Elon Men’s Basketball Hosts Western Carolina Saturday Night

ELON, N.C. – Winners of nine of its last 10 games, the Elon University men’s basketball team returns to Alumni Gym on Saturday night, Feb. 16, to host the Western Carolina Catamounts at 7 p.m.

Elon (17-8, 10-3 SoCon) vs. Western Carolina (11-15, 8-6 SoCon)
Site: Elon, N.C.
Arena (Capacity): Alumni Gym (1,607)
Series: Elon leads, 53-39
Last Meeting: Jan. 14, 2013, at WCU – Elon won, 80-67

THE SERIES: Saturday night marks the 93rd all-time meeting between Elon and Western Carolina. The Phoenix leads the series, 53-39. The series between the two schools dates back to the 1933-34 season when Elon won the first-ever meeting, 42-35. Saturday is the 22nd meeting between the two schools since Elon joined the Southern Conference. The Phoenix is 9-12 against the Catamounts as a member of the SoCon.

LAST MEETING: Elon handed WCU its first league loss on Jan. 14, 2013, in Cullowhee, N.C., after defeating the Catamounts, 80-67. Elon went on a 21-7 second-half run to go ahead by as many as 14 points late in the game. Lucas Troutman went for 20 points and 10 boards in the win.

LOOKING BACK: Sebastian Koch hit the tying and go-ahead free throws with 4.5 seconds left to help the Phoenix top Appalachian State, 61-58, on Thursday night. Elon trailed the Mountaineers by eight points with less than five minutes remaining, but a 16-5 run during in the final 4:43 pushed the maroon and gold to victory. Ryley Beaumont recorded his third career double-double after finishing with 22 points and a career-high 13 boards.

LOOKING AHEAD: Following Saturday’s game against Western Carolina, Elon hits the road for the final time this regular season when it faces Samford (Feb. 21) and Chattanooga (Feb. 23). Elon’s game at Chattanooga on Feb. 23 will be on ESPN3.

WINNING WAYS: Elon’s 17 wins this season are the most in the school’s Division I era and most since the 1989-90 squad won 19 games.

ROAD TO ASHEVILLE: The 2013 Southern Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 8-11, 2013, at the Asheville Civic Center in Asheville, N.C. Elon earned the second seed in the North Division last year and a first-round bye. The Phoenix topped Georgia Southern in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual tournament champion Davidson in the semifinals. If the tournament started today, the Phoenix would earn the No. 2 overall seed and a first-round bye.

MID-MAJOR TOP 25: Elon earned a No. 25 ranking in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 on Feb. 4. After going 1-1 last week, the Phoenix dropped out of the poll, but earned 16 total votes.