ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team rallied back from a double-digit second-half deficit to make it a two-point game, but ran out of time as the Phoenix fell to Towson 66-62 in a Colonial Athletic Association game on Saturday, Jan. 21, at Schar Center.
 
Jerald Gillens-Butler scored a season-high 14 points to lead the Phoenix (2-18, 0-7 CAA), who held the Tigers to only eight made field goals in the second half. Max Mackinnon contributed 12 points while making a career-high four steals in the contest.
 
Towson's Nicolas Timberlake led all scorers with 24 points while going 5-of-9 from three-point range for the Tigers (14-7,6-2 CAA). Cameron Holden added 13 points off the bench while Charles Thompson nearly added a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• The Phoenix began the game with an 8-0 run the first four-plus minutes. Gillens-Butler scored five points during that stretch for Elon on a pair of free throws and a three-pointer, which caused Towson to call a timeout with 17:10 left in the first.
• Towson finally got on the board with 15:13 left in the opening period with a three-pointer from Ryan Conway, but the Phoenix increased its lead nine, 12-3, on a Sean Halloran three-pointer.
• Elon matched its largest lead of nine with another three by Torrence Watson that made the score 15-6. After five straight points by Towson, Zac Ervin hit the Phoenix's fourth three of the half to put the Phoenix up 18-11.
• The Tigers then went on a 13-0 run to take the lead, 24-18. The Phoenix was able to trim its deficit to two, 24-22, after jumpers from Halloran and Mackinnon, but a 12-2 run by Towson expanded its lead to 36-24 with 2:14 left in the first half.
• A pair of free throws by Sam Sherry brought the Phoenix within 10, 36-26, but the Tigers would score the final four points of the opening period to take a 40-26 advantage into the break.
• Three times the Phoenix would come within 10 points of the Tigers in the first five-plus minutes of the second half. Elon eventually cut its deficit within single digits as a layup from Mackinnon made the score 47-39 with 12:45 left in the game.
• After Towson push its lead back to 11, Elon trimmed the Tigers' lead to seven, 50-43, after a pair of Ervin free throws and a dunk by John Bowen III. Towson however reestablished its 11-point lead on a pair of free throws and a layup to go ahead 54-43.
• Elon went on a 9-3 run to come within five with just under six minutes remaining. The Phoenix scored seven of those points from the free throw line, including a pair from Watson that made the score 57-52 with 5:58 left in the game.
• A three-pointer from Timberlake put the Tigers ahead eight, 62-54, but the Phoenix fought back to cut that disadvantage in half with layups from Sherry and Halloran to make the score 62-58 with 2:02 remaining.
• The Phoenix made it a two-point game with just under 10 seconds remaining. Mackinnon was able to go coast-to-coast after a Towson missed free throw as Elon trailed the Tigers 62-60 with eight seconds remaining.
• Towson pushed it back to a two-possession game, 64-60, with a couple of makes at the charity stripe. Halloran made another layup to pull the Phoenix within two again, but The Tigers continued to convert at the other end at the free throw line to eventually secure the 66-62 win.
 
NOTES
• Gillens-Butler had his best scoring output since his 14-point performance at No. 2 Duke last season. The Orlando, Fla., native was 3-of-7 from the floor while going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
• Elon held Towson to 8-of-25 shooting in the second half, the second straight game the Phoenix defense has held an opponent to single-digit field goals in the second period. UNCW made only seven field goals (7-of-23) in the Phoenix's previous game on Monday.
• Zac Ervin tied his career-high with four assists while also adding a season-high six boards in the contest.
• Elon outscored the Tigers in the paint (22-11), in second-chance points (15-5) and fastbreak points (11-5). The Phoenix also won the rebounding battle over Towson, 35-34.
• RJ Noord Jr. made his first appearance since missing the previous six games. The sophomore guard grabbed a rebound in his six minutes of action.
 
UP NEXT
Elon continues its three-game home stand with a matchup versus Hofstra next Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. at Schar Center.