Balanced Attack Leads Elon WBB to 90-59 Win at North Carolina A&T

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Six double-figure scorers led Elon University women’s basketball to a big 90-59 victory Monday night, Nov. 13, over North Carolina A&T inside the Corbett Center.

BOX SCORE

The Phoenix pushed its record to 2-0 on the young campaign while N.C. A&T dropped to 1-1. Elon has now won 25 of its last 28 games dating back to last December.

THE RUNDOWN
Elon stormed to a quick 13-3 lead out of the gate with Shay Burnett, Anna Popovic and Lexi Mercer all knocking down three-pointers. The Phoenix hit each of its first six attempted three-pointers in the opening half with five of them coming in the first quarter. In all, Elon led 28-12 after the opening frame behind a team-best eight points from Burnett.

The Phoenix extended its lead quickly in the second quarter, jumping out to a 32-point lead at 46-14 with a Malaya Johnson jumper in the paint. Elon shot 65.5 percent in the first half in knocking down 19-of-29 shots from the floor and Burnett scored all 15 of her points in the game in the opening half.

Elon’s torrid scoring pace slowed in the third quarter with the Phoenix notching 13 points throughout the 10-minute frame. But the Aggies couldn’t take advantage in only scoring 11 points of their own with Elon taking a 31-point lead to the fourth at 68-37.

After the sluggish third quarter, though, Elon found its touch again with Jaylin Powell opening converting three-point play. The freshman from Raleigh, N.C., went on to score six points in the quarter and finished with 13 in the game.

HIGHLIGHTS
Burnett paced Elon with her 15 points. She nearly finished with a triple-double, adding nine assists and eight rebounds. Johnson matched her opening-night output, duplicating her shooting line of 7-for-9 for 14 points. Powell totaled 13 points and did not miss a shot all night by knocking down all four field goal and three free throws. Ra’Shika White also added 12 points, three blocks and three steals while Mercer and Jada Graves each posted 10 points and two steals.

C’Coriea Foy led the Aggies with 16 points on 7-of-19 from the field. Cinia McCray also added 11 points and three assists and Kala Green posted 10 points with three steals. Shantell Bostick grabbed four steals and Alexus Lessears led the team with seven rebounds.

NOTES
-The win snapped a five-game losing streak to North Carolina A&T dating back to the 2005-06 season.
-Elon has now reached the 90-point mark in back-to-back games after scoring 90 points just twice dating back to the start of the 2012-13 season. Both occasions came in the last two seasons against Charlotte (Nov. 19, 2015) and King (Dec. 28, 2016).
-Elon had 32 turnovers Monday night, marking the most since turning the ball over 30 times at West Virginia on Dec. 31, 2011 in Charlotte Smith’s first season.

UP NEXT
The Phoenix will return home Friday night, Nov. 17, for a 7 p.m. game against Hampton in Alumni Gym. The Lady Pirates have won six of the last 10 MEAC championships and won the only meeting to date between Elon and Hampton, taking a 78-73 win back on Dec. 28, 2001.