ELON, N.C. –  The Elon University men's basketball team had its second-best shooting performance of the season as the Phoenix earned a 72-58 victory over Drexel on Saturday, Jan. 28, in a Colonial Athletic Association contest at Schar Center.
 
Sean Halloran led four Phoenix players in double figures with 18 points as Elon (3-19, 1-8 CAA) picked up its first win during league play. Jerald Gillens-Butler and Max Mackinnon contributed with 14 points each while Sam Sherry added 11.
 
Drexel (12-10, 6-4 CAA) was led by Amari Williams and his game-high 23 points. Justin Moore had 13 points while Luke House rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Dragons with 11.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Drexel opened the game with a 4-0 lead, but the Phoenix rallied off eight unanswered to take an 8-4 advantage. Mackinnon scored five points during that run while Watson added the other three.
• After a Halloran jumper put the Phoenix up 10-6, the Dragons added a three-pointer on the other end to make it a one-point game. Undaunted, Elon went on a 10-3 run capped off by a Watson step-back three-pointer that forced a Drexel timeout with 8:30 left in the first period with the Phoenix ahead 20-12.
• Drexel came out of the timeout with a dunk from Williams, but Elon came back with a 12-5 to take its largest lead of the game at that point, 32-19, with Halloran making a three-pointer to cap off the run.
• The Dragons however clamped down on defense and were able to climb back into the game with a 6-0 run to make it a seven-point game, 32-25, going into the half.
• Drexel continued to keep it a seven-point game after another Williams dunk made it 38-29 at the 18:43 mark in the second half. The Phoenix answered with a 9-0 run to go up by 16, 45-29. Gillens-Butler made a couple of baskets in that stretch including a jumper over the outstretched arms of Williams that forced a Drexel timeout with 16:03 left in the game.
• Mackinnon made a three-pointer that put the Phoenix ahead by 14, 57-43, with 9:33 left in the game. The Dragons however went on a 9-0 run to trim their deficit to five, 57-52, with Williams being the main catalyst with six points during that stretch.
• The Phoenix came back with a pair of jumpers by Mackinnon to give the maroon and gold a nine-point cushion. Drexel came back with a three to pull within six, but Watson converted on a layup to put the Phoenix up eight, 63-55, heading into the under-four media timeout.
• Elon was able to expand its lead after the media timeout back into double digits. The Phoenix essentially iced the game on a Halloran and-one layup at the 1:28 mark that put the maroon and gold ahead 70-56. Sherry capped off the scoring for the Phoenix with a dunk after Elon broke Drexel's press as the maroon and gold closed out with the 72-58 victory.
 
NOTES
• Elon shot 56.3 percent from the floor (27-of-48), its second-best shooting performance of the season. The Phoenix hit over 65 percent of its shots in the second half and was a sizzling 58.3 percent from downtown (7-of-13) overall.
• The win snapped the Phoenix's 11-game losing streak and gave the Phoenix its first win of the season versus a Division I opponent. The victory also snapped a four-game skid to the Dragons.
• Halloran closed out his week averaging 21 points in his past two games against Drexel and Hofstra. The Orlando, Fla., native had five assists to lead the Phoenix while going 6-of-11 from the floor.
• Watson nearly had his second double-double in as many games with his eight points and 10 rebounds off the bench. The St. Louis native also added four assists to match his season high.
• Gillens-Butler had his second strong game in the past three outings as the Orlando, Fla., native matched his season-high with 14 points. He was 6-of-11 from the floor to set a new season-high in made field goals.
• Elon won the battle in points off turnovers (16-15), points in the paint (32-28) and bench points (12-6).
• Sherry had his first double-digit scoring game since also having 11 versus North Carolina A&T on Jan. 11. The sophomore was 5-of-7 from the field.
 
UP NEXT
Elon begins a three-game road swing with a visit to league newcomer Stony Brook on Thursday, Feb. 2. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff.