WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team had a strong opening half to the start of its season, but could not withstand a second-half surge by Wake Forest as the Phoenix ultimately fell to the Demon Deacons, 101-78, on Monday night, Nov. 6, at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
 
Elon (0-1) led by as many as 21 points in the first half and shot nearly 64 percent from the field and over 64 percent from downtown in the opening period. The Phoenix finished the game overall shooting 47.5 percent from the floor while knocking down 43.5 percent of its shots from three.
 
Zac Ervin led four Phoenix players in double figures as the Gate City, Va., native scored 17 points while hitting 4-of-6 from three-point range. Max Mackinnon had 14 points while Nick Dorn and TK Simpkins both added 13.
 
Wake Forest (1-0) also had four players score in double figures with Cameron Hildreth leading the way with a game-high 33 points. Andrew Carr had 24 points while missing out on a double-double with nine boards while Hunter Sallis and Kevin Miller added 19 and 17 points, respectively.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• The Phoenix got off to a great start, leading the Demon Deacons 9-3 after a Mackinnon three-pointer at the 16:17 mark. Mackinnon scored seven of the Phoenix's first nine points in that stretch before Wake Forest trimmed its deficit to four, 9-5, by the first media timeout.
• Wake Forest tied the contest at 11-all after a layup by Parker Friedrichsen, but the Phoenix answered with an 11-0 run capped off by a three-pointer by Simpkins. That gave the Phoenix a 22-11 advantage with 12:28 left in the first half.
• Elon kept pushing its lead. Back-to-back triples from Ervin and Kendall Campbell gave the Phoenix a 30-13 advantage with 9:48 remaining in the opening period. A layup by Campbell gave the Phoenix a 19-point cushion, 35-14, before the under-eight media timeout.
• A pair of free throws by Dorn gave the maroon and gold its largest lead at that point, 36-15, with 7:04 left in the first half. A Dorn three gave the Phoenix another 20-point advantage with 5:32 left in the half, 41-21.
• An LA Pratt layup gave the Phoenix a 45-26 lead, but Wake Forest came back with a 17-7 run to trim its deficit to single digits after a three-pointer by Sallis made the score 52-43 with just over a minute left in the half. Dorn however came back with a pullup three with 48 seconds left to give the Phoenix a 12-point lead going into the break, 55-43.
• Elon kept it a double-digit game after a jumper by Rob Higgins put the Phoenix up 59-48 with 18:40 left in the game. Wake Forest however responded with a 18-1 run over the next 6:30 to take its first lead at 66-60 after a pair of free throws.
• The Phoenix trimmed its deficit to four, 68-64, on a Pratt layup, but a 6-0 run by the Demon Deacons gave Wake Forest a 10-point lead, 74-64, forcing an Elon timeout with 8:23 left in the game.
• Elon pulled within single digits, 74-68, on an Ervin four-point play after he was fouled on a three-point attempt. That would be the closest the Phoenix would get as Wake Forest took control of the contest on an ensuing 9-0 run before the game settled on the
 
NOTES
• Elon's 78 points are the most that the maroon and gold has put up against the Demon Deacons in its series history. It is also the most points the Phoenix has scored against a Power 5 opponent since putting up 73 versus Missouri in 2014.
• Thanks to the efforts of Ervin and Simpkins, the Phoenix outscored the Demon Deacons, 36-8, in bench points.
• Elon also won the fastbreak battle by a score of 12-10. Both teams were deadlocked at 14-14 in points off turnovers.
• The last time Elon led at the half versus a Power 5 opponent came in 2019 when the Phoenix outscored ACC foe North Carolina, 33-32.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix hosts ETSU in its home-opener on Thursday night, Nov. 9 at Schar Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will air on FloHoops.