The Elon Phoenix women’s basketball team closed its regular season with a 66–54 senior day win over the University of North Carolina, Wilmington Seahawks on Saturday. This night was dominated by Elon graduate forward Quinzia Fulmore.
Fulmore finished with 28 points and a double-double. Fulmore controlled the paint from the opening minutes and helped the Phoenix pull away late, after Wilmington threatened in both the third and fourth quarters of the game.
Elon opened the game with an all-seniors starting lineup, setting the tone early as Fulmore went to work in the post. After a steal helped spark the game’s first basket, the Phoenix quickly built a small lead behind Fulmore’s interior scoring and aggressive defense.
The early momentum carried through the first half. Elon pushed the pace in transition and capitalized on UNCW’s mistakes, stretching the lead to double digits midway through the second quarter. A steal from Elon senior guard Kamryn Doty turned into a fast-break opportunity, where she dished to Elon senior Ruby Willard for a layup that extended Elon’s advantage to 30–16.
Elon women’s basketball head coach Charlotte Smith said the early execution matched the team’s game plan.
“We were rolling in the first half,” Smith said. “Our defense was really good, and we were operating within the game plan of getting the ball inside.”
Wilmington refused to fade quietly. The Seahawks tightened their defense after halftime and mounted a push in the third quarter, holding Elon to limited offense while going on a 7–0 run that cut the deficit to just two points.
During the stretch, the Phoenix struggled to generate offense in the half-court and turned the ball over under pressure. But Fulmore helped stop the momentum, scoring a tough layup, through contact, to rebuild the lead.
Fulmore added another basket inside soon after, helping the Phoenix take a 49–43 lead into the final quarter.
Wilmington made one more push early in the fourth. A three-pointer pulled the Seahawks within one point at 49–48. It was the closest the game had been since the opening minutes.
But, Elon leaned heavily on its graduate forward once again.
Fulmore responded with a series of baskets in the paint — spinning through defenders, finishing through contact and converting floaters. Smith praised Fulmore’s efficiency and presence in the post.
“Her performance tonight was dominant,” Smith said. “It was just a work of art to watch her footwork. She did a lot of her work without taking a lot of dribbles, and that was some efficient footwork down in the post.”
Fulmore credited her teammates for consistently feeding her the ball throughout the game.
“There wasn’t any doubles in the post, so my guards did a great job keeping feeding me the ball today,” Fulmore said. “It was senior day, and our season is coming to an end as we head into the tournament. It was really important for me to get into my flow.”
The win marked the final regular-season home game for Elon’s seniors, including Fulmore, Doty, Willard and Laila Anderson.
Smith said their leadership has helped shape the program’s culture.
“They’ve been consistent faces in our program,” Smith said. “When you have players who understand your culture, they help the new players understand what it’s all about.”
With the regular season complete, Elon now turns its attention to the upcoming Colonial Athletic Association tournament in Washington, D.C. Smith said the team hopes to carry its inside-focused offense into the postseason.
“Get the ball inside,” Smith said. “Whether it’s passing to the post or driving to the paint, we have to give ourselves opportunities and put pressure on our opponents.”
After ending the regular season with a senior day victory, the Phoenix will look to build on that momentum as postseason play begins.