WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Elon University men's basketball team suffered a 77-70 setback at William & Mary in the CAA opener for both teams on Thursday night, Jan. 4, at Kaplan Arena.
 
Elon (7-7, 0-1 CAA) had three players in double figures with Rob Higgins leading the way with a game-high 19 points. Max Mackinnon added 14 points while Nick Dorn contributed with 13 off the bench. As a team, Elon shot 43.8 percent from the floor (28-of-64) including a 51.5 percentage in the second half.
 
The Tribe (6-8, 1-0 CAA) saw four players score in double digits with Charlie Williams and Chase Lowe tying for the team-lead with 18 points. Lowe had a double-double on the night with 12 rebounds. Gabe Dorsey had 13 while Trey Moss had 12 for William & Mary.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon opened the game with an 11-8 lead at the 14:03 mark in the opening half after a layup from Higgins. The Tribe however went on a 5-1 run to take a 13-12 advantage by the second media timeout of the period.
• The Phoenix regained the lead on a Dorn three-pointer, but the Tribe tied the contest at 15-all after a layup. Fellow rookie Ned Hull answered with a triple of his own for the maroon and gold, giving Elon an 18-15 advantage.
• William & Mary made it a one-point game, 18-17, after a layup from Williams. Elon then went on a 7-2 run capped by a jumper from Mackinnon to put the Phoenix up 25-19.
• The Tribe came back with a 12-0 run of its own to retake the lead. Gabe Dorsey converted a three-pointer while getting fouled before a layup from Caleb Dorsey put the Tribe up 31-25. Both teams would score one more basket each before going into the half with William & Mary ahead 33-27.
 • The Phoenix got a couple of quick baskets to start the second half to cut its deficit to two. Higgins was able to score off a William & Mary turnover while a Sam Sherry jump hook made it a one-possession game, 33-31, with 18:52 left in the game.
• William & Mary answered with a 10-2 run over the next two and a half minutes to push its lead to double digits. A Caleb Dorsey basket gave the Tribe a 43-33 lead before Elon called a timeout at the 16:00 minute mark.
• The Tribe saw its lead grow as large as 15 points twice in the second half. A Williams' layup made the score 57-42 in favor of William & Mary at the 11:10 mark.
• Elon answered with a 15-4 run over the next four-plus minutes to cut its deficit to four. The Phoenix trimmed its deficit to single digits after a 6-0 run thanks to Higgins and Dorn and continued to eat at the Tribe's lead on layups from Higgins and Deandre Smart. A Mackinnon three-pointer at the 6:52 mark brought the Phoenix to four, 61-57.
• William & Mary was able to push its lead back to nine, 66-57, but the Phoenix battled back to make it a two-possession game again, 68-64, after a three-point play by Dorn with 2:31 left to play.
• Elon could not get any closer as the Tribe held off the Phoenix for the remainder of the game, eventually taking the 77-70 win.
 
NOTES
• The Phoenix fell to 3-7 all-time in CAA openers with the setback tonight. Elon's last CAA win came against Northeastern in 2021.
• Zac Ervin played in his 100^th career game for the Phoenix. The fifth-year scored three points while playing 16 minutes.
• Higgins scored in double figures for the sixth time this season while scoring 19 points for the second straight game. The Middletown, N.J., native added three assists and a couple of steals to his stat line.
• Elon held the Tribe to 6-of-21 shooting from three-point range. William & Mary came into the contest ranked 35^th in the nation in three-pointers made at 9.5 per game.
• The Phoenix outscored the Tribe, 23-10, in points off the bench. Both teams were deadlocked with 42 points apiece in the paint.
 
UP NEXT
Elon hosts Piedmont Triad rival North Carolina A&T on Saturday, Jan. 6, for its CAA home-opener at Schar Center. Tip-off time is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will stream on FloHoops.