ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team returns to Alumni Gym on Saturday night, Jan. 9, as they host CAA preseason favorite Hofstra at 6 p.m.
The game will broadcasted live on American Sports Network (ASN) with Jeff McCarragher 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 5:30 p.m.
SERIES HISTORYSaturday marks the fourth all-time meeting between Elon and Hofstra. The Pride have won all three previous meetings and have a 3-0 series lead. Hofstra swept the season series last season in CAA play. The Pride won convincingly in both games, most recently with an 80-69 victory in Hempstead, N.Y. on Feb. 7, 2015. Hofstra defeated the Phoenix 79-61 the last time it was in Alumni Gym on Jan. 10, 2015.
In the first-ever meeting, Elon played in Hofstra in Hempstead on Nov. 23, 2009, in the NIT Season Tip-Off in
Matt Matheny's first season. The Pride came away with a 70-46 win. Elon faces Hofstra again on the road Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. in Hempstead, N.Y.
LET IT FLYThis season, 37.7 percent (169-of-448) of Elon's made baskets have come from behind the three point line. The Phoenix is shooting 35.1 percent from deep and are averaging a CAA-best 10.6 triples a game, ranked 7th 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 50 made treys this season, while
Dainan Swoope is right behind him with 35. A total of nine Phoenix have made a bucket from deep this season.
DISHING IT OUTElon as a team is averaging 16.4 assists per game this season, which leads the CAA and is 50th in the NCAA.
Luke Eddy is leading the team with 89 assists (26th in NCAA), 5.6 assists per game (39th in NCAA). He is second in the CAA in both categories.
FRESH IMPACT Elon's freshmen have made an impact to start the 2015-16 season scoring 36.7 percent of Phoenix points to start the year. 443 of the team's 1301 points have been scored by a freshmen, which includes 166 from
Dainan Swoope, 154 from
Steven Santa Ana,
Tyler Seibring has tabbed 130 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. Both Santa Ana and Seibring have been instrumental in CAA play so far as freshmen. Santa Ana has averaged 14 points and 5.7 rebounds, while Seibring has notched 11.3 points and six rebounds in the first three games.
VOTES IN THE MID-MAJOR POLLElon received three votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll on Dec. 28, but have since dropped out of the poll. In the updated poll for Jan. 4, James Madison (No. 24) and College of Charleston (No. 23) are the only teams from the CAA ranked in the Top-25. Northeastern has 38 votes and William & Mary has 21 votes.
RPI RANKINGSElon currently stands at 111 in the NCAA and Warren Nolan RPIs. The Phoenix was ranked at 153 by the NCAA earlier this week. The CAA is ranked #9 among the nation's 32 Division I conferences, which is its highest ranking ever at this point in the season, and is one of nine conferences with four teams among the top 86 of the RPI.
GOOD START IS KEYElon has been most successful this season when winning the tip and leading at the half this season. The Phoenix is 10-0 this season when leading at the half and 5-1 overall when winning the tip.
EARLY CONFERENCE SUCCESSThe Phoenix have have only started 3-1 in conference play twice during the Matheny era. Those seasons were in most recently in 2013-14 and in 2011-12 while Elon was part of the SoCon.
POTENT OFFENSEElon ranks in the top-3 in the CAA in multiple offensive categories. In game averages, the Phoenix is second in scoring (81.3 ppg), first in assists (16.3 apg), and first in three-pointers per game (10.6). Elon is ranked in the NCAA top-50 in each team category.
ROAD TO BALTIMOREThe 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 NEXTElon has a CAA home and road split next week. It begins with a home game on Thursday, Jan. 14 vs. UNCW at Alumni Gym. Then the Phoenix hits the road for a contest at College of Charleston on Saturday, Jan. 16. The game begins at 4 p.m. and will be broadcasted WMMP.
