GREENSBORO, N.C. –  The Elon University men's basketball team nearly overcame its 15-point opening half deficit to UNCG in the second period, but ultimately fell short to its Piedmont Triad rival, 82-73, on Sunday, Dec. 10, at Greensboro Coliseum.
 
Rob Higgins tied his best scoring output in an Elon uniform, leading the Phoenix (5-5) with 20 points. Junior Sam Sherry registered his second career double-double with 16 points while tying the game-high with 11 boards.
 
UNCG's Mikael Brown-Jones led all scorers with 27 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds for the Spartans (8-1), who won their seventh game in a row overall and sixth straight versus the Phoenix. Donovan Atwell had 16 points while going 4-of-10 from downtown while Joryam Saizonou contributed 12 to round out the double-digit scorers for the Spartans.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• The Spartans started the game on a 9-0 run before the Phoenix responded with a 7-0 run of its own to cut the deficit to two, 9-7, after three free throws by TK Simpkins at the 16:31 mark.
• A Zac Ervin three-pointer pulled the Phoenix within one, 11-10, but UNCG expanded its lead to six, 16-10, on a layup and a three-pointer.
• The Phoenix's Max Mackinnon hit a three-pointer in from the corner to pull the maroon and gold within four, 23-19, with 10:34 left in the first period. UNCG went on a 10-0 run to force an Elon timeout with the Spartans up 33-19 with 8:18 left in the half.
• Simpkins hit another free throw with 7:56 left in the period, but UNCG saw its lead expand to 24 on an 11-0 run after a three-pointer with 4:26 left in the opening half.
• After four consecutive free throws by Higgins to bring the deficit down to 14 with 1:34 left in the first half, a fast break dunk by Brown-Jones and a layup from Kobe Langley helped UNCG go into the break with a 50-35 cushion.
• Elon opened the second half on a 13-5 run to make it a five-point game. Brown-Jones put the Spartans ahead by 10, 55-45, on a three-pointer, but a layup from Sherry and a three-pointer in transition by Nick Dorn made the score 55-50 with 14:13 left to play.
• Back-to-back three-pointers from Atwell put UNCG back up by double digits, 61-55, but the Phoenix continued to stay close. A layup by Domas Kauzonas gave the Spartans a 69-59 advantage with 7:36 left to play. That however would be the last lead in double figures for the Spartans.
• Elon outscored the Spartans, 13-6, over the next seven minutes including a three-pointer by Higgins with 36 seconds left to make it a one-possession game with the Phoenix down 75-72.
• UNCG however kept the Phoenix from getting any closer as the Spartans connected on their free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
 
NOTES
• The Phoenix moved to 5-4 all-time versus UNCG in the Greensboro Coliseum.
• Elon ended the game shooting 36 percent (25-of-69) from the floor while hitting 31 percent (8-of-26) from three.
• Ervin's two threes in the game give him 180 made triples in his career. That places him in a tie for 11^th all-time in school history along with Drew Spradlin '12.
• Elon held UNCG to 34.6 percent shooting (9-of-26) in the second half. The Phoenix also only turned the ball over seven times in the contest, tying for its lowest total in a game this season.
• Sherry's 11 rebounds were one shy of his career-high of 12 that he set last season versus William & Mary in the opening round at the CAA Championships.
• Despite the loss, Elon is off to its best 10-game start on a season since going 6-4 at the beginning of the 2017-18 season.
 
UP NEXT
Elon is back on its home floor, hosting Bridgewater at Schar Center next Friday, Dec. 15. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start time and will air on FloHoops.