Elon Men’s Basketball Treks to Boone to Face Appalachian State

ELON, N.C. – With its non-conference slate in the rearview mirror, the Elon men’s basketball team shifts its focus back to Southern Conference play, beginning with a matchup with rival Appalachian State this weekend. The Phoenix heads to Boone, N.C., on Saturday, Jan. 12, for a 4:30 p.m. tip with the Mountaineers inside the Holmes Convocation Center.

THE SERIES: Saturday marks the 94th all-time meeting between Elon and Appalachian State. The Mountaineers lead the series, 51-42. The Phoenix has dropped its last five games to the Mountaineers in Boone, with its last win coming in the form of a 64-63 decision on Jan. 13, 2007. Since 1955, Elon has two wins over ASU in Boone in 15 games. Elon is 6-12 versus ASU since joining the Southern Conference. The two teams will meet again on Feb. 14 inside Alumni Gym.

LAST MEETING: Nine days after losing to the Mountaineers in Boone, the Phoenix claimed an 82-59 blowout win over Appalachian State on Feb. 6, 2012, in its last meeting. Sebastian Koch scored 21 points in the victory, which at the time put the maroon and gold atop the Southern Conference North Division. Four Elon players finished the night in double figures, as Drew Spradlin scored 18 points, while Jack Isenbarger and Ryley Beaumont ended the night with 11 and 10, respectively.

LOOKING BACK: Despite battling back from 16 points down to pull within six late, the Phoenix dropped a 74-64 decision to the Princeton Tigers in its last game on Jan. 5. Jack Isenbarger scored a team-high 16 points in the win, while Lucas Troutman added 14.

LOOKING AHEAD: It will be a short turnaround for the Phoenix following Saturday’s game at Appalachian State, as the maroon and gold remains in the mountains for a Monday night tilt with Western Carolina on Jan. 14 in Cullowhee, N.C.

APPROACHING A MILESTONE: With 16 points against Princeton, Jack Isenbarger inched closer to 1,000 career points. The Zionsville, Ind., native enters Saturday’s game with 948 career points. In 104 years of basketball, Elon has 34 players with 1,000 career points or more.

ELON IN THE SOCON: The 2012-13 season marks Elon’s 10th as a member of the Southern Conference. The Phoenix enters Saturday’s game at ASU with a 75-104 record (including tournament action) against other SoCon members.