From the opening shot-clock violation, Elon’s women’s basketball made it clear that the Towson University Tigers were in for a long night. Fueled by physical defense and fast-break scoring, the Phoenix trounced Towson 68-54 in a dominant win on Feb. 1.
The victory was a complete turnaround after Elon’s tough loss to the College of Charleston on Jan. 30, where the Phoenix struggled to contain the Cougars’ shooting.
This time around, Elon’s defense came to play. The Phoenix forced a shot-clock violation on Towson’s first possession, rotating with the Tigers’ every move to block them from the basket.
The Phoenix’s physicality sparked early points on offense. After a drawn charge from sophomore forward LaNae Corbbett, senior guard Laila Anderson found open space in transition, draining a long 3-pointer to take a 7-0 lead. Head coach Charlotte Smith said it’s exactly what she was looking for.
“We did a really good job of executing the defensive plan, which gave us momentum early on in the first half,” Smith said. “We talked about getting out in transition and running, because we felt like we had the advantage athletically.”
Throughout the first quarter, Elon mixed a variety of man-to-man, zone and full-court press defenses, keeping the Tigers on their toes. For every move Towson had, the Phoenix seemed one step quicker, stifling the Tigers offensively.
Meanwhile, Elon flourished on the offensive side of the ball, scoring at all levels. Redshirt junior Tyana Walker sank a 3 to advance the lead to 8. Quinzia Fulmore dominated in the post, extending the score to 20-6 by the end of the first quarter.
Smith says the team’s execution shows its potential.
“This reminds me of our championship team,” Smith said. “We have so many people that can score that you can't shut one person down and shut the whole program down.”
Towson went roughly 11 minutes without a made field goal across the 1st and 2nd quarters, while the Phoenix pushed the lead to 20 points.
Anderson added to Elon’s fire offensively, scoring 7 points in the 2nd quarter alone. She said it was her mission to get to the free-throw line.
“3’s weren’t falling for real,” Anderson said. “So I had to get to the line because I knew they were fouling. It’s just driving and trying to make something happen.”
Anderson’s aggression has been crucial for Elon as of late. The Alamance native has averaged 18 points in the last 5 games. Her vivacious energy has been contagious, bouncing around on defense and dancing after making big shots.
“I’ve always been bouncing off the wall,” Anderson said. “I think that’s just played into how we’re playing now, on both ends of the court.”
Led by Anderson’s energy, Elon lept to a 35-18 lead by the end of the half. Towson was held scoreless from the 3-point line and shot 27% from the field.
The second half was more of the same. Anderson and Walker continued to punish the Tigers' defense, utilizing screens to find good looks and sink open shots.
Towson’s offense struggled to find consistency, forcing up contested floaters. The Tigers would find a hot streak late in the game — shooting 54% from the field in the 4th quarter — but it was far too late in a dominant win for the Phoenix.
Three players finished in double digits for Elon: Laila Anderson, Tyana Walker, and LeNae Corbett. Smith said the team’s 41 rebounds and 16 assists showcased an all-around quality performance.
“We're a really good team, but there are games we’ve lost, where we played three great quarters or 35 great minutes,” Smith said. “So it's just a matter of us putting it together and being consistent in our identity.”
The win gives Elon a 10-11 record, 5-4 in conference play. It places them 7th in the current CAA standings.
As the Phoenix advance into the remainder of their conference play, Smith said the win proves her belief in the team.
It’s not about the record to her; it’s about manifesting what she said she believes is a contending roster.
“I talked to them about when I played in the WNBA and we started 1-10,” Smith said. “So it starts with being optimistic. And I’ve always believed in this team. That’s why I’ve pushed them so hard, so the wins and losses don’t matter. I know this is a championship-contending team.”
Elon next plays North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University on Feb. 6 in Greensboro.