BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team was handed a 78-68 setback at Campbell in a CAA road contest on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Gilbert Craig Gore Arena.
 
The Phoenix (8-12, 1-6 CAA) saw four players score in double figures with Zac Ervin pacing the squad with 19 points off the bench. TK Simpkins and Rob Higgins each added 12 points while Max Mackinnon contributed with 10.
 
Anthony Dell'Orso had 29 points to lead all scorers for the Camels (10-10, 4-3 CAA). He was joined in double digits by teammates Jasin Sinani (12 points), Laurynas Vaistaras (11 points), and Elijah Walsh (10 points).
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Both teams traded baskets through the first four minutes of the game. Elon hit a pair of three-pointers on its first two baskets to take a 6-4 lead, but Campbell tied the contest on a layup before the first media timeout.
• A three-pointer from Ervin gave the Phoenix an 11-7 lead with 14:40 left in the opening half. Ervin would later extend the Phoenix's lead to five after three free throws to put the maroon and gold ahead 16-11.
• Campbell responded to take the lead, 18-16, after a dunk by Sinani on a fastbreak. Ervin tied the contest at 18-all on two more free throws, but a 7-2 run by the Camels gave them a 25-20 lead at the 6:59 mark in the first half.
• A layup by Mackinnon and a three from Simpkins tied the game once again at 25-25 at the six-minute mark in the first period. Those plays started a 6-0 run as the Phoenix went up by six for its largest lead at that point.
• Campbell cut into Elon's lead and tied the game at 36-all after a pair of free throws by Dell'Orso with 25 seconds remaining. Sam Sherry hit a layup to put the Phoenix back in front, but a last-second triple from the Camels gave them a 39-38 advantage going into the half.
• The Camels started the second half with a couple of quick baskets, forcing an Elon timeout just 12 seconds into the second period with the Phoenix down 43-38.
• Elon cut its deficit down to one, 43-42, on a Sherry field goal. An 11-2 run by the Camels over the next five minutes gave Campbell a 10-point advantage 54-44, after a three-pointer.
• A jumper by Dell'Orso at the 5:37 mark gave the Camels its largest lead of the game, 74-58. The Phoenix was able to cut its deficit below double digits twice, with the last coming on a Rob Higgins layup with just over a minute left in the game. Another layup from Dell'Orso 30 seconds later set the final score of 78-68.
 
NOTES
• Ervin scored his season-high in points while going 5-of-10 from the floor including 4-of-9 from three-point range. His four three-point makes give him 191 made triples in his career, just one shy of moving into the program's top-10 career list.
• Higgins came off the bench for the first time this season. The fifth-year was 4-of-7 from the floor in 24 minutes.
• Thanks to Ervin and Higgins, the Phoenix scored 36 total points off the bench. It was the ninth game of the season that the Elon reserves has scored 30 or more points.
• Nick Dorn had a season-high 10 rebounds for the Phoenix in 25 minutes.
 
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.