WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - In a match-up of two of the hottest teams in the CAA, the Elon University men's basketball team went on the road and defeated Monmouth 75-68 on Saturday, Feb. 18. Elon has won 6-of-8 to improve to 8-21 overall and 6-10 in league play. Monmouth, which had won 5-of-7 entering the day, fell to 6-23 overall and 5-11 in CAA action.  
 
The win continues a remarkable turnaround for the Phoenix. Sitting at just 2-19 overall and 0-8 in conference play in late January, Elon has gone on a tear and climbed into the middle of a traffic jam in the CAA standings. Seven teams have between five and seven wins in the 13-team league heading into the final week of the regular season.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Monmouth led by as many as four points early, clinging to an 18-14 lead just over seven minutes into the contest.  
• A Max Mackinnon jumper sparked an 8-1 run with all of those points coming from Mackinnon and John Bowen III. Elon would never trail again in the contest.
• Monmouth did tie the game at 23-23 but Torrence Watson and LA Pratt knocked down three-pointers on back-to-back possessions as Elon went on a 9-2 run to build a 32-25 advantage. 
• The lead ballooned to 10 on five straight points from Mackinnon but Monmouth answered with an 8-0 run to make it 37-35.  
• Watson connected on another three and the Phoenix took a 43-35 lead into the halftime break. 
• Elon pushed the lead to 12 early in the second half after back-to-back three-pointers from Watson and Sean Halloran. Monmouth never got closer than five points the rest of the way as the Phoenix closed out the victory. 

 
NOTES AND STATS 

• Max Mackinnon posted his fourth double-double of the season and flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. 
• Sean Halloran led Elon with 16 points, adding seven rebounds and three assists. 
• All five Elon starters scored in double figures. 
• Elon shot 48 percent from the field. It is the fifth time the Phoenix has shot at least 47 percent during the team's 6-2 stretch. Prior to that, Elon had shot 47 percent in a game just three times in the first 21 games. 
• Elon made 10 three-pointers (four from Torrence Watson) for the third time in a game this season. 
• LA Pratt tied his career-high with nine points, a mark he reached against Hampton less than a week ago.  
• Elon outrebounded Monmouth 40-31 and had 14 offensive rebounds. Elon has tied or led the rebounding stat in six of the past seven games.  

 
UP NEXT 

• Elon heads to William & Mary on Thursday, Feb. 23, for a 7:00 p.m. tip. 
• The Phoenix hosts Delaware on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7:00 p.m. in the final game of the regular season for Senior Day. 
• The CAA Championships will take place in Washington, D.C. March 3-7.