The Elon University women’s basketball team defeated Towson University, 84-70, on Thursday, Feb. 5. Four of the Phoenix’s starting five finished with over ten points.
Sophomore forward Jenifer Rhodes had 19, while senior guard Zora Stephenson and senior forward Sam Coffer each added 18. Guard Lauren Brown also scored 13 points.
The Phoenix made 58 percent of their shots from the field, and converted a staggering 63 percent of attempts from beyond the arc. Stephenson made six three-pointers and Coffer added four more.
Elon’s defense also shined in the contest, outrebounding Towson 32-17 and forcing them to give possessions away. Freshman center Malaya Johnson had eight, and starting freshman guard Shay Burnett finished with six. The Phoenix also had five blocks, which helped to hold the Tigers to just 38 percent shooting from the field.
The Phoenix set the tempo for the game, going up by as many as 12, and led the contest at halftime, 40-30. This translated to a strong second half performance, which saw Elon leading by 19 on numerous occasions, and leading the game for 38:21 of the total 40 minutes played.
Ball movement played a key role in the Phoenix’s offense, as they totaled 22 assists on the day. Burnett, Brown and Coffer each had 4, keeping the Tigers’ defense spread out.
With the victory, the Phoenix move to 13-8 on the season. The win also marks their sixth in conference play, with eight games to go before the Colonel Athletic Association championship, which begins on March 12.
Elon’s next contest comes on Feb. 8, when the Phoenix travel to Charleston, S.C. to take on the College of Charleston at 2 p.m.