Phoenix Returns Home for Three-Game Homestand Beginning on Thursday

ELON, N.C. — The Southern Conference race is heating up as the Elon men’s basketball team enters the home stretch of the season leading up to the league tournament in March. The Phoenix is right in the thick of a North Division title race and has three home games in a span of five days, beginning against College of Charleston on Thursday, February 2. The Phoenix and Cougars will tip at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.

Site: Elon, N.C.
Arena: Alumni Gym
Series: Charleston leads, 11-4
Streak: Charleston has won four
Radio: WPCM 920 AM — Taylor Durham and Dick Stewart will call the action
Twittter: @elonscores

FREE THROWS
• Elon is 6-3 at Alumni Gym this year with two of those victories against SoCon foes.
• Elon is 7-1 when scoring 70 or more points and 3-9 when scoring 69 or less points.
• Sophomore guard Jack Isenbarger moved into the starting lineup for the past four games — since doing so, he is averaging 20 ppg and 5 rpg. Isenbarger has hit 17 three-pointers over the last four games after hitting only five in the previous five contests.
• Elon has held opponents to under 40 percent shooting in nine of 10 wins this year — but opponents have shot 40 percent or better in all but one of the 10 losses.
• Four players are averaging double figures against SoCon foes this year — Jack Isenbarger (15.3), Lucas Troutman (12.2), Austin Hamilton (10.8) and Drew Spradlin (10.0).
• The Phoenix ranks second in the SoCon in field goal percentage defense (.411). Opponents are shooting only 32.0 percent from three-point territory.
• Lucas Troutman moved into Elon’s all-time career blocks list with two swats against South Carolina. He is averaging 1.5 bpg, second in the league. The sophomore now has 76 blocks in a year and a half of action and is one block away from moving into a tie for seventh place all-time at Elon.
• The Phoenix has shot better than its opponent in all 10 wins this year but has won the battle on the glass only four times this season.

LAST TIME OUT
• Elon’s winning streak ended at two as the Phoenix dropped an 81-66 decision at Appalachian State last Saturday.
• The Mountaineers shot 76 percent in the second half, nailing eight of its first nine field goals to quickly stretch a three-point halftime lead to double figures.
• Jack Isenbarger led the Phoenix for the second straight game, netting 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting. He knocked down four three-pointers and grabbed five rebounds.

ELON VS. COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
• Elon is looking to avenge a 63-44 defeat at College of Charleston on Jan. 14. The Phoenix shot a season-low 23 percent and the 44 points were the least by an Elon team since a 31-point showing at Samford on December 4, 2009.
• Elon’s last win over College of Charleston was a 59-53 victory in Charleston on January 31, 2009. The last time the Phoenix defeated CofC in Alumni Gym was an 86-85 victory on Feb. 20, 2008.
• No Phoenix scored in double figures in the first meeting of the year against the Cougars.
• Charleston has hit a rough patch since beating Elon, dropping four of its last five games. CofC defeated Samford, 68-52, on Monday night.