Elon MBB Phoenix Dominates Milligan, 95-54, To Start 2-0 For First Time Since 2013

ELON, N.C. – Elon University men’s basketball had six players score in double figures en route to a dominant 95-54 win over Milligan on Friday, Nov. 8.

BOX SCORE | FINAL RESULTS

The Phoenix was led by senior guard Marcus Sheffield who scored 11 points, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out a Phoenix program record-tying 11 assists on the evening.

Elon also got a major boost from junior forward Simon Wright, who tallied a career-high 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor. Wright added seven rebounds to his stat line while also coming away with three steals for the Phoenix.

Kris Wooten and Zac Ervin also played big roles for the Phoenix in Friday night’s win over Milligan. Wooten finished with a season high 15 points, adding three rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win. Ervin dropped a career-high 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.

Milligan was led by Tyler Nichols, who scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds. Micah Paulk added 11 points and two rebounds for the Lions.

HIGHLIGHTS
Elon came out of the gates firing early in the first half, after Hunter Woods and Simon Wright knocked down back-to-back threes to start the game. The early offense sparked a 12-2 Phoenix run capped by a layup by Federico Poser.

With just under 15 minutes remaining in the first half, a Zac Ervin triple ignited a 14-4 Elon run that lasted until just under the 10-minute mark. Hunter McIntosh capped the rally when he knocked down a shot from long range to extend the Phoenix’s lead to 16.

The two sides traded baskets in the closing five minutes of the half, and Elon entered the break leading 45-27.

With about 15 minutes remaining in the second half, the Phoenix went on a dominating 20-0 run to effectively put the game out of reach. The run, which was sparked by a Marcus Sheffield bucket, lasted for just over five minutes and was capped by a Zac Ervin three pointer. With just under ten minutes remaining in the game, Elon’s lead was up to 36.

With the Phoenix up 82-48 with six minutes left in the game, a Simon Wright slam sparked a 13-0 Elon run to cap off the evening. Elon went on to secure a 95-54 win to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2013.

NOTES
– With today’s win, Elon earned its second victory under first-year head coach Mike Schrage
– The Phoenix shot the ball 46.1 percent from the floor, including 40.0 percent clip from long range.
– The Phoenix went to the line 12 times, making nine of its attempts from the charity stripe
– Elon outrebounded Mars Hill 55-33, including a 14-4 advantage on the offensive glass
– Elon tallied 26 assists in the win, compared to just 10 for Mars Hill
– The Phoenix is now 2-0 for the first time since the 2013-14 season

UP NEXT
The Phoenix will be back in action on Monday, Nov. 11, when it travels to Atlanta, Ga. for a road matchup with Georgia Tech. Following that contest, Elon will remain on the road for a Nov. 15, meeting with Michigan in Ann Arbor.