ELON, N.C. – A season-high 25 points for Torrence Watson was not enough for the Elon University men's basketball to hold off 18 three-pointers from College of Charleston as the Phoenix dropped an 88-66 decision to the Cougars on Thursday night, Feb. 16, at Schar Center.
 
Watson scored 20 points in the second half for his second-highest scoring performance of his career at Elon (7-21, 5-10 Colonial Athletic Association). Watson led a trio of scorers in double figures for the Phoenix with Sean Halloran adding 14 and Sam Sherry contributing with 11.
 
Charleston (26-3, 14-2 CAA) had five players reach double figures. Reyne Smith led a balanced scoring attack for the Cougars with 15 points while Ben Burnham and Ryan Larson added 13 apiece. Dalton Bolon (12) and Babacar Faye (10) rounded out the top scorers for CofC.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• The game was tightly contested for the majority of the first half with five ties, nine lead changes and neither team having an advantage of more than three points through the first 13 minutes.
• A Watson dunk after a steal from Zac Ervin gave Elon a 20-19 lead with 7:32 left in the first half. The Cougars proceeded to go on a 10-2 run to move ahead by seven, 29-22, forcing a Phoenix timeout.
• Elon cut its deficit to five, 31-26, after a layup by Sherry with 4:03 left on the clock. A 13-2 run by Charleston ballooned its lead to 16, 44-28, causing the Phoenix to call another timeout. A layup by Sherry and a couple of free throws by Halloran trimmed the Phoenix's deficit to 12 at the end of the half.
• The Cougars began the second half on an 11-2 run to push their advantage to 55-34 by the first media timeout of the second stanza. Charleston kept it a 21-point game after a jumper by Pat Robinson III made the score 57-36 with 14:59 left in the game.
• The Phoenix cut its deficit down to 13, 59-46, after going on a 10-2 run over the next four minutes. Watson was the main catalyst during that run, scoring six points in that span.
• Charleston pushed its lead back to 18, 68-50, after a Bolon three-pointer with 8:55 left to play. The Phoenix however persevered with a 12-4 run to cut it down to a 10-point game, 72-62, as Watson continued his hot streak with seven points during that stretch.
• A pair of Watson free throws would bring Elon back within 10 again, 74-64, with 4:19 remaining but the Phoenix would not get any closer as the Cougars eventually pulled away with the 88-66 victory.
 
NOTES
• Watson had his highest scoring output since putting up 20 points at NC State earlier this season on Nov. 19, 2022. It was also his second-highest scoring total at Elon, behind his career-high 34 points last season versus High Point. The St. Louis native also led the Phoenix on the boards with nine while also picking up two steals and a pair of blocks.
• Halloran had two steals in the contest, moving his season total to 54 thefts this year. He is only two steals shy of tying Scottie Rice's Division I program record for steals in a single season.
• The 18 three-pointers made by Charleston are the most that the Phoenix have given up in a single game at the Division I level. Last season, both Hofstra and Jacksonville State made 17 triples.
• The Phoenix won the battle over the Cougars in points off turnovers (20-12) and points in the paint (28-22). CofC however dominated on the glass with a 48-30 margin including 18 offensive boards for 22 second-chance points.
 
UP NEXT
Elon travels to Monmouth to begin a two-game road swing on Saturday, Feb. 18. That game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start time.