
Coming off one of the most thrilling victories in program history, the Stony Brook women’s basketball team was outscored 47-25 in the second half as it aimed to win a third straight game.
The Seawolves (8-8, 3-2 CAA) traveled down to North Carolina to take on the Elon Phoenix (9-6, 3-1 CAA) on Friday night. After a promising start, Stony Brook’s offense went cold while its defense could not handle Elon’s pace in a 60-47 loss.
Following a first quarter that saw both teams shoot a combined 5-for-30 from the field, the Seawolves found some momentum midway through the second quarter. Capping off an 8-0 run, Stony Brook guard Devyn Scott scooped a right-handed layup on a fastbreak before sinking two free throws on the next possession to give the Seawolves a 23-13 lead going into halftime.
Having only scored 13 points in the first half, the Phoenix found a spark in the second half through their bench — helping the team explode for 26 points in the third quarter. Elon forward Iycez Adams lit up the scoreboard, notching a pair of layups and knocking down a corner midrange jumper. Elon guard Kamryn Doty followed her lead, sinking a pair of free throws that trimmed the Stony Brook lead to just two points.
Guard Zaida Gonzalez momentarily weathered the storm as she drilled a fadeaway midrange jumper. Yet, Elon’s momentum continued, as it responded with close-range baskets from guard Laila Anderson and Adams that saw the Phoenix grab a 36-34 lead – their first lead since the first quarter.
The Seawolves briefly regained the lead, but Elon answered swiftly by scoring ten unanswered points between the end of the third frame and the beginning of the fourth period, capped off by Anderson knocking down a corner three-pointer.
Now down by eight, Stony Brook finally found an answer to the scoring run with guard Janay Brantley hitting a pull-up midrange jumper from the corner. Still, the Phoenix did not take their foot off the gas pedal, as they went on a 10-2 run following Brantley’s bucket. Knocking down mid-range jumpers and attacking the paint with four different scorers, Elon’s scoring run gave the team a 56-42 lead – its largest lead of the game – with 4:49 remaining in the game.
The deficit became too steep for the Seawolves to overcome as they only scored six more points in the remainder of the game, allowing Elon to cruise to a victory.
Head coach Joy McCorvey did not speak to the media after the game.
Stony Brook’s shooting struggles were reflected in its .370/.100/.700 shooting line. It also committed 18 turnovers. The Phoenix were marginally better, registering a .411/.154/.632 triple slash alongside 14 turnovers.
On the back of a career-best performance last time out, Gonzalez once again spearheaded the Seawolves’ offense with 15 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field. She was the only Stony Brook player to reach double-digits in scoring.
Forward Shamarla King contributed eight points and led the team with 12 rebounds.
Adams was Elon’s standout performer. She dropped 17 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting from the field. She also pulled down eight boards.
The Seawolves’ next matchup will not require too much travel, as they will remain in North Carolina to take on the North Carolina A&T Aggies on Sunday. The Aggies are 9-7 overall and a perfect 5-0 in Coastal Athletic Association play this season. They are coming off a 64-57 win over Drexel. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.