Box Score

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The top-seeded College of Charleston Cougars built an early double-digit lead over the fourth-seeded Elon men’s basketball team and never looked back, as the Cougars eliminated the Phoenix from the 2011 Southern Conference Tournament with a 78-60 win on Saturday night, March 5, inside McKenzie Arena.

Elon bid farewell to three seniors — Chris Long, Scott Grable and David Meyer. An all-conference performer, Long concluded his career with his name all over the Elon record books. He finished as Elon’s second all-time leader in assists with 528, fourth in three-pointers with 172, and fifth in steals with 155. He led the SoCon this year and ranked in the top 20 in the nation with 6.0 apg. Long’s single season mark of 188 assists puts him past Elon Hall of Famer Tommy Cole for second all-time.

“We’re disappointed to lose and that our season is over, but we realize we played a very good team and didn't make enough shots early” said Elon head coach Matt Matheny. “We competed for 40 minutes and the way we competed in the second half is a step forward for our program. Our team took a giant step forward this year, but I am disappointed for our three seniors [Chris Long, Scott Grable and David Meyer] who have helped to lay a strong foundation for this program.”

College of Charleston advances to the tournament semifinals to face Furman at 8:30 p.m., with the winner going to the championship game on Monday night at 9 p.m. to face the winner of Wofford and Western Carolina.

Junior Drew Spradlin was the lone Phoenix player in double figures in the setback, as the Wheelersburg, Ohio native scored 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including three buckets from beyond the arc.

Long finished the contest with a game-high nine assists, marking the seventh time this season the senior point guard dished out nine or more assists in a single game.

The Cougars found the hot hand of Andrew Goudelock early and often in the opening frame, as this season’s SoCon Player of the Year registered 12 first-half points in only nine minutes of action to help College of Charleston put Elon behind by 21 points, 43-22, at intermission.

Much like the second half of the Feb. 9 game against the Cougars in Elon, the Phoenix could not find the answer for College of Charleston’s hot shooting in the first half of tonight’s contest. The Cougars knocked down 58.6 percent (17-of-29) of their shots, as CofC’s 43 first-half points were the most given up by the Phoenix against a league foe all season and the most since Duke scored 49 on Dec. 20.

Elon battled back to pull within 12 points with 10:14 to play in the second half after rookie Lucas Troutman split a pair of free throws to make it a 54-42 game. But the Cougars answered with a 10-0 run to claim to a 64-42 lead with 6:12 remaining.

The Phoenix had an opportunity to make it a 10-point game late, but the Cougars kept their foot on the gas to keep their lead intact and secure the victory.

Elon shot 40 percent from the field (22-of-55) in the loss, including a 10-of-28 mark from three-point land, while the Cougars finished the game at a 50.0 percent (29-of-57) clip from the field, including nine makes from downtown.

College of Charleston dominated the glass, 40-26, and outscored Elon 30-16 in the paint. Elon’s bench out-performed its counterparts, 25-10, as Troutman led the reserves with nine points and five boards.

Goudelock led all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including a 5-of-11 mark from beyond the arc.