ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team concludes its three-game homestand on Saturday night, Jan. 20, as the Phoenix (8-10, 1-4 CAA) hosts Northeastern (7-11, 2-3 CAA) at Schar Center. The contest is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off time.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
• The game will stream on the 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 along with analyst Will Roberson 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/X by following @ElonMBasketball.
 
TICKETS ON SALE
• Single-game tickets are now available for the 2023-24 Elon Basketball season! Don't miss the action, be there to cheer on your Phoenix! Grab your tickets today and be a part of the excitement in Schar Center!
• The Elon University Department of Athletics has many ticket options available for fans, including season tickets, single-game tickets and voucher books.
• For more information, visit ElonTickets.com or call the Elon Ticket Office at 336-278-6750.
 
GAMEDAY PROMOTION
• Celebrate Star Wars Night with the team this Saturday versus Northeastern. Children are encouraged to dress up as their favorite Star Wars characters to receive free admission!
• Star Wars characters will also be available for pictures with a costume parade at halftime.
 
THE MATCHUP
• Northeastern holds an 11-7 advantage all-time over the Phoenix in their series histories dating back to 2014-15. Elon however has won the past three meetings over the Huskies.
• Last season, the Phoenix escaped with a 74-73 win at Northeastern in the lone meeting between the two schools. Jerald Gillens-Butler scored the last five points for the Phoenix, including the game-winner with nine seconds left to help Elon overcome a four-point deficit in the final 30 seconds. A game-saving block by Sam Sherry at the buzzer helped the Phoenix preserve the win
• Gillens-Butler scored 18 points for the Phoenix as the Orlando, Fla., native was one of three players in double figures for Elon. Max Mackinnon led the Phoenix with 20 points and a career-high eight assists while Sean Halloran added 12.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• The Phoenix hosted UNCW in its recent contest on Thursday night. Elon fell behind by 19 points at the half, but nearly overcame its deficit in the second period before falling to the Seahawks, 82-70.
• Three players reached double digits for the Phoenix (8-10, 1-4 CAA) as LA Pratt and TK Simpkins both had 16 points to lead Elon. Rob Higgins added 13, with Elon ending the game shooting 44.9 percent overall.
• The Phoenix was down 46-27 at the break, but battled to cut its deficit to three points, 65-62, in the second half thanks to its 52 percent shooting in the second period.
• UNCW was able to keep the Phoenix from getting any closer with the Seahawks pulling away late to preserve their third straight win.
 
SCOUTING ELON
• Elon ranks in the top three of the CAA in three-point percentage (2^nd, 36.2), effective field goal percentage (3^rd, 53.2), bench points per game (3^rd, 28.61) and scoring offense (3^rd, 77.5 ppg).
• Four members on the Phoenix are currently scoring in double figures with seven players averaging seven or more points per game.
• Higgins leads the team in scoring average at 12.0 points per contest while shooting 49.4. percent from the field and 40.4 percent from downtown this season. The Middletown, N.J., native is also the team's leading scorer during league play so far, averaging 15.6 points per game and has scored in double figures in his last six games. The fifth-year is pacing the Phoenix in assists with 56.
• Max Mackinnon is second on the team in points per game (11.9) and has scored in double figures in seven of his past eight games. The Brisbane, Australia, native is also tied for the team-lead in rebounds at 4.9 boards per game and is third overall in assists with 43. He is also shooting 39.2 percent from downtown.
• Simpkins is third on the team in scoring at 11.6 points per game. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native had his best scoring outing of the CAA season against the Seahawks while going 9-of-11 from the free throw line.
• Sherry is tied with Mackinnon for the team-lead with 4.9 boards per game while his 19 rejections are seventh overall in the CAA. The junior is averaging 9.3 points per game and shooting 56.2 percent from the field.
• Nick Dorn made his return to the Phoenix lineup against UNCW after missing the previous two games. The Charlotte native scored five points versus the Seahawks and is averaging 10.4 points per game. His 32 three-pointers are also best on the team.
• The Phoenix returns eight players from last year's roster for second-year head coach Billy Taylor. Elon was predicted to finish 10^th in the 2023-24 CAA Preseason Poll after going 6-12 in league play last season.
• Along with Mackinnon, other returning starters for the Phoenix include Ervin and junior Sam Sherry. Ervin led the Phoenix in three-point makes last season with 61 while averaging 9.3 points per contest. The 6-foot-5 guard was third on the team in minutes per game (27.5) and assists (47).
• After averaging less than 10 minutes a game as a freshman, Sherry came on strong during his sophomore campaign. The Mechanicsville, Pa., native averaged 9.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while blocking a team-high 25 shots. He also finished second on the team in field-goal percentage at 57.8 and ended the year with his first career double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds versus William & Mary at the CAA Tournament.
• The maroon and gold also welcomes back three other veterans in senior JaDun Michael and sophomores Smart and LA Pratt. Michael played in 18 games with five starts, averaging 4.1 points. Pratt saw valuable playing time during his freshman season in which he started eight games while Smart gave the Phoenix valuable minutes off the bench before an injury cut short his season in which he averaged 9.0 points per game while 72.2 percent from the floor. Other returners on the Phoenix include sophomores Otto Luessenhop and Austin Williams.
•Elon welcomes seven newcomers to its roster for 2023-24. Joining the Phoenix are transfers Rob Higgins and TK Simpkins along with incoming freshmen Kendall Campbell, Nick Dorn, Isaac Harrell, Ned Hull and Savion Taylor.
• Among the notable newcomers include Higgins, a transfer from St. Francis Brooklyn College where he spent the past four seasons. A 6-foot-1, 179-pound guard from Middletown, N.J., Higgins tied for the team-lead in scoring this past season at St. Francis Brooklyn, averaging 11.3 points per contest.
• Simpkins is a 6-foot-4, 184-pound guard who was a member of the Northwest Florida State College program last season. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native appeared in 37 games for the Raiders, averaging 8.8 points per game.
 
SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN
• Northeastern is coming off a 72-65 setback at North Carolina A&T on Thursday with its most recent game. The loss snapped the Huskies' two-game winning streak going into the game.
• The Huskies are averaging 70.2 points on 46.5 percent shooting, including 30.2 percent from 3-point range, with 33.3 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 5.9 steals and 2.9 blocks per game, while allowing 72.8 points on 47.4 percent shooting, including 37.0 percent from 3-point range. Northeastern is connecting on 74.9 percent from the free throw line. The 46.5 percent field goal percentage is second overall in the CAA.
• Two players are averaging in double figures led by graduate students Chris Doherty (13.2 ppg.) and Luka Sakota (11.0 ppg.). Doherty is also the team's leading rebounder at 6.7 boards per game and playmaker with 45 assists while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor.
• Northeastern, who was predicted to finish seventh in the 2023-24 CAA Preseason Poll, is led by 18th-year head coach Bill Coen. The winningest coach in school history, Coen has led the Huskies to a CAA-best four regular season championships since 2006 and two NCAA tournaments over the last eight seasons.
 
PRESEASON PRAISE
• Sophomore Max Mackinnon received some preseason praise from the CAA as the Brisbane, Australia, native was named to the 2023-24 Preseason All-CAA second team on Oct. 19.
• The reigning CAA Rookie of the Year in 2022-23, Mackinnon is the Phoenix's returning leader in points (11.4 ppg), rebounds (5.1 rpg), assists (2.4 apg) and steals (1.1 spg). Mackinnon is coming off a rookie campaign in which he shot nearly 50 percent from the floor and was named CAA Rookie of the Week selection a league-high four times. He also led the program with three double-doubles and scored in double figures 17 times including four 20-point performances.
• Among Mackinnon's standout games last season included him scoring 19 points at No. 18/21 Indiana, the second-highest point total that a freshman has scored against the Hoosiers at that point of the season. He also scored a season-high 24 points while adding his first career double-double with 12 rebounds at High Point. He also added 20 points and a season-best eight assists at Northeastern while scoring 17 points with a career-best 13 rebounds at No. 22 College of Charleston.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix will take a two-game road swing beginning with a trip to league newcomer Campbell next Thursday, Jan. 25. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. with the contest being broadcasted on the CBS Sports Network.