ELON, N.C. – Coming off an impressive win at South Carolina on Wednesday night for its fourth straight victory, the Elon men’s basketball team plays its second of three-straight on the road on Saturday, Nov. 24, versus VMI. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside Cameron Hall.
Elon (4-1) at VMI (2-3)
Site: Lexington, Va.
Arena (Capacity): Cameron Hall (5,000)
Series: Tied, 6-6
Last Meeting: December 2, 1998 – Elon won, 70-69
Radio: WPCM 920 AM – Taylor Durham and Dick Stewart will have the call
THE SERIES: Saturday marks the 13th all-time meeting between Elon and VMI in a series that dates back to the 1913-14 season. Elon won the first meeting, 16-15, on February 10, 1914 at VMI. Elon followed that win up with two victories against Wake Forest and Guilford to close the season. The last meeting between the two schools came down to the wire, but Elon managed to come away with a one-point win, 70-69, on December 2, 1998 in Elon, N.C. The last time the two teams met in Lexington, Va., was November 14, 2008 in Elon’s season opener, as the maroon and gold came away with an 85-84 win. Three out of the last four meetings between the two schools have been decided by five points or less.
LOOKING BACK: For the second straight year, the Elon men’s basketball team topped the South Carolina Gamecocks, this time on the road in the form of a 65-53 win on Wednesday, Nov. 21. Elon topped USC last year in Alumni Gym, 58-53, for its first win over an SEC opponent. Lucas Troutman finished with a game-high 17 points in the victory, as Elon led by double digits nearly the entire game. The Phoenix held South Carolina without a field goal make in the game’s final 7:02.
HOT START: Elon’s 4-1 start this season is the best mark the program has had in its first five games since the 2002-03 season.
BLOCK PARTY: With 17 blocked shots this season, Lucas Troutman now has 108 in his career. Troutman is tied with Joel Sargent (1995-97) and Brett James (2005-09) for third all-time in program history. Troutman trails only Bernard Torain (132 career blocks) and Eric Hairston (142 career blocks) on Elon’s all-time chart.
TOURNAMNET CHAMPIONS: Elon’s EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Regional Games title marks the program’s first regular season tournament title since the 1995-96 season when it won the Holiday Inn Classic in Lake Wales, Fla.
ON THE HORIZON: Following Saturday’s match-up with VMI, the Phoenix begins Southern Conference play on Nov. 28 when it heads to Statesboro, Ga., to face Georgia Southern.