ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team played a valiant opening-half effort for its five-person senior class, but saw its Senior Night spoiled at the hands of Delaware, who earned a 70-54 victory on Saturday night, Feb. 25, at Schar Center in the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season finale.
 
Sean Halloran had 15 points for Elon (8-23, 6-12 CAA), who will be the No. 9 seed for the upcoming 2023 Jersey Mike's CAA Championship next week in Washington, D.C. Halloran was 5-of-7 from the floor and 3-of-3 from downtown.
 
Delaware (16-15, 8-10 CAA) had a balanced attack with five players in double figures. Jameer Nelson, Jr. led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting while LJ Owens added 13 off the bench. Christian Ray (12 points, 13 rebounds) and Jyáre Davis (11 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles for the Blue Hens, who will defend its tournament title as the No. 6 seed.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Both teams were in a tightly contested game for the first eight-plus minutes. Elon held an 11-7 lead after a Sam Sherry dunk before Nelson Jr. hit a three-pointer to cut the Blue Hens deficit to one at the 11:36 mark in the opening half.
• The Phoenix came back with a 9-2 run to take a 20-12 advantage after a three-pointer by Zac Ervin. Elon extended its lead to 25-16 on a Sherry layup to give the Phoenix its largest of the half with 7:06 left in the first period.
• Another Sherry jumper put the Phoenix up seven, 27-20, at the 6:02 mark, but Delaware answered with a 11-4 run to tie the game at 31-all. Nelson Jr. gave the Blue Hens the lead before the first half horn as Delaware went into the break with a 34-31 lead.
• Both teams traded three-pointers to start the second stanza with Halloran's triple bringing the Phoenix back within three, 37-34. Delaware went on a 9-2 run to expand its lead to 10, 46-36, after a free throw by Ray with 14:37 left in the game.
• Elon three times brought its deficit down to five points in the second half with the last coming after a pair of Halloran free throws with 7:21 remaining in the game as the Phoenix trailed 52-47.
• Delaware put the game out of reach with an ensuing 15-2 run over the next 6:21 to move ahead 67-49. Elon scored a couple of baskets late to help settle the 70-54 score.
 
NOTES
• Prior to the game, Elon honored its five-person senior and graduating class of Halloran, John Bowen III, Jerald Gillens-Butler, Andrew Junkin and Torrence Watson. Four of the five players started the game with Junkin missing action due to injury.
• Scoring 15 points tonight, Halloran has scored in double figures for his last eight games.
• Elon was 5-of-14 from three-point range. It's the fifth time this season the Phoenix have made five or fewer threes, going 2-3 in those contests.
• Gillens-Butler had a season-high four assists for the Phoenix on the day. The Orlando, Fla., native had seven points in the game.
• Bowen III had seven points, three rebounds and a season-high three blocks in his first start since Dec. 20, 2022, at Indiana.
• This is the seventh occasion that Halloran played at least 38 minutes this season.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix preps for its opening-round game at the 2023 Jersey Mike's CAA Championship against No. 8 seed William & Mary next Saturday, March 4. That game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start time at the Entertainment & Sports Arena and will air on FloHoops.