ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team returns to Alumni Gym to wrap up the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) weekend against Drexel on Saturday, Jan. 2, for a 4 p.m. tipoff.
 
The game will broadcasted live on American Sports Network (ASN) with Doug Bell and Mack McCarthy. You can also listen to the game live on WSML 104.5 FM/1200 AM with Taylor Durham and Ryan Meizinger on the Elon IMG Sports Network. Pre-game coverage on WSML in Alumni Gym begins at 3:30 p.m.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the fourth all-time meeting between Elon and Drexel. The Dragons have the upper hand 2-1 in the all-time series. Both teams split the season series last season in 2014-15. The two teams will meet again in Philadelphia, which is slated for Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.
 
Elon defeated Drexel 77-67 in Philadelphia on Jan. 3, 2015 to open CAA play last season and the Dragons has the narrow 67-63 victory inside Alumni Gym on Feb. 5, 2015. Prior to last season, the first-ever meeting took place on Nov. 18, 2013 in Piscataway N.J. as part of the NIT Season Tip-off. The Dragons won 71-64 as the eighth-seed in the preseason tournament.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Elon had a tight first half fight with the Huskies, but a second half surge by the reigning CAA champions pulled the visitors away for good as Northeastern defeated the Phoenix 86-79 on Thursday afternoon, December 31, inside Alumni Gym. The Phoenix was led by Luke Eddy, as he matched a career-high scoring 27 points, while adding five assists, two rebounds and a steal.
 
BOUNCING BACK
Since making the transition to the Division I ranks, Elon is 4-4 all-time after losing a conference opener. Matt Matheny has a career head coaching record of 2-1 after a league-opening loss.
 
VOTES IN THE MID-MAJOR POLL
Elon is receiving three votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll released on Dec. 28. Northeastern has 27 votes, while James Madison and College of Charleston are the only teams from the CAA in the top-25.
 
WINS AGAINST CAA TEAMS
Elon earned six total victories in CAA play last season, and showed promise in its first season with some key wins against top-ranked opponents in the CAA in its inaugural season. The Phoenix defeated CAA runner-up William & Mary, 85-79, on Jan. 8, and eventual league champion Northeastern 72-65 on Feb. 26 in Alumni Gym. The team also earned victories against Drexel (Jan. 3), UNCW (Feb. 28), and swept the season series against Delaware.
 
LET IT FLY
This season, 37.3 percent (147-of-394) of Elon's made baskets have come from behind the three point line. The Phoenix is shooting 35.0 percent from deep and are averaging a CAA-best 10.5 triples a game, ranked 11th in the NCAA this season.
 
Elon's 18 3-pointers against the Alabama State Hornets on Dec. 16 was the most a Phoenix team has made in a game during the coach Matheny era. Tanner Samson has a team-high 47 made treys this season, while Dainan Swoope is right behind him with 34. A total of nine Phoenix have made a bucket from deep this season.
 
FRESH IMPACT
Elon's freshmen have made an impact to start the 2015-16 season scoring 35.6 percent of Phoenix points to start the year. 406 of the team's 1139 points have been scored by a freshmen, which includes 156 from Dainan Swoope, 117 from Steven Santa Ana, Tyler Seibring has tabbed 105 and Karolis Kundrotas has scored 24. Sheldon Eberhardt has four points. He scored his first-career basket on Dec. 13 against Wesley College and had a bucket in the final minutes against #15 Duke.
 
308 AND COUNTING
The Elon men's basketball program has made at least one three-point field goal in 307 consecutive games (not including exhibition games). The Phoenix currently average 10.8 mades three pointers a game this season.
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.
 
ROAD TO BALTIMORE
The 2016 Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Championship is scheduled for March 4-7 in Baltimore, Md., at Royal Farms Arena. Last year, Northeastern topped William & Mary in the championship game, 72-61, to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
UP NEXT
Elon has a home and road CAA split next week. The Phoenix begins at James Madison on Thursday, Jan. 7 for a 7p.m. tipoff against the Dukes, followed by a home contest against Hofstra on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. Elon's contest against the Pride will be broadcasted on American Sports Network (ASN).