ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team plays its third consecutive home game on Thursday night, Feb. 16, as the Phoenix welcomes Colonial Athletic Association co-leader College of Charleston to Schar Center. Game time is set for a 7 p.m. tip.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
• Thursday's game will stream live on FloHoops via a paid subscription.
• Listen to the game on the Elon Sports Network from Learfield on The Varsity Network app.
• Longtime voice of the Phoenix, Taylor Durham, will be on the call with the pregame show beginning at 6:30 p.m.
• Links for the broadcast and live stats can be found on the Elon men's basketball schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• Other in-game updates will be provided on Twitter by following @ElonMBasketball.
 
THE MATCHUP
• This is the 36^th time overall and the second this season that the Phoenix and the Cougars will meet on the basketball hardwood. Charleston holds a 26-9 advantage all-time in its series dating back to 1992-93. Since becoming CAA opponents in 2014-15, Elon is only 1-5 against the Cougars on its home floor.
• Both teams last played on Jan. 14, as then No. 22 Charleston earned a 78-60 victory over the Phoenix on its home floor at TD Arena. It was the 17^th win in a row for the Cougars at that point in their season.
• Max Mackinnon posted his second double-double of the season with 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for Elon, who held a 34-32 first-half lead over CofC before being outscored 46-26 in the second stanza.
• Zac Ervin had 11 points while Torrence Watson contributed with 10 off the bench to round out the double-figure scorers for Elon.
• The last time the teams met in Schar Center, the Cougars came away with a 66-64 victory on Feb. 5, 2022. Charleston's Nick Farrar hit the game-winning jumper with two seconds left to help the Cougars escape with the win.
• Elon's last win in the series came on Feb. 14, 2021, as the Phoenix earned a 66-55 win in Charleston. Three players scored in double figures for the maroon and gold including a game-high 20 points from Hunter McIntosh.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Clutch play down the stretch from Mackinnon helped the Phoenix to a 70-68 victory over Hampton on Monday night, Feb. 13, at Schar Center. Mackinnon scored the last five points of the game for the maroon and gold including the go-ahead free throws with four seconds left.
• Mackinnon had a game-high 18 points for the maroon and gold, one of three double-digit scorers for Elon. Jerald Gillens-Butler added 14 off the bench while Sean Halloran contributed with 10.
• Elon built a 42-31 lead over the Pirates after the first half and was up by as many as 17 points early in the second half. Hampton however battled back and would eventually take its first lead in the second half, 64-63, on a layup with just under five minutes left to play.
• Hampton would push its lead to three, 66-63, with 4:21 remaining in the game, but would score only two points the rest of the way. Halloran would pull the Phoenix within one on a layup with 1:32 left in the game before finding Mackinnon on a three-pointer that put Elon ahead 68-66 with 36 ticks left on the clock.
• After Hampton tied the game on the other end with 11 seconds left, Elon ran a play for Mackinnon, who was able to draw a foul to earn a trip to the free throw line with four seconds left. The freshman calmly knocked down both shots from the charity stripe to give Elon the lead for good.
 
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE, Oi Oi Oi
• Mackinnon's strong play of late coincided with him repeating as the CAA Rookie of the Week on Monday. The Brisbane, Australia, native earned his third overall weekly accolade this season.
• Last week, Mackinnon led the Phoenix in scoring with 16.5 points per game and tied the team-lead with 8.5 boards per contest. He scored 22 points and had a game-high nine rebounds in Elon's 66-55 victory over William & Mary last Saturday. It was the fourth 20-point performance of the season for the first-year player.
• In his last six games, Mackinnon is averaging 16.7 points per game while shooting 53.9 percent from the floor. He has scored in double figures in each of those games with the Phoenix winning five of those contests.
• Mackinnon becomes the first Elon player with at least three CAA Rookie of the Week honors since Hunter McIntosh was recognized four times during the 2019-20 season. His three league rookie honors are the second-most this season behind Hofstra's Amar'e Marshall, who has earned it four times.
 
SCOUTING ELON
• Elon is averaging 66.2 points per game and ranks fourth in the CAA in fastbreak points at 9.41 points per game, free throw percentage (72.8) and fifth in assists (12.6). The Phoenix also ranks in the top half of the league in three-point percentage defense at 33.6 percent.
• After losing 11 straight, the Phoenix has been one of the hottest teams in the CAA going 5-1 in its past six games. During that stretch, Elon is second in the CAA in scoring defense at 62.5 points allowed and field goal percentage defense at 40.2 percent. The Phoenix has also done a great job on the board in its last six games, outrebounding the opposition by a +4.7 margin (35.7-31.0).
• Halloran continues to lead the Phoenix in scoring at 12.9 points per game and has led Elon in scoring eight times this year. The Orlando, Fla., native has scored in double figures a team-best 21 times.
• Halloran is also the Phoenix's top playmaker with 115 total assists. His 4.3 assist average is fifth in the CAA and the highest for the program since Luke Eddy averaged 4.5 assists per game during the 2015-16 season.
• Halloran is second in the CAA in total steals (52) and steals per game (1.9). He currently sits only four steals shy of tying Scottie Rice's D-I mark of 56 in 2003-04.
• Mackinnon is second on the team in scoring at 12.0 points per game and rebounds at 5.3 boards per contest. During CAA play, Mackinnon leads the team in points per game (12.5) while also averaging 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
• For the season, Mackinnon is shooting 50 percent from the floor, which is third on the team among players with 20 or more made field goals behind Sam Sherry (54.8) and John Bowen III (50.7).
• Gillens-Butler continues his recovery back into the Phoenix's lineup after missing the first half of the season due to injury. The Orlando, Fla., native has started eight of his past nine games he has played and is averaging 10.8 points per game during that stretch. He is averaging 14.5 points in his past six games with five double-digit scoring performances in which the Phoenix has won four of those contests.
• Zac Ervin leads the Phoenix with 56 makes from three-point range and has knocked down 152 treys in his career. The Gate City, Va., native is third on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per game.
• With his 14 points versus William & Mary last Saturday, Sherry had his best scoring performance since also putting up 14 at Presbyterian on Dec. 15, 2022. His 14 points were also the most for the sophomore in his 24 career CAA games.
• Watson has been a spark on the boards for the Phoenix, averaging a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game. The St. Louis native has had four double-digit rebounding games in his last seven games, averaging 8.9 rebounds per game during that stretch.
• Health has been a major storyline for the Phoenix this season. Five players – Halloran, Ervin, Sherry, Bowen III and LA Pratt – have appeared in all 27 games so far for the Phoenix. Elon has also had four scholarship players – Gillens-Butler, Andrew Junkin, JaDun Michael and Deandre Smart – miss eight or more games this season with injuries.
 
SCOUTING COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
• The Cougars are 25-3 overall on the season and 13-2 in the CAA, which is tied with Hofstra atop the league standings. After a brief two-game losing skid, CofC has reeled off four straight wins including a 99-63 verdict over Northeastern on Monday at home.
• Charleston is averaging 81.1 points per game, which leads the league by seven points over the next closest team Hofstra. The Cougars are hitting 44.3 percent of their shots from the field including a 33.8 percent mark from three while averaging 40.8 rebounds per game – the fifth-best mark in the nation. CofC is also third in the country in bench points at 33.3 points per game and second in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (13.7).
• College of Charleston is one of the more balanced scoring teams in the CAA with five players averaging double figures. Dalton Bolon paces the squad with his 12.9 points per game and leads the team at the free throw line at 88.1 percent. Ante Brzovic and Pat Robinson III are tied for second on the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game with Brzovic being the team's leading rebounder at 5.5 boards per contest. Reyne Smith (10.5 ppg) and Ryan Larson (10.3 ppg) round out the double-digit scorers for Charleston with Smith leading the team with 73 makes from three.
• Pat Kelsey is in his second season as the head coach at College of Charleston where he has put up an overall record of 42-18. In his 11-year career as a head coach, Kelsey has an overall record of 228-113.
 
ELON BASKETBALL LIVE RETURNS
• With the start of the new calendar year coinciding with the beginning of Colonial Athletic Association play, Elon Basketball Live presented by MaGerks returned on Monday, Jan. 9. The show will take place at MaGerks Pub & Grill in Elon.
• Elon Basketball Live is the exclusive chance for fans to hear directly from head women's basketball coach Charlotte Smith and head men's basketball coach Billy Taylor all winter long. The longtime voice of the Phoenix, Taylor Durham, will chat with both Smith and Taylor, along with player guests, about recent and upcoming games.
• Fans are invited to attend the broadcast live and can also listen via The Varsity Network app on their phone or smart device. The show will also be available on Tuesday morning via The Voices of Elon Athletics Podcast on Spotify.
 
TICKETS ON SALE
• Season tickets are now on sale for $170 for men's basketball.
• Single-game tickets are now on sale! Single-game tickets begin at $15 for men's basketball.
• Fans are able to purchase a book of 10 ticket vouchers for $75. These vouchers are redeemable for a ticket to any Elon men's or women's basketball regular season home game. Use all 10 for any one game, or use one voucher for 10 different games. Fans will also receive an Elon mini autographed basketball from the head coaches. These tickets represent a 50 percent savings for men's basketball tickets and a 25 percent savings for women's basketball vs. single-game prices.
• Ticket vouchers must be redeemed for a reserved seat ticket prior to entry. This can be done at the Schar Center Box Office during regular business hours (M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) or starting 90 minutes prior to tipoff.
• For more information, visit ElonTickets.com or call the Elon Ticket Office at 336-278-6750.
 
LAUNCHING THE BILLY TAYLOR ERA
• Billy Taylor was named the 19^th head coach of the Phoenix on April 15, 2022. Taylor arrived to the Phoenix after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa.
• Prior to working with the Hawkeyes, Taylor spent five years as head coach at Lehigh University followed by six seasons as the head coach at Ball State University and three at Belmont Abbey College.
• In his time at Iowa, the Hawkeyes ranked as one of the top offensive teams in the country, ranking fifth nationally in scoring average in both 2021 (83.7) and 2022 (83.2). The program also led the country in assist-to-turnover ratio in both seasons.
• Taylor was a two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year (2003, 2004) and led Lehigh to both the regular season and tournament titles in 2004, earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament that season. He also guided Ball State to the 2009 MAC West Division crown.
 
OPENING TIP
• Elon welcomes back seven letterwinners from last year's team including five upperclassmen. Among the notable returners for the maroon and gold includes graduate student Torrence Watson and senior Zac Ervin. Both players are the leading returning scorers for Elon at 9.2 and 7.1 points per game, respectively.
• The Phoenix also welcomes back redshirt Jerald Gillens-Butler, who hopes to return to form after being named an All-Colonial Athletic Association honorable mention prior to last year. The Orlando, Fla., native appeared in only 10 games last year after missing most of the prior season due to an injury.
• A pair of graduate transfers will look to make an immediate impact for the Phoenix this season. Sean Halloran arrives to the Phoenix after an outstanding four-year career at Belmont Abbey. The Orlando, Fla., native finished as the all-time career assist leader with the Crusaders while helping the program to back-to-back Conference Carolinas Tournament Championships and three straight NCAA tournament appearances. He rounded out his career averaging 14.4 points per game as a senior and concluded his career with 1,422 points.
• Another graduate transfer, John Bowen III, brings size to the Phoenix front line at 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds. The Bladenboro, N.C., native last played at UNCW in 2019-20 and appeared in 28 out of 32 games. Prior to UNCW, Bowen III was a teammate of Halloran's at Belmont Abbey and averaged 8.9 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per contest in 2018-19 while starting 27 of 28 games.
• A pair of freshmen will also look to make an impact for the maroon and gold in 2022-23. Max Mackinnon is a 6-foot-5 swingman from Brisbane, Australia, where he won back-to-back gold medals with the U20 Australian National Team. He was also named an All-Star 5 at the Australian National Championship.
• Another freshman, LA Pratt, is a 6-foot-5 guard from Columbus, Ohio, who was a three-time All-4A Team member and three-time conference champion at Lincoln Park High School. He scored over 1,000 points in high school and helped guide the program to two WPIAL Championship appearances and two State Semifinal appearances.
 
UP NEXT
Elon travels to Monmouth for its first-ever meeting against the Hawks on Saturday, Feb. 18. That game is set for a 2 p.m. start time.