Box Score Box score (pdf)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford’s Morgan Wrightson poured in a career-high 23 points to lead all scorers in the game but it was not enough as the Terriers fell 67-57 to Elon Wednesday night in the Benjamin Johnson Arena in a Southern Conference game.
Wrightson’s 23 points set a new career-high for the transfer guard. She now has 907 career points between Bucknell and Wofford, 540 points in a season and a half as a Terrier. She was 8-of-17 from the floor with two threes. She also went 5-of-6 from the free throw line and was the only Wofford player in double figures. Wrightson also tied for the game-high in assists with four.
The Phoenix opened the game with an 8-2 run aided by four free throws from Kelsey Harris four and a half minutes into the game. Wofford used a basket by Wrightson and a three from Jordan Frazier to cut the lead to three points, 10-7, with 14 minutes on the clock.
The teams traded baskets until Zora Stephenson knocked down a three and Ali Ford made jumper in transition off of a steal as Elon pulled out to a double-digit lead, 23-12, with less than nine minutes in the half.
A minute and a half later, Wrightson knocked down a jumper in lane to end a six and a half minute drought for the Terriers without field goal as the Terriers went on a 10-2 run to cut the lead down to three points, 25-22, with 4:16 left in the half. Sam Coffer ended the Wofford run with a three-point play on the next Elon possession.
Coffer's basket sent the Phoenix on a 9-2 run and the sent lead back to double-digits, 34-24, with a minute and half left. Wofford closed out the half on a 6-0 run highlighted by a three at the buzzer by Chanel Stokes to pull the Terriers within four points, 34-30.
Wrightson opened the half with a fast break layup as the Terriers cut the lead to two points, 34-32, but Coffer scored the next four points to regain a six point lead, 38-32, for the Phoenix. Wofford answered with a 10-2 run to give the Terriers their first lead of the game, 42-40, on a Logan Morris layup with 14:55 on the clock. Elon regained the lead, 43-42, a minute and a half later on a Stephenson three from the wing.
Elon flipped a 44-43 deficit into a 50-44 lead with a 7-0 run at the ten-minute mark. Wofford cut into the six-point lead with a three from the wing from Rachel Brittenham that ended a two-minute scoreless streak and cut the lead to 52-49. Elon answered with an 8-2 run to extend the lead to 60-51 on a basket by Autumn Carter with less than two minutes to play.
Wofford mounted a charge at the lead with two free throws from Wrightson and a jumper from Brittenham as the Terriers pulled within five points, 60-55. However, Elon sealed the win, 67-57, as the Phoenix converted seven of its eight final free throws.
Elon controlled the paint with 32 points, while limiting Wofford to only 14 points in the paint. The Phoenix went 38 percent from the floor and 17 percent from three, while Wofford was 35 percent overall and 40 percent from behind the arc. Elon made 21 of its 24 free throw attempts for 88 percent, while Wofford converted 13 of its 18 attempts for 72 percent.
Kelsey Evans led the Phoenix with 12 points, while Coffer added 11 points. Ford and Harris each scored ten points for Elon.
Wofford continues its three-game home stand with Davidson on January 12 at 2 p.m. and Appalachian State two days later on January 14 at 6 p.m.
