Women's Basketball Southern Conference

Elon Tops Southern Virginia, 83-32

ELON, N.C. – Elon scored the first 18 points of the game and never looked back as it rolled to an 83-32 win over Southern Virginia (6-12) in women’s basketball action on Education Day at Alumni Gym. The Phoenix (8-13) earned the win in front of a boisterous crowd of over 700 students from local elementary schools.Having won the last four, Elon improved to 4-2 in Education Day games.
 
“The kids in the crowd gave us so much energy today,” Elon head coach Karen Barefoot said. “I think it is really important for the team to play in front of these kids because they are role models to so many young people. We were really playing for the kids and had a great time doing it.”
 
Ali Ford led the Phoenix offensively with 15 points and was one of four Phoenix players in double figures. In her 15th double-figure scoring game of the season, Ford went 5-of-5 from behind the arc. Tiara Gause finished with 14 tallies on 5-of-6 shooting and notched three steals. Lei Lei Hairston and Kelsey Evans earned 10 points each. Hairston led the team on the glass with seven boards, followed by Evans, Gause and Aiesha Harper with six rebounds each.
 
Mariah Flake and Jasmin Johnson tallied seven points each to lead the Lady Knights. Ashley Baird finished with six points and led the team with six rebounds.
 
The Phoenix raced to a 37-2 lead over the first 15 minutes of play before a pair of three’s by SVU’s Johnson and Flake made it a 39-8 game. During the run, Elon was a perfect 5-of-5 from behind the arc, including three treys by Ford. Julie Taylor drained a three with three minutes on the clock that ended Southern Virginia’s spurt. The Knights converted 3-of-4 free throws in the final minute that ended the half with Elon holding a 41-11 lead.
 
The Lady Knights scored six points in the opening two minutes of the second half before a jumper by Elon’s Evans sent the Phoenix on a 28-9 run that put it up 74-26, with 6:28 remaining. The Phoenix was on cruise control for the remainder of the game, as it turned out the 83-32 victory.
 
For the game, Elon shot 54.2 percent from the floor and made 61.5 percent of its shots from behind the arc. Led by Harper, who tied her career best with seven assists, the Phoenix dished a season-high 21 helpers on 32 buckets.
 
The Phoenix outscored Southern Virginia 42-6 in the paint and converted 34 SVU turnovers into 38 points. Elon’s bench accounted for 38 points.
 
Elon returns to Southern Conference play Saturday when it travels to Chattanooga, Tenn., and looks to complete a season sweep of the Lady Mocs. The game is slated to begin at 5 p.m.