ELON, N.C. -- Shay Burnett scored 18 points to headline an attack featuring six double figure scorers that powered Elon to an 81-71 victory over visiting Furman in women's basketball action Monday evening at Alumni Gym.

In a battle of former Southern Conference foes, Elon (6-4), now in its first year in the Colonial Athletic Association, used an 11-0 run at the end of the first half to grab the lead and never trailed in the second half en route to the victory, halting a three-game series losing skid to Furman (9-5).

Burnett, a freshman guard, converted 6-of-11 shots and all five free throws for her 18 points, which she complemented with six rebounds in 31 minutes of action before fouling out.  Her accuracy keyed a solid shooting effort by the Phoenix, who found the mark on 30-of-63 field goal attempts (47.6 percent), including 51.7 percent in the second half.

Jennifer Rhodes tallied 15 points and was followed by Essence Baucom and Malya Johnson with 13 points each.  Zora Stpehenson and Sam Coffer rounded out the balanced Elon scoring effort with 10 points each.

Whitney Bunn and Holli Wilkins paced the Paladins with 17 points apiece.

Furman senior All-SoCon forward Brittany Hodges was marginalized for much of the game due to foul trouble, contributing just six points and seven rebounds in only 15 minutes of action before fouling out.

With Hodges on the bench for much of the contest, Elon feasted inside, outscoring Furman in the paint, 46-22, and posting a 45-39 rebounding advantage.

The Paladins got off to a solid start, using a Bunn 3-pointer to claim an early 14-5 lead.

A Bunn layup with just under four minutes to go in the first period put Furman up 31-26, but the advantage didn't last as Elon, behind a pair of Coffer layups, responded with an 11-0 spurt the rest of the way to take a 37-31 lead into intermission.

Furman managed to get within one at 44-43 following a Bunn 3-pointer with 14:33 to go, but Burnett answered with her only trey of the contest 16 seconds later to push Elon's lead back to 47-43.

The Paladins play at South Carolina State on Jan. 4.  Tipoff is set for 4:00 p.m.

Hunter Reid, Furman Sports Information