth-grade students from Andrews, Eastlawn, Haw River, Newlin, North Graham and South Graham Elementary Schools visited “The Nest.” With the win, Elon improved to 2-2 in its “Education Day” games.
Elon has been holding “Education Day” since 2005 ? hosted by Trip Durham, Elon Associate Director of Athletics for Marketing ? as local school children annually visit the campus one morning for educational activities and then attend a women’s basketball game after lunch.
Beginning at 10 a.m. in Jordan Gym, the students received instruction from Elon coaches, staff and student-athletes. Following their lessons in mathematics, geography and fitness, the children will be served lunch and cheer on the Phoenix in the 11:45 a.m. game with Presbyterian College in Alumni Gym.
The Phoenix (7-14) scored early and often, leading the contest from start to finish. Elon erupted for a 9-0 advantage on a jumper by Shashonna Moore with 18:04 left to play in the opening half. Taylor Price sank a pair of free throws to put the Blue Hose (1-22) on the scoreboard at the 17:46 mark.
Elon soon extended its edge to 17-4 on an old-fashioned three-point play by McMoore with 14:34 left before the intermission, but Presbyterian answered with a 6-2 spurt to inch within 19-10 on a pair of charity shots by Sharie Hopkins with 10:30 remaining.
The Phoenix responded with a 17-4 surge to stretch the difference to 36-14 on a fast-break lay-up by Tiffany Davis with 3:49 to go in the first frame. The Blue Hose went on an 8-2 run to draw within 38-22 on a jumper by Tishe Sanders with 16 ticks to play before halftime, but Elon exploded for a 15-2 surge to fatten its lead to 53-24 on a three-point field goal by Davis with 16:09 left in the contest.
The closest that Presbyterian came the rest of the way was 55-31 following a 7-2 spurt, capped by a Kristin Kidd three-pointer with 14:59 remaining. Elon then reeled off a 27-15 run to fashion its largest lead at 82-46 on a jumper by Amber Wall with 53 seconds left.
“This is a great momentum and confidence builder,” Phoenix coach Brenda Paul said. “I thought we came out and controlled it from the start. I didn’t think they ever had a chance to get in the game. This was an example of staying focused for 40 minutes to take charge and complete the game.”
Elon earned convincing advantages in rebounds (49-33), turnovers (16-20), assists (20-7), steals (12-8), points in the paint (36-14), points off turnovers (22-15) and bench points (29-17). The Phoenix fired 47.1 percent (33 of 70) from the floor ? 51.5 percent (17 of 33) in the first half ? and 58.4 percent (7 of 12) from three-point land.
The Blue Hose shot 30.6 percent (19 of 62) from the field, including 33.3 percent (5 of 15) from beyond the arc. Presbyterian connected on 80 percent (8 of 10) of its free throw attempts while Elon canned 64.3 percent (9 of 14) of its shots from the charity stripe.
Bumbrey knocked down eight of her 14 shots from the floor ? three of her four shots from downtown ? and added four assists and two steals. McMoore converted seven of her eight field goal attempts and tallied six rebounds and three assists.
Davis (12 points, game-high six assists, game-high five steals), Shamica Spears (nine rebounds), Katie Whidden (eight points, nine rebounds, three assists) and Wall (12 points, five assists, two blocked shots) also turned in solid performances for the Phoenix.
Katlin Moore (13 points, three blocked shots), Hopkins (10 rebounds) and Lea Smith (eight points, four steals) led the Blue Hose.
Elon (2-7 in Southern Conference play) returns to the road to begin its second run through the league schedule when it visits the College of Charleston at 2 p.m. Saturday. Presbyterian will return to action with a trip to USC Aiken on Feb. 13.