ELON, N.C. – Elon University men’s basketball hosts the No. 8-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday night, Nov. 9, in the inaugural men’s basketball game inside the new Schar Center. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
COVERAGE
You can watch the game live on ESPNU or on the WatchESPN app. Listen to the Elon IMG Sports Network coverage on the TuneIn app. Taylor Durham and Brian Morris will have the call from Schar Center with the pregame show beginning at 6:30 p.m.
SCHAR CENTER
• Elon University men’s basketball will play its games inside its new facility, Schar Center, this season after calling Alumni Gym its home since since 1950.
• Schar Center officially opened its doors in July of 2018 and was dedicated on October, 19, 2018. The 161,000-square-foot convocation center has a current capacity of 5,100-seats.
• Not only does it serve as the home for Phoenix basketball and volleyball programs, but it also serves as an event venue that will provide a large gathering space for a wide variety of major campus events such as convocations and concerts.
• The facility is named for Dwight and Martha Schar, of Palm Beach, Fla., parents of Stuart Schar ’16 and Spencer Schar ’19.
• Among Elon’s most generous donors for the project, the Schars have contributed $13 million to the university to provide lead funding for the convocation center and the expanded School of Communications facilities, which features Dwight C. Schar Hall as the centerpiece.
THE MATCHUP
• The matchup marks the 23rd all-time meeting between the Elon Phoenix and North Carolina Tar Heels.
• It is the first time the Elon men’s basketball program has hosted the Tar Heels at home since Dec. 2, 1950, inside Alumni Gym. This is also the first meeting between the two schools since Dec. 29, 2011.
• When the Tar Heels last visited the campus of Elon University, Alumni Gym was dedicated on Dec. 2, 1950, to the memory “of the known Elon alumni who fell in battle” during World Wars I and II. Despite putting up a tough fight against North Carolina, Elon fell 57-48 to the Tar Heels.
• In the last meeting on Dec. 29, 2011, the No. 5-ranked Tar Heels defeated the Phoenix 100-62 inside the Smith Center.
• Elon’s last win against North Carolina came on Feb. 15, 1918 on Elon University’s campus inside West Dormitorium.
ABOUT ELON
• Heading into the 2018-19 season, Elon University men’s basketball returns 11 total players and three of its five starters from a year ago in Tyler Seibring, Dainan Swoope and Steven Santa Ana.
• The Phoenix returns four of its top six scorers, including its 2017-18 leading scorer and rebounder in Seibring (15.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg). Elon has two 1,000-point scorers on its roster in Seibring (1,267 points) and Swoope (1,050 points). Santa Ana is just 87 points away from becoming the 43rd player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateu.
• Elon is led by senior forward Seibring, who is a two-time All-CAA selection and CoSIDA Academic All-American.
• The program’s senior class is made up of five players in Seibring, Swoope, Santa Ana, Sheldon Eberhardt and Karolis Kundrotas. The four players have combined to play in a total of 437 games and make 209 starts.
• Additionally, the Phoenix has made four new additions to the squad for 2018-19 in first-year players Chuck Hannah, Andy Pack, Federico Poser and Kris Wooten.
• Elon made an average 10.5 three pointers per game last season, which ranked second in the CAA and 13th in the nation. Seibring made 82 of Elon’s three pointers last season, which was tied for the second-most in a single season in program history.
• The Phoenix has been predicted to finish eighth in the league as the CAA released its preseason men’s basketball poll on Oct. 17, during the conference’s digital media day. Northeastern was picked the favorite to win the league. Tyler Seibring collected preseason All-CAA honors as he was named to the second team.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2018-19
• Elon’s 110th season of basketball will open with a marquee matchup as the Elon Phoenix hosts the No. 8-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in the program’s first regular season basketball game inside Schar Center. The game is set for Friday, Nov. 9, on ESPNU.
• Prior to that contest, the Phoenix will open the 2018-19 season on Nov. 6 on the road at Manhattan. Elon will then compete in the Tiger Thanksgiving Classic, Nov. 22-24, at Pacific University on Thanksgiving week. Elon has a combined 11-1 record in its last three early-season tournaments.
• During its non-conference slate, the Phoenix plays host to seven home contests, which include North Carolina, Boston University, Furman, UNCG and Canisius.
• Elon opens CAA play with a pair of home contests against Towson (Dec. 28) and James Madison (Dec. 30).
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA
• Carolina returns 11 players from a year ago and adds six newcomers (including a transfer, Ryan McAdoo, who will red-shirt).
• The 11 returnees include four who combined to make 109 starts last season (Luke Maye 37, Kenny Williams 36, Cameron Johnson 20 and Garrison Brooks 16).
• Carolina returns 1,950 of 3,018 points from a year ago (64.6 percent), 1,047 of 1,570 rebounds (66.7 percent) and 334 of 674 assists (49.6 percent).
• Maye (16.9 ppg), Johnson (12.4) and Williams (11.4) were the second, third and fourth-leading scorers last year.
• Maye led the team and was second in the ACC in rebounding at 10.1 per game. He was also seventh in the league in scoring and field goal percentage.
• Carolina was picked to finish third in the conference at ACC Media Day (on Oct. 24) behind Duke and Virginia. Luke Maye was selected the ACC Preseason Player of the Year.
• UNC is No. 8 in the Associated Press preseason poll.
• This is the 13th time in 16 seasons under Roy Williams that North Carolina is in the preseason Top 10.
UP NEXT
The Phoenix returns to the Schar Center hardwood on Thursday, Nov. 15, to host Milligan College. That contest is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.