Elon Men’s Basketball Cruises to 101-49 Exhibition Win Over Ferrum

ELON, N.C. – Austin Hamilton scored a game-high 19 points to help the Elon University men’s basketball team to a 101-49 victory over the Ferrum Panthers on Saturday night, Nov. 3, in an exhibition tilt inside Alumni Gym.

Hamilton, playing against his brother, Marshall, a senior for Ferrum, was one of four Phoenix players in double figures, as the Herndon, Va., native connected on 8-of-10 shots from the field to go along with a game-high four assists. Marshall led the Panthers with a team-high nine points.

“We played in many ways like it was our first game tonight. I saw glimpses of the things we’ve been working on in practice show up tonight,” said Elon head coach Matt Matheny. “We focused a lot of team defense and I saw some very good things, but I saw several areas in which we still need to improve. Overall, I’m encouraged by the way we played.”

Ryley Beaumont and Tanner Samson both ended the night with 14 points, while Tony Sabato finished with 10 points in the win.

The maroon and gold shot a blistering 64 percent from the field in the victory, including 12-of-19 from beyond the arc. Samson connected on a game-high four three-pointers for the Phoenix.

The Elon defense held Ferrum to 37 percent shooting in the win and scored 33 points off 24 turnovers by the Panthers. Elon totaled 16 steals against Ferrum, led by a game-high four from Hamilton.

The Phoenix ended the night with a 34-29 advantage on the glass, as Beaumont, the team’s leading rebounder from year ago, finished the evening with a game-high seven boards. Elon dominated the game in the paint as well, outscoring Ferrum, 50-16.

After a basket by Egheosa Edomwonyi put Elon up eight points, 20-12, just outside of 10 minutes, the Phoenix went on a 12-2 run to extend its lead to 32-14. The surge was capped off by a Lucas Troutman layup with 7:04 remaining.

Troutman ended the half with a layup as time expired, giving Elon its largest lead of the game at that point, 45-23. The Phoenix shot 55 percent (17-of-31) from the field in the opening stanza, led by 10 points each from Hamilton and Beaumont.

Elon began the second half on an 18-4 run, as a Samson three-ball with 14:32 to play put the Phoenix ahead, 63-27. Elon kept its foot on the gas in the second period, going ahead by 50 points with 5:03 to play on a Sabato jumper.

The 2012-13 regular season officially begins in one week, as Elon heads to historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on Nov. 10 to face the Butler Bulldogs in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Opening Games. Tip is set for 2 p.m.