ELON, N.C. - A career-high 18 points and 14 rebounds by sophomore forward Kelsey Evans lifted the Elon University women's basketball team to victory on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 21, inside newly renovated Alumni Gym, as the Phoenix claimed a 73-58 victory over the visiting Chanticleers from Coastal Carolina.

Evans scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field while grabbing 14 boards to secure her second double-double of the season. Evans also recorded two blocks for the Phoenix in 36 minutes. The Raleigh, N.C. native's 18 points ties her previous career-best mark set against Troy earlier this season.

Sophomore guard Ali Ford tallied a game-high 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field, while also dishing out four assists and tallying four steals. Ford has tallied 20 or more points in three out of four games this season and 15 times in her career.

Elon shot 43.9 percent from the field in the win and 71.4 percent from the free throw line, while limiting CCU to a 34.4 percent mark from the field.

The victory for Elon (3-1) is the first over Coastal Carolina (2-2) since the 2002-03 season, while also marking the team's best start since the 1997-98 season when the Phoenix started 4-0.

"Our team executed the game plan perfectly today and came out on top over a very good Coastal Carolina team," said Elon head coach Karen Barefoot. "Our defensive pressure really made a difference today and allowed us to score points off turnovers."

The Phoenix scored 22 points off 19 Coastal Carolina turnovers, while dominating the Chanticleers, 44-18, in the paint.

Already ahead 10 points in the early stages, the Phoenix's full court press paved the way for a 24-10 run over the final 7:55 of the half to take a commanding 42-18 lead into the locker room.

Elon shot a blistering 53.1 percent from the field in the opening frame while limiting the Chanticleers to 21.2 percent shooting from the field, including a 1-for-11 (9.1 percent) clip from beyond the arc. Ford led all scorers at intermission with 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field, including a 2-of-5 performance from three-point land.

The Phoenix continued to keep the pressure on the Chanticleers, as a steal by Ford led to an easy layup, giving Elon its largest lead of the game, 51-20, with 17:33 remaining.

Coastal Carolina managed to cut the deficit to 18 points with less than two minutes to play on a Shanika Maddox jumper, but the Phoenix's defense kept the Chanticleers at arm's length down the stretch to secure the win and improve to 3-1 on the year.

The Phoenix plays its final game before Thanksgiving on Tuesday night, Nov. 23, when the Virginia Intermont Cobras come to Alumni Gym for a non-conference matchup.

Jacksonville 72, Georgia Southern 56

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Senior point guard Jamie Navarro scored 15 of her 17 game-high points in the first half, but three double-figure Jacksonville scorers helped propel the Dolphins to a 72-56 win over the Lady Eagles. Junior Krista Tate picked up eight of her 11 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit Sunday at Swisher Gymnasium.

Navarro scored nine of the Lady Eagles' first 11 points as the lead teetered between one, two or three points for most of the first half. Jacksonville put together an 11-2 run over a four-minute span, getting five points from Lynsey Paschal and four by the Dolphins' leading scorer Gigi Thomas to pull out to an eight-point lead. Tate picked up a key rebound and fed Meredyth Frye for a three pointer, cutting the lead to five at the 10:42 mark. The Dolphins capitalized on three Georgia Southern turnovers for seven points, going up 26-15 with eight minutes left to play in the first half.

Over the next three minutes, the Lady Eagles would keep Jacksonville scoreless while Navarro contributed five points in less than a minute to get back within five. The Dolphins and Lady Eagles traded almost point-for-point, but Jacksonville used an 8-3 run to close out the first 20 minutes for a 41-31 halftime lead. The Dolphins shot 51.7 percent for the first half from the field to Georgia Southern's 40.9 percent.

The Lady Eagles came out shooting to start the second half, but four straight attempts wouldn't fall. Tate countered a Thomas short jumper in the lane with a layup for GSU's first points of the half. Without a basket in a four-minute stretch, the Lady Eagles still managed to put points on the board as Frye and Tate added free throws to the point total, 50-37, Jacksonville. The second half saw only a 27.6 shooting percentage by Georgia Southern.

Samantha Williams ended the field goal drought by hitting a jumper at the 13:16 mark and then Tate added two more free throws to cut the Dolphin lead to nine, 43-52. Jacksonville, though, stormed back with a 12-2 run over the next four minutes to extend its lead to 64-45. Tate tossed in two more free throws and before the Lady Eagles went on a 7-3 run to close the gap. A basket by Adrienne DeFilippis finished the scoring for Georgia Southern.

Thomas had 15 points with Crystal Bell putting in 14 for the Dolphins. The Lady Eagles' MiMi DuBose had nine points off the bench with three rebounds and a blocked shot. Freshman Danielle Spencer (Atlanta, Ga.) grabbed a career-best five rebounds, sharing the Lady Eagle lead with Tate.

Georgia Southern travels to Dallas next for the SMU Tournament this weekend, Friday-Saturday, November 26-27th. The Lady Eagles meet Akron at 6 p.m. Friday and then play either SMU or Arkansas State Saturday evening

North Carolina 93, Western Carolina 36

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball (1-3) fell to No. 14 North Carolina (4-0) 93-36 Sunday in Carmichael Arena.

Senior guard Emily Clarke's three-pointer, at 14:44 left in the first half, was not only the first field goal by the Catamounts, but the trey also pushed Clarke over the 1,000 point plateau. With the Clarke three pointer, Western Carolina ended a Tar Heel10-0 run to start the game..

The Catamounts first nine points, to open the contest, were from long range. Laura Sanchez and Diamond Hunnicutt followed Clarke with three-pointers.

Western Carolina tied its season high, set against UNC Asheville on Wednesday, with seven three pointers. The Catamounts hit four in the first half and three in the second.

North Carolina led 47-17 at the half.

After being held scoreless in the first half, junior forward Caitlin Hollfield scored the first eight points of the second half for Western Carolina. She connected on two three pointers, a career-high for her, and also ended the game with three rebounds.

Sanchez also ended the game with eight points and a career-high two three pointers. Hunnicutt was the third Catamount to hit a pair of three pointers, also a career high, one in each half.

Western Carolina had 31 turnovers in the game and North Carolina took advantage scoring 41 points off of Catamount miscues. North Carolina also won the rebounding war ripping down 42 to Western Carolina's 31.

For the second straight game, Western Carolina played 11 of its 12 players. Late in the second half, Western Carolina's line-up included redshirt sophomore Hunnicutt and four of the five freshmen.

North Carolina had five players score in double figures. Italee Lucas led all scorers with 16 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the floor.

Western Carolina will take a week off before returning to Cullowhee, and the Ramsey Center, to host Southern Conference member Samford. The game is set for Monday November 29 at 7 p.m.