Elon Heads to Asheville for SoCon Tournament

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s basketball team heads to U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville, N.C., this weekend for the 2013 Southern Conference Tournament. The second-seeded Phoenix takes on the winner of seventh-seeded Chattanooga and tenth-seeded UNCG on Saturday, March 9, at 6 p.m.

#2 Elon (20-10) vs. #7 Chattanooga (13-18)/#10 UNCG (8-21)
Site: Asheville, N.C.
Arena (Capacity): U.S. Cellular Center (7,200)
Series vs. UTC: Chattanooga leads, 12-10
Last Meeting vs. UTC: February 23, 2013, at UTC – UTC won, 72-68
Series vs. UNCG: Elon leads, 21-13
Last Meeting vs. UNCG: March 2, 2013, at Elon – Elon won, 80-66

ELON VS. CHATTANOOGA: Chattanooga leads the all-time series against Elon, 12-10, after the two teams split a pair of meetings this season. The Mocs came away with a 72-68 win over the Phoenix on Feb. 23 in Chattanooga, Tenn., behind a 14-2 second-half run. Elon played the game without leading scorer Lucas Troutman. Elon pulled within two points with 14.7 seconds remaining, but the Mocs hit key free throws in the waning moments to secure the win. Gee McGhee went 13-of-19 at the line to lead all scorers with 24 points. As a team, UTC went 20-of-29 at the charity stripe. Elon topped UTC, 85-61, on Jan. 24 inside Alumni Gym. Jack Isenbarger reached the 1,000-point milestone in the win, knocking down six triples. Elon and UTC have met twice in the SoCon Tournament, splitting the pair of games. Elon came away with a 60-57 win on March 8, 2008, in the tournament quarterfinals in North Charleston, S.C. A year later, the Mocs came away victorious on their home turf, topping the Phoenix, 79-78, inside McKenzie Arena on March 7, 2009.

ELON VS. UNCG: Elon is 21-13 all-time against UNCG. The two teams met on March 2, 2013, at Alumni Gym on Senior Night, as the Phoenix claimed an 80-66 win. Elon has won seven straight against the Spartans. The two teams have met just once in the SoCon Tournament in 2006, when Elon came away with a 64-61 overtime win over the Spartans in North Charleston, S.C.

ELON IN THE SOCON TOURNAMENT: Elon is 10-9 all-time in the Southern Conference Tournament since joining the league in 2003-04. Under head coach Matt Matheny, Elon has won at least one game in the SoCon Tournament every season entering this year’s tournament. This year marks Elon’s tenth SoCon Tournament. The team has won at least one game every season other than 2006-07. Elon has advanced to the title game just once, dropping a 65-49 decision to 23rd-ranked Davidson on March 10, 2008. Davidson went on to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

MATHENY HONORED: Elon head coach Matt Matheny was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year by the SoCon Media. Matheny guided the Phoenix to 20-10 record during the regular season, including a 13-5 mark in conference play. Elon won the North Division for the first time since 2006 with a win at Samford on Feb. 21 and has increased its win total in each of Matheny’s four seasons at the helm. The 13 conference wins in 2013 are the most for Elon since joining the league in 2004. Elon’s 20 victories this season are the most in the school’s Division I era and most since the 1987-88 season.

TROUTMAN, ISENBARGER HONORED: Lucas Troutman was tabbed a first-team All-Southern Conference selection in the coaches’ poll, while Jack Isenbarger picked up third team accolades by the conference’s coaches. Both were named to the 10-player all-conference team by the SoCon Media.

WINNING WAYS: Elon’s 20 wins this season are the most since the program made the transition to the Division I ranks and most since the 1987-88 season. The program record for most victories in a single season is 25 (accomplished three times). Only 15 teams in program history have reached the 20-win plateau, with the 1987-88 squad being the last to do so prior to this season. Matt Matheny is only the fifth head coach in program history to lead a team to 20 wins in a season.

NORTH DIVISION CHAMPIONS: Elon clinched the Southern Conference North Division title with a last-second 63-62 win at Samford on Thursday, Feb. 21. The division crown marks Elon’s first since the 2005-06 season.