Elon 56, Campbell 49
ELON, N.C. – Back-to-back threes by Zora Stephenson with just over three minutes left in the game gave the Elon women’s basketball team the boost it needed to pull out a 56-49 win over Campbell tonight, Dec. 20, in Alumni Gym.

The Phoenix trailed by four, 49-45, with 4:47 left in the game before Stephenson hit her third three of the game at the 3:21 mark to pull within one. Elon took the lead for good 40 seconds later when Stephenson banked a three to put the maroon and gold ahead 51-49. A layup by Jenifer Rhodes with 1:26 remaining and free throws by Stephenson in the final 12 seconds secured Elon the seven-point victory.

Elon finished 24-of-61 from the field to shoot 39 percent on the evening. Stephenson tallied all four of the Phoenix threes on the night as the team only shot 19 percent (4-of-21) from long range, but all at the right time as it gave the maroon and gold the lift it needed to take the lead and finish the game.

On defense, Elon posted a season –highs of 14 steals and 10 blocks, while also forcing 25 Campbell turnovers. The Phoenix turned those turnovers in to 29 points, while the Lady Camels only scored six points off turnovers.

Campbell, who was held scoreless by the Elon defense in the last four minutes of play, shot 35 percent from the field after going 19-of-54, including eight threes (35 percent). The Lady Camels’ saw 17 points from D Janelle Brown who hit five threes in the game. Campbell took the slight advantage on the boards over the Phoenix, 40-36.

Stephenson posted a team-high 15 points, while Rhodes tied a career-high in field goals after she went 7-of-9 and scored 14 points. Kelsey Harris set a new career-high with seven steals, dished out five assists and hauled down a team-high seven boards. Sam Coffer blocked a career-high five shots, while Jessica Farmer and Harris each contributed two blocks.

With the Lady Camels leading, 9-8, four minutes into the game, a jumper by Rhodes started a steak of six straight to give the Phoenix a 14-9 edge. Elon pushed its advantage to 10, 24-14, at the 7:29 mark after an offensive rebound and layup by Shannen Cochraham. Campbell responded with a 12-0 run to go up 26-24 with just over two minutes to play in the half before an old-fashioned three point play by Autumn Carter with 29 seconds left put Elon ahead, 27-26. A free throw by CU’s Gaines tied the score at 27-all at intermission.

Elon shot 39 percent in the first half, while Campbell put up a 44 percent mark from the field, including 44 percent from three-point range.

In the second half, Campbell held as much as a four-point lead, 37-33, before Stephenson started to hit from long range and tied the game at 41-all with 10:55 remaining. Baskets by Rhodes and Lauren Brown kept the Phoenix within striking distance, but the Lady Camels had an answer every time until Stephenson hit the first of her back-to-back triples with less than three and a half minutes to play.

The game saw eight ties and the score change a total of 13 times.

 

Eastern Illinois 57, Georgia Southern 50
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eastern Illinois forward Sabina Oroszova tallied 20 points, 17 rebounds and five assists, and Georgia Southern shot a shade under 28 percent from the floor as the Panthers posted a 57-50 women’s basketball victory over the Eagles  in the first game of the Hampton Inn Oceanfront Holiday Classic Friday afternoon.

Anna Claire Knight led Georgia Southern (3-8) with 17 points, and Jordi Cook netted six off the bench. The Eagles were 18-of-65 from the field and 5-of-22 from 3-point range, but three of those triples came inside the final 3:30 after Eastern Illinois had built a 16-point cushion.

Katlyn Payne recorded 13 points and six rebounds for the Panthers (4-6), and Aaliyah Gaines chipped in 10 points and five rebounds off the bench. Georgia Southern held the Panthers to 38 percent shooting in the game and 33 percent in the first half.

The Eagles battled in the first half and trailed just 22-20 at intermission, despite making just 7-of-30 from the field. Lacie Dowling brought GSU to within one point at 26-25 with a triple from the wing just under three minutes into the second half, but Eastern Illinois responded with a 14-2 run over the next 7:12 to open a 13-point cushion.

Payne started the run with a 3-pointer from the corner, while Oroszova scored five points and Gaines added four. The margin grew to as many as 16 points on an Oroszova layup with 4:25 remaining.

Georgia Southern made a late run as Cook came off the bench to hit consecutive triples. Knight added a third-straight 3-ball, trimming the lead to 47-40, but Payne got free in the corner for her fourth 3-pointer of the game to send the margin back to 10. 

After a missed shot on their next possession, the Eagles elected to foul to extend the game. A conventional 3-point play on a rebound and putback for Knight drew GSU to within seven points with 1:28 to play, but the Panthers made 5-of-8 from the line to seal the win. 

 

Ohio State 52, Appalachian State 38
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Appalachian State University women's basketball was defeated by Ohio State on Friday night in Value City Arena with a final score of 52-38.

Despite leading almost the entire first half, the Mountaineers fell in the non-conference game in the last twelve minutes of the game.

The Apps (2-8, 0-1 SoCon) started strong, getting a steal and a 5-0 lead in the first minute of the game. When the Buckeyes (9-6, 0-0 Big Ten) tied it up 11-11 with 14 minutes left in the half, the Mountaineers took control, going on a 6-0 run and leading OSU at halftime with a score of 21-18.

KeKe Cooper led Appalachian in the first half with eight points, while the team shot 33.3 percent (9-27) from the floor. 

The Buckeyes recorded a 36.8 (7-19) field goal percentage in the first half, while Ashley Adams led the team with eight points.

The second half began well for the Mountaineers as they took a 26-18 lead, but the Buckeyes would respond, tying the game up with 12 minutes remaining and then pulling ahead.

Maryah Sydnor would hit a jumper to put the the Apps within four points with seven minutes left in the game, but it would not be enough as Ohio State secured the lead and won the game with a final score of 52-38.

Foul trouble plagued App State as two centers, Mia Marshall and Cooper, fouled out of the game in the second half.

Sydnor finished the game with 11 points and six rebounds to continue her streak of scoring in double-figures to ten games in-a-row. Cooper had eight points and Joi Jones followed with seven.

Amber Doniere finished with a team-high seven rebounds in the loss.

Ohio State had three players score in double-figures with Ashley Adams leading the way with 12 points. Ameryst Alston and Cait Craft followed, with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Martina Ellerbe led the team in rebounds, grabbing 11 on the game.

The Mountaineers shot 32.0 percent (16-50) from the floor on the game, while the Buckeyes pulled out a 38.6 field goal percentage (17-44). Appalachian pulled down 30 rebounds, while Ohio State tallied 34 in the game. The Mountaineers turned the ball over 24 times, while the Buckeyes recorded 23 turnovers.