WASHINGTON — Hampton’s relentless traps and full-court press had Elon on the brink.
But behind the patience of graduate forward Quinzia Fulmore, the Phoenix survived a back-and-forth battle to defeat the Pirates 67-62 in the opening round of the 2026 Coastal Athletic Association Women’s Tournament.
Early on, Elon was engaged on the defensive side of the floor, tipping passes and grabbing boards while Hampton struggled to establish a flow.
The intensity led to production on offense. Freshman Tamia Watkins — who was announced as a member of the CAA Rookie Team before the game — scored 4 points in the game’s opening minutes. Head coach Charlotte Smith said it was all part of Elon’s game plan.
“We felt like we had an advantage in the paint,” Smith said. “We had 42 paint points. So it definitely worked out in our favor.”
Senior Maraja Pass found freshman Ashanti Fox all alone in the corner at the end of the 1st. The rookie drained a 3-pointer for her first points, extending Elon’s lead to 19-10.
Marajia Pass plays in the 2026 CAA Women's Basketball against Hampton University.
But Hampton quickly delivered an emphatic response.
The Pirates opened the 2nd quarter with an 11-2 run. It started on defense. Hampton started trapping whichever Elon player had the ball — forcing them to pass over two handsy defenders.
The strategy worked. Elon turned the ball over 5 times in the second. The Pirates turned the Phoenix’s mistakes into offensive opportunities, swishing three 3-pointers in the quarter’s opening minutes.
A corner 3-pointer by Hampton’s Aisha Dabo grabbed the Pirates’ first lead of the game. It was something they held for the rest of the 10 minutes, responding with every Elon comeback attempt with increasing defensive physicality.
Smith said Hampton’s defense was creating confusion for the Phoenix.
“I felt like we got very erratic,” Smith said. “I was just trying to slow it down. Be intentional about getting the ball inside, because that's what's gotten us here thus far.”
Elon went into halftime down 33-31.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the second half. Hampton’s traps and full-court press continued to give Elon problems offensively.
Elon’s offense rests on forwards like Watkins, Corbett and Fulmore to score in the post. Every time the Phoenix passed down low, Hampton would send two players to guard Elon.
But halfway through the 3rd quarter, Elon’s offense finally started to click. Graduate forward Quinzia Fulmore said it was all about patience.
“Honestly, it was just checking and taking my time, scoring in the post,” Fulmore said. “Honestly, it was just being patient today and taking what they gave me.”
Led by Fulmore’s patience, Elon fought back and closed Hampton’s lead to one.
But that’s when Hampton’s Kiki McElrath went to work. Her 11 points and three 3-pointers gave the Pirates a 53-46 lead going into the 4th.
It was a battle back and forth, and Elon was running out of time.
Fulmore — coming off a career-high 28-point double-double at Elon’s senior night — continued to dominate. A banked-in floater, fancy-footwork lay-up and two free throws grabbed the lead back for Elon with two minutes to play.
Quinzia Fulmore poses as she is introduced before Elon's game against Hampton University in their first game of the 2026 CAA tournament.
Smith said she was incredibly proud of Fulmore’s performance.
“She's like my baby. I don't have kids, but they all are mine,” Smith said. “I'm Mama Bear.”
Fox chipped, slicing past Hampton’s press to sink in another 2-pointer, pushing the lead to 63-60.
Hampton turned to McElrath, who had kept the Phoenix at bay for the majority of the game. Maraja Pass, who was given the task of guarding Hampton’s top scorer, put her in clamps.
McElrath’s mid-range jumper fell short. Pass grabbed the rebound with 19 seconds left to play. And the rest was history. Elon won its first CAA tournament game since 2018.
Gray Corbett, father of Elon’s LaNae’ Corbett, was one of many Elon fans in attendance. He said this victory shows what the Phoenix are made of.
“I was a little nervous, I’m not going to lie,” Corbett said. “But I know that team is solid. One they get on track, nobody can beat them.”
Sophomore LaNae' Corbett and Senior Kamryn Doty watch a pregame video as the Phoenix were introduced for their game against Hampton University in the second round of the 2026 CAA tournament. The Phoenix went on to win 67-62.
Smith said the comeback victory was all about culture.
“I always believe that culture is king,” Smith said. “It took a long time to get here. It was a long, arduous journey. But we were all committed to taking the steps necessary to create a healthy culture.”
With the win, Elon advances to the third round of the CAA tournament in a game against No. 3-ranked Drexel University. The Phoenix lost its only matchup against the Dragons earlier this year — a game played without Fulmore. Smith said this time, it’ll be different.
“We perform well against a lot of the top teams in this league,” Smith said. “When you work this hard to get to this point, you're operating off of adrenaline. We're excited to be able to play Drexel.”
The Phoenix will face off against the Dragons at 8:30 p.m. March 12 in the Carefirst Arena.