2016–17 Elon Phoenix women's basketball team

The 2016–17 Elon Phoenix women's basketball team represented Elon University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Phoenix, led by sixth year head coach Charlotte Smith, played their home games at Alumni Gym and were third year members of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). They finished the season 27–7, 16–2 in CAA play to win the CAA regular season title. They also won the CAA Tournament Championship for the first time in school history and earned their first ever bid to the NCAA women's basketball tournament. They lost in the first round to West Virginia.

2016–17 Elon Phoenix women's basketball
CAA tournament & regular season champions
NCAA tournament, First Round
Conference	Colonial Athletic Association
Record	27–7 (16–2 CAA)
Head coach	Charlotte Smith (6th season)
Assistant coaches	Cristy McKinney Josh Wick Tasha Taylor
Home arena	Alumni Gym

2016–17 CAA women's basketball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Elon †	16	–	2		.889			27	–	7		.794
James Madison	15	–	3		.833			26	–	9		.743
Drexel	11	–	7		.611			22	–	11		.667
Delaware	10	–	8		.556			16	–	14		.533
William & Mary	9	–	9		.500			20	–	11		.645
Northeastern	8	–	10		.444			12	–	19		.387
College of Charleston	6	–	12		.333			9	–	21		.300
Hofstra	5	–	13		.278			13	–	18		.419
Towson	5	–	13		.278			12	–	18		.400
UNC Wilmington	5	–	13		.278			11	–	20		.355
† 2017 CAA tournament winner As of March 23, 2017 Rankings from AP poll

Roster

2016–17 Elon Phoenix women's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Year Previous school Hometown G 2 Essence Baucom 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) RS Sr Phillip O'Berry Academy UAB Charlotte, NC G 3 Lauren Brown 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Sr Alpharetta Alpharetta, GA G 5 Shay Burnett 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Jr Southern Alamance Graham, NC G 10 Jada Graves 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Fr Thomas Edison Alexandria, VA F 11 Jenifer Rhodes 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Sr Pinewood Prep North Charleston, SC G 12 Lenaira Ruffin 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Sr River Mill Burlington, NC G 22 Lexi Mercer 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Fr Rosewood Goldsboro, NC G 24 Madison Wildson 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Fr Pepperell Rome, GA F 32 Meme Garner 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) RS Jr Jordan-Matthews Charlotte Siler City, NC G 33 Maddie MaCallie 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) RS Jr Riverside Miami (OH) Durham, NC C 34 Ra'Shika White 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Fr Phillip O'Berry Academy Charlotte, NC C 44 Malaya Johnson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Jr North Surry Mount Airy, NC	Head coach Charlotte Smith (North Carolina) Assistant coach(es) Cristy McKinney (Western Carolina) Josh Wick (North Carolina) Tasha Taylor (Clemson) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster

Schedule

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
11/08/2016* 2:00 pm		Wingate	W 74–42		Alumni Gym  Elon, NC
Non-conference regular season
11/11/2016* 8:00 pm, ESPN3		at Green Bay Preseason WNIT first round	L 56–71	0–1	Kress Events Center (2,049) Green Bay, WI
11/15/2016* 5:30 pm		Rutgers	W 66–54	1–1	Alumni Gym (983) Elon, NC
11/18/2016* 4:30 pm		vs. Eastern Washington Preseason WNIT consolation round	W 76–55	2–1	McGuirk Arena (100) Mount Pleasant, MI
11/19/2016* 7:00 pm		at Central Michigan Preseason WNIT consolation round	W 71–57	3–1	McGuirk Arena (454) Mount Pleasant, MI
11/22/2016* 7:00 pm		Bucknell	W 64–58	4–1	Alumni Gym (533) Elon, NC
11/26/2016* 2:00 pm		Wake Forest	L 68–78	4–2	Alumni Gym (716) Elon, NC
12/04/2016* 6:00 pm, ACCN Extra		at North Carolina	L 73–78	4–3	Carmichael Arena (2,791) Chapel Hill, NC
12/08/2016* 7:00 pm, ACCN Extra		at No. 21 Duke	L 61–68	4–4	Cameron Indoor Stadium (3,121) Durham, NC
12/17/2016* 2:00 pm		at East Tennessee State	W 79–51	5–4	Freedom Hall Civic Center (567) Johnson City, TN
12/21/2016* 1:00 pm		vs. Akron GSU Holiday Classic	W 65–62	6–4	GSU Sports Arena (365) Atlanta, GA
12/22/2016* 1:00 pm		at Georgia State GSU Holiday Classic	W 84–67	7–4	GSU Sports Arena (433) Atlanta, GA
12/28/2016* 5:30 pm		King	W 93–47	8–4	Alumni Gym (306) Elon, NC
CAA regular season
01/02/2017 7:00 pm		College of Charleston	W 70–57	9–4 (1–0)	Alumni Gym (338) Elon, NC
01/06/2017 7:00 pm		at Drexel	W 48–45	10–4 (2–0)	Daskalakis Athletic Center (520) Philadelphia, PA
01/08/2017 2:00 pm		Delaware	W 69–42	11–4 (3–0)	Alumni Gym (303) Elon, NC
01/13/2017 6:30 pm		at College of Charleston	W 84–56	12–4 (4–0)	TD Arena (520) Charleston, SC
01/15/2017 3:00 pm, ASN		Drexel	W 75–65	13–4 (5–0)	Alumni Gym (1,054) Elon, NC
01/20/2017 7:00 pm		James Madison	L 70–76	13–5 (5–1)	Alumni Gym (1,412) Elon, NC
01/22/2017 2:00 pm		at William & Mary	W 60–58	14–5 (6–1)	Kaplan Arena (434) Williamsburg, VA
01/27/2017 7:00 pm		at Northeastern	W 76–65	15–5 (7–1)	Cabot Center (327) Boston, MA
01/29/2017 1:00 pm		at Hofstra	W 64–53	16–5 (8–1)	Hofstra Arena (387) Hempstead, NY
02/03/2017 7:00 pm		Towson	W 83–55	17–5 (9–1)	Alumni Gym (628) Elon, NY
02/05/2017 2:00 pm		at UNC Wilmington	W 66–56	18–5 (10–1)	Trask Coliseum (381) Wilmington, NC
02/10/2017 7:00 pm		Northeastern	W 70–58	19–5 (11–1)	Alumni Gym (531) Elon, NC
02/12/2017 7:00 pm, ASN		at James Madison	L 54–61	19–6 (11–2)	JMU Convocation Center (4,019) Williamsburg, VA
02/16/2017 7:00 pm		Hofstra	W 72–61	20–6 (12–2)	Alumni Gym (617) Elon, NC
02/19/2017 2:00 pm		William & Mary	W 70–47	21–6 (13–2)	Alumni Gym (831) Elon, NC
02/24/2017 7:00 pm		at Delaware	W 57–48	22–6 (14–2)	Bob Carpenter Center (1,718) Newark, DE
02/26/2017 2:00 pm		at Towson	W 67–65	23–6 (15–2)	SECU Arena (398) Towson, MD
03/01/2017 7:00 pm		UNC Wilmington	W 82–48	24–6 (16–2)	Alumni Gym (1,234) Elon, NY
CAA Women's Tournament
03/09/2017 12:00 pm		vs. Hofstra Quarterfinals	W 78–50	25–6	JMU Convocation Center  Harrisonburg, VA
03/10/2017 4:30 pm, CSN		vs. William & Mary Semifinals	W 88–60	26–6	JMU Convocation Center  Harrisonburg, VA
03/11/2017 7:00 pm, CSN		at James Madison Championship Game	W 78–60	27–6	JMU Convocation Center  Harrisonburg, VA
NCAA Women's Tournament
03/17/2017* 2:30 pm, ESPN2	(11 B)	vs. (6 B) No. 22 West Virginia First Round	L 62–75	27–7	Xfinity Center (3,511) College Park, MD
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. B=Bridgeport Region. All times are in Eastern Time.

Rankings

Main article: 2016–17 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings

Regular Season Polls

Poll	Pre- Season	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11	Week 12	Week 13	Week 14	Week 15	Week 16	Week 17	Week 18	Week 19	Final
AP	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	N/A
Coaches	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	RV	RV	NR	RV	RV

Legend

		Increase in ranking
		Decrease in ranking
		No Change
(RV)		Received Votes

See also

2016–17 Elon Phoenix men's basketball team