ELON, N.C. – Chris Brown knocked down 19 points as Chattanooga survived Elon 73-67 in Southern Conference men’s basketball action Monday night at Alumni Gym. The contest featured six ties and 18 lead changes.
The Mocs (10-3 overall, 3-0 Southern Conference) used a 16-6 run to turn an 18-14 deficit into a 30-24 advantage on a bucket inside by Ricky Hood with 3:06 remaining in the first half. The Phoenix (2-14, 0-3) later reeled off six-straight points to even the count at 32-32 on a free throw by Brian Waters with 2:00 left before the break.
Alphonso Pugh converted a lay-up with 1:15 to play before the intermission to grant Chattanooga an eventual 34-32 halftime edge. The Mocs went on a 14-7 spurt to fatten their lead to 48-39 on a free throw by Matt Malone with 12:08 left.
Elon used a 17-4 surge to claim a 56-52 edge on a jumper by Le’Vonn Jordan with 5:40 on the clock. Chattanooga responded by scoring nine unanswered points for a 61-56 advantage on a pair of free throws by Brown with 4:16 left to play, and never trailed again.
Casey Long posted 13 points and a game-high and career-high 11 rebounds and a season-high six assists for the Mocs. Pugh chipped in 12 points and Brown pulled down 12 caroms.
For the Phoenix, Chris Chalko collected 14 points and a career-high nine rebounds while Jordan and Waters each posted a career-high 13 points. Jordan also hauled in seven boards.
Chattanooga hit 45.5 percent (25 of 55) of its shots from the field – 50 percent (12 of 24) in the second half – and 70.8 percent (17 of 24) from the free throw line. The Mocs canned 35.3 percent (six of 17) of its three-point field goal tries.
Elon made 44.8 percent (26 of 58) of its attempts from the floor – 48.1 percent (13 of 27) in the first period – but only 54.5 percent (six of 11) from the charity stripe. The Phoenix fired 33.3 percent (nine of 27) from behind the arc.
The Mocs forged advantages in second chance points (17-3), bench points (26-20) and rebounds (39-29) to counter Elon edges in points in the paint (30-28), points off turnovers (15-4), assists (17-14), turnovers (15-18) and blocked shots (4-3). Each team swiped seven steals.
Both teams return to Southern Conference action on the road Saturday as Elon visits East Tennessee State at 4 p.m. and Chattanooga stops by Wofford at 7 p.m.
– ELON – Game Box Score