ELON COLLEGE, NC -- Brendon Rowell poured in 24 points as Elon overcame Coastal Carolina 77-74 to snap a four-game losing streak at Alumni Gym Monday night.
The Phoenix (9-17, 4-7 Big South Conference) withstood 27 points, including 21 in the first half, from Torrey Butler, the league's leading scorer. Butler entered the contest averaging 18.9 points per game while Rowell ranked second with 18.5.
The Chanticleers (7-17, 5-6) led by as many as 10 points in the first period at 29-19 with 6:02 to play. A 13-6 Elon spurt to close the stanza cut the Coastal Carolina advantage to 35-32 for halftime.
Via a 26-6 run early in the second half, the Phoenix soared to 58-44 lead with 13:07 remaining in the contest. Rowell reeled off 10 points and dished out three of his five assists during that stretch.
The Chanticleers responded with a furious 24-8 rally to reclaim the lead at 68-66 on a Brandon Newby trey with 3:39 left to play. Newby tallied nine points to pace the Chants during the run.
A jumper by Elon's Dennis Gaskins knotted the score 68-68 with 3:15 remaining. Gaskins sank another jump shot to give the Phoenix back the edge at 70-68 at the 2:46 mark.
Coastal Carolina would even the count one last time at 70-70 when Antonio Darden converted a layup with 2:24 left. A pair of free throws by Larry McSwain gave Elon the lead for good at 72-70 with 2:01 remaining.
The Chants had one last opportunity to tie the contest when Rowell stole the ball from Derrick Robinson and assisted a David Hall fastbreak layup for a 74-70 Elon edge with 46 ticks left. Coastal Carolina would draw no closer than two points the rest of the way.
McSwain finished with 15 points for the Phoenix while teammates Hall, Shamar Johnson, Drew Kusterman and Ross Sims all chipped in eight markers each. For the Chants, Newby put up 16 points while Robinson and Oliver Hinckson each added nine.
Coastal Carolina owned advantages in rebounds (41-32), treys (7-4) and steals (12-9), but Elon outshined the Chants in field goal accuracy (50.8 percent to 43.8) and assists (15-14). Both teams sank 11 of 16 free throw attempts and surrendered 17 turnovers.
-- ELON --
