Elon MBB Hosts League-Leaders UNCW on Saturday

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s basketball team returns to Alumni Gym looking to end a two-game losing streak when it hosts league-leaders UNCW in Colonial Athletic Association action on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 4 p.m.

GAME NOTES

COVERAGE
You can also watch online on Phoenix All-Access at elonphoenix.com. The game will be nationally televised on American Sports Network (ASN) broadcast. Check the TV Clearances to see if you can watch the action on ASN.

Listen to the action on the Elon IMG Sports Network on 104.5 FM, 1200 AM or on the TuneIn app. Taylor Durham and Ryan Meizinger will have the call from Alumni Gym and the pregame show begins at 3:30 p.m.

FREE T-SHIRTS!
Free t-shirts will be available for the first 500 Elon Students on Saturday! If you check in to the Elon Women’s Basketball game on Friday, Feb. 10, against Northeastern, you earn VIP early entrance at 3 p.m. All other students can enter at 3:15 p.m. Make sure to get there early to get your shirt!

NEW BAG POLICY AT ALUMNI GYM
Beginning this season, Elon University has implemented a new policy for bags entering Alumni Gym. All bags entering the arena will be checked before fans reach the ticket booths at the facility. Multiple lines will be available and there will be specific lines for fans entering with no bags.

The following items will be prohibited from Alumni Gym:
• Weapons
• Explosives
* Alcoholic beverages
• Outside food and beverages
• Smoking and tobacco products
• E-cigarettes
• Containers or coolers
• Flags on poles
• Hoverboards
• Pets (except service animals)

BASKETBALL GAME DAY
For more information on ticketing, parking and directions to Alumni Gym, please visit the Basketball Game Day web page.

SERIES HISTORY
• Saturday marks the 17th all-time meeting between Elon and UNCW. The Seahawks have won seven of the last eight meetings and have an 9-7 lead in the series. UNCW is 8-1 against the Phoenix in Elon’s Division I era.
• The Seahawks won the first meeting earlier this season, 79-63, on Jan. 2 at Trask Coliseum.
• UNCW swept the season series in 2015-16. The Phoenix fell to the Seahawks in its last matchup in Trask Coliseum, losing 86-82 on Feb. 11, 2016. UNCW defeated the Phoenix in Alumni Gym, 91-82, on Jan. 14, 2016.
• Elon’s last victory against UNCW came on Feb. 28, 2015, winning 74-55 on Senior Day inside Alumni Gym.

TIP INS
• The Phoenix has now won 15 or more games in five consecutive seasons for the first time since the 1987-88 season.
• The maroon and gold has won five straight in Alumni Gym since falling to College of Charleston on Dec. 31.
• Five different Elon players have scored 20 or more in a game this season.
• Elon is 11-4 this season when leading at halftime, 11-5 when winning the rebound battle and 8-1 when holding teams to under 40% from the field.
• The matchup at Northeastern on Jan. 26 was the first time Elon has held an opponent to 50 points or less since holding Furman to 49 points on Feb. 24, 2014.
• Elon won three straight conference games at home by 10+ points from Jan. 7-19, the first time the Phoenix has done so in the program’s Division I era (since 1999-00).
• Despite a two-game losing streak, the maroon and gold has won seven of its last 10 games since starting 0-3 in conference play. Elon has outscoring its opponents by a combined 78 points in its last seven wins.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
• Head coach Matt Mathney turns 47 on Saturday. Elon is facing UNCW on coach Matheny’s birthday for the second straight season.

LUKE EDDY MILESTONE
• Senior point guard Luke Eddy reached 200 assists in his career with three against South Florida on Nov. 17. He currently tied for 10th in program history at 275 career assists. Eddy is one assist away from moving past Tony Chavis ’89 into sole possession of 10th all-time.

HEAD COACH MATT MATHNEY
• Head coach Matt Matheny won his 123rd game at Elon on Thursday, Feb. 2, against James Madison. With the win, he tied D.C. “Peahead” Walker (1927-1937) for the third most in program history. Matheny currently has 123 career victories and is one win away from moving into sole possession of third all-time.

ACADEMIC HONORS
• Sophomores Tyler Seibring and Steven Santa Ana earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors this week.
• Elon was the only Division I program to place two on the All-District teams this year. A total of 42 student-athletes were selected.
• It’s just the second time in program history the program has had multiple players honored in the same season. Last time Elon had multiple selections was in 1988 when Brian Branson, Tony Chavis and Steve Page earned Academic All-District and All-America honors.

GOING BACK-TO-BACK
• Tyler Seibring repeated as CAA Co-Player of the Week on Jan. 30, after averaging 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists during Elon’s 2-0 week, Jan. 26-28. The sophomore also shot 53.6% from the floor.
• The Normal, Ill. native scored a team-high 15 points and added eight rebounds as the Phoenix handed Northeastern its first home loss of the season, 51-49, on Jan. 26. He followed with a team-best 23 points and six boards in an 84-70 triumph at Hofstra on Jan. 28.
• The sophomore also earned CAA Co-Player of the Week honors on Jan. 23 after averaging a team-high 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 blocks in victories over Drexel (1/19) and William & Mary (1/21).

FREE THROW SUCCESS
• In conference games only, Elon is first in the league shooting 77.0% from the line through 13 games. Elon has made 80% of above from the line in five of those contests.
• The Phoenix had its best shooting performance from the line on Thursday, Feb. 2, against James Madison, finishing 22-of-23 (95.7%) from the stripe.

351 AND COUNTING
• The Elon program has made at least one three-point field goal in 351 consecutive games (not including exhibition games). The matchup on Feb. 4 at College of Charleston marked the 350th consective game.
• 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.
• Elon is currently averaging 9.5 triples per game, which is second in the CAA and tied for 24th in the NCAA. The Phoenix averaged 9.5 made three pointers a game last season.

UNCW STORYLINES
• With 22 victories, UNCW has more wins than any other NCAA Division I proram in North Carolina. UNC Chapel Hill sits at 21 victories following Thursday’s loss at Duke.
• The Seahawks are one of just 10 NCAA Division I schools with at least 22 victories this season. Unbeaten Gonzaga, of course, tops the list with an unblemished 25-0 record.
• UNCW’s Kevin Keatts and the Seahawks are playing their fourth game in February after fi nishing January with an 8-1 mark. Keatts stands 13-6 in February games in three seasons with the Seahawks. He’s 8-3 in home games and 5-3 in roadies in February since arriving in Wilmington
• The Seahawks own the best overall road record among CAA schools with a 9-2 mark away from Trask Coliseum. UNCW is tied with the College of Charleston for the best road mark in CAA games (5-1).
• UNCW’s high scoring offense has put up some big numbers this season. The Seahawks have scored 80 or more points 16 times in 26 outings, including the last two contests.
• The Seahawks have drained 10 or more three pointers in 14-of-26 games this season, including the last two vs. Delaware (21-of-32) and James Madison (13-of-24). UNCW has averaged 17.0 treys in the past two contests.

UP NEXT
Elon hits the road next week for trips to Towson on Thursday, Feb. 16 and Drexel on Saturday, Feb. 18.