ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team travels to Campbell for its first CAA matchup against its instate rival on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Gore Arena/Pope Convocation Center. Game time between the Phoenix (8-11, 1-5 CAA) and the Camels is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
• The game will broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network with John Fanta and John Gianninni on the call.
• 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 the pregame show beginning at 4:30 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.
 
THE MATCHUP
• Both teams will be making their inaugural meeting as CAA opponents on Thursday in Campbell's first year in the league. Going into Thursday's matchup, Elon holds a 24-13 all-time advantage over the Camels.
• Thursday will be only the fifth meeting all-time between the intrastate rivals at the Phoenix's Division I era (since 1999-2000). Elon is 3-1 against Campbell during that time frame with a 1-1 ledger in Buies Creek.
• The two teams last played each other on Dec. 16, 2020, with Elon coming away with a 66-56 victory at Schar Center. Hunter McIntosh led the way for the Phoenix, posting 23 points and seven rebounds, while knocking down all eight of his free throws. Hunter Woods chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes of action while Kris Wooten finished with season-highs in points (12), rebounds (3) and threes (4) for the Phoenix.
• Elon last played at Campbell on Dec. 17, 2019, with the Camels coming away with a 60-46 win.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon hosted Northeastern to conclude its three-game homestand last Saturday, Jan. 20. The Huskies jumped out to a large lead in the opening half and were able to hold off a second-half rally by the Phoenix to earn an 84-72 victory.
• Max Mackinnon was one of three players who scored in double figures for the Phoenix, leading the way with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. LA Pratt matched his career-high for the second straight game with 16 points while Nick Dorn contributed with 11.
• Northeastern's win snapped the Phoenix's three-game win streak over the Huskies. It was Elon's first loss against Northeastern since a 66-58 setback on Jan. 3, 2021.
• Both teams shot well in the game at 52 percent each. The Huskies had a slight edge in three-point percentage at 44 percent compared to 42 for the Phoenix. Elon hit 11 triples in the game, its eighth game with 10 or more made three-pointers.
 
SCOUTING ELON
• Elon ranks in the top three of the CAA in effective field goal percentage (2^nd, 53.6), three-point percentage (2^nd, 36.5), bench points per game (3^rd, 27.74) and scoring offense (3^rd, 77.2 ppg).
• Four members of the Phoenix are currently scoring in double figures with six players averaging at least eight or more points per game.
• Mackinnon is the Phoenix's scoring leading in points per game (12.3) and has scored in double figures in eight of his past nine games. The Brisbane, Australia, native is second on the squad in rebounds per game at 4.8 boards per game and is second overall in assists with 46. He is also shooting 41.3 percent from downtown with his 33 triples ranking second on the team.
• Rob Higgins is second on the team at 12.0 points per contest while shooting 48.2. percent from the field and 38.9 percent from downtown this season. The Middletown, N.J., native is also the team's leading scorer during league play so far, averaging 13.7 points per game and has scored in double figures in six of his past seven games. The fifth-year is also pacing the Phoenix in assists with 61.
• TK Simpkins is third on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native currently leads the team in steals with 23 and is tied for third on the squad in assists with 44.
• Pratt had his seventh double-digit scoring contest of the season while tying his career-high with 16 points versus the Huskies. The Columbus, Ohio, native has scored in double figures the last three games, averaging 14.7 points per game while shooting over 65 percent from the field (17-of-26), including a 53 percent clip from three (9-of-17) over that stretch.
• Dorn is averaging 10.4 points per game as the Phoenix's fourth double-digit scorer. His 34 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 CAMPBELL
• In its first season in the CAA, Campbell has a record of 9-10 overall while sitting at 3-3 in league play. The Camels are coming off a 77-44 setback at Towson last Saturday, but had won two straight versus Hofstra and at William & Mary in its previous two games.
• Campbell is averaging 67.5 points on 45.3 percent shooting, including 31.4 percent from 3-point range, with 32.5 rebounds, 12.4 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.5 blocks per game, while allowing 65.9 points on 42.1 percent shooting, including 30.9 percent from 3-point range. The Camels are connecting on 72.7 percent from the free throw line.
• Two players (Anthony Dell'Orso and Laurynas Vaistaras) are averaging in double figures, while one other player is averaging better than seven points per game. Dell'Orso is the Camels' leading scorer at 17.5 points per game while also being the team's leading rebounder (6.2 rpg) and in three-point field goals (21).
• Vaistaras is second on the team in scoring with 10.6 points per game and is shooting 55.3 percent from the floor. The senior is also the team's best playmaker with 55 assists while hitting 40.5 percent from downtown.
• Kevin McGeehan is in his 11^th season as the head coach at Campbell. Over the past six seasons, McGeehan has led the Camels to 121 wins, the most in a seven-year span in the program's Division I history (since '77-78). During that span, the Camels have claimed four Big South trophies. Campbell won the 2019 Big South regular season title and finished as Big South tournament runner-up in 2017, 2021 and 2023.
 
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
Elon continues its road trek to Hampton on Saturday, Jan. 27. The Phoenix and the Pirates will matchup for an early afternoon contest at 2 p.m. with the game streaming on FloHoops.