ELON, N.C. – The Elon men’s basketball team looks to continue to build momentum during the final weeks of the regular season heading into the CAA Tournament on Saturday against the Towson Tigers at 12 p.m. inside SECU Arena.
You can listen to the game live on WSML 104.5 FM/1200 AM with Taylor Durham and Ryan Meizinger on the Elon IMG Sports Network. Pre-game coverage on WSML inside SECU Arena begins at 11:30 a.m.
The game will be broadcasted live on Comcast SportsNet beginning at 12 p.m. and can be seen regionally. You can also watch the game live online on CAA.TV. Calling the game for CSN will be Rob Carlin (play-by-play) and Charlie Woollum (analyst).You can also watch Drexel’s video broadcast on CAA.TV.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday will be the fifth all-time meeting between the Elon Phoenix and Towson Tigers. Towson defeated Elon 81-77 on Feb. 6, inside Alumni Gym in the first meeting this season. Last year, the Tigers swept the regular season series
against the Phoenix, but Elon defeated Towson in the CAA tournament opening round. The Phoenix edged the Tigers 74-69 in the first round of the CAA tournament last season on March 6, 2015. The point differential between the two teams is Towson by +5 in the last four matchups combined. Towson topped Elon in both regular season matchups
with a 57-53 win on Jan. 5, 2015 in Maryland, followed by a 53-51 victory in Alumni Gym on Jan. 22, 2015.
A WINNING SENIOR CLASS
Elon’s senior class of Sam Hershberger, Tony Sabato, Tanner Samson and Wes Brewer tied Elon’s Division I era record for most wins posted by a senior class with their 69th win on Thursday. They have a combined record of 69-55 since their first year with the program in the 2012-13 season. Last year’s 2015 class of Austin Hamilton, Kevin Blake, and Ryan Winters also had a combined total of 69 wins as a class.
FRESH IMPACT
Elon’s freshmen have made an impact during the 2015-16 season scoring 36.3 percent of Phoenix points this season. 790 of the team’s 2,175 points have been scored by a freshmen, which includes 278 from Tyler Seibring, 261 from Dainan Swoope, Steven Santa Ana has tabbed 202, Karolis Kundrotas has scored 29 and Sheldon Eberhardt has 20. The three freshmen that have had the most playing time has made an impact for the Phoenix in conference play. Tyler Seibring has averaged a team-high 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 15 games. Steven Santa Ana has notched 9.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in nine CAA contests. Dainan Swoope is averaging 7.6 points in conference play.
SHARING THE WEALTH
A total of nine different Elon players have led the team in scoring in 15 CAA games this season. Thompson and Seibring have been the high scorers in a team-most three conference games. Only Luke Eddy (2) and Tanner Samson (2) been the other scoring leaders in more than one CAA game this season.
GOOD START IS KEY
Elon has been most successful this season when winning the tip and leading at the half this season. The Phoenix is 11-1 overall this season when leading at the half. Elon’s loss vs. JMU on Saturday, Jan. 23, was the first loss of the season when leading at the half.
POTENT OFFENSE
Elon ranks in the top-five in the CAA in multiple offensive categories. In game averages, the Phoenix is fourth in scoring (77.7 ppg), tied for second in assists (15.6 apg), and first in three-pointers per game (9.6).
DISHING IT OUT
Elon as a team is averaging 15.6 assists per game this season, which is tied for second in the CAA. Luke Eddy is leading the team with 133 assists and 4.8 assists per game, which is third in the league.
322 AND COUNTING
The Elon men’s basketball program has made at least one three-point field goal in 322 consecutive games (not including exhibition games). The Phoenix currently averages 9.6 mades three pointers a game this season. The last time Elon did not make a three in a game was Jan. 30, 2006, at Georgia Southern when the team went 0-of-14 from deep.
UP NEXT
Next week, Elon will host William & Mary for Senior Night on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. inside Alumni Gym for its final home game of the season. That game will be followed by the regular season finale on the road at Delaware on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 2 p.m.