Elon Men’s Basketball Grounds Lynchburg in Exhibition Game

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s basketball team made its much-anticipated return to a raucous Alumni Gym on Monday night, Nov. 4, with a 100-57 victory over Lynchburg in its lone exhibition game of the season.

“We were able to accomplish a lot tonight,” said Elon head coach Matt Matheny. “It’s great to turn the lights on, put the uniform on, play in front of a crowd, crank up the pep band and get the students in the gym to pull for us. It’s been a longer preseason than normal so we were ready for that.”

The Phoenix put five players in double figures in the victory, including a game-high 17 points from Tanner Samson.

Rookie Luke Eddy scored 15 points in his Elon debut, while Austin Hamilton put in 14 points in his first game back since a season-ending injury last season on Jan. 14 against Western Carolina.

Seniors Lucas Troutman and Ryley Beaumont rounded out the five Phoenix players in double digits, as both finished the night with 11 points. Beaumont also hauled down 11 boards for the double-double, as Elon outrebounded Lynchburg, 69-33.

As a team, Elon shot 44 percent from the field, knocking down 9-of-30 from beyond the arc.

The Phoenix forced a Lynchburg timeout with 11:06 to play in the first period after Sebastian Koch found Lucas Troutman underneath the basket for an easy dunk to put Elon ahead, 20-12.

Hamilton gave the Phoenix an 11-point cushion with less than eight minutes remaining in the first period following a three from the wing to give Elon a 27-16 lead.

Christian Hairston introduced himself to the Elon faithful with 5:34 to play in the opening frame as the rookie from Greensboro, N.C., jumped over Lynchburg’s Manny Hernandez for an emphatic dunk to give Elon a 34-19 lead. Hairston finished the night with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field.

The maroon and gold carried a 52-29 lead into the locker room at intermission, shooting 49 percent from the field in the opening frame on 16-of-33 shooting.

Hairston laid down another emphatic breakaway dunk with 12:21 remaining in the second session after Eddy found is classmate sprinting up the left side of the floor for the slam that gave Elon a 72-40 lead.

The Phoenix held on to a 30+-point lead for the remainder of the contest to secure the win in its season tune-up prior to Friday’s regular-season opener against Washington & Lee. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside Alumni Gym.