ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team (0-0) will tip off the 2023-24 season on Monday night, Nov. 4 in a nationally televised matchup at No. 9/10 North Carolina in the Smith Center. Expected tipoff between the Phoenix and the Tar Heels is scheduled at 9 p.m.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
• The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network with Wes Durham and Cory Alexander on the call.
• Listen to the Elon Sports Network from Learfield IMG College's coverage on The Varsity Network app.
• Longtime voice of the Phoenix, Taylor Durham, will be on the call along with Will Roberson with the pregame show beginning at 8:30 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 by following @ElonMBasketball.
 
THE MATCHUP
• This is the fifth time that the Phoenix and the Tar Heels will meet on the basketball hardwood in their series histories. It will be the fourth time that Elon will travel to its in-state foe in Chapel Hill.
• North Carolina is unbeaten in the series at 4-0. The two teams last met in 2021 at the Dean Center with the Tar Heels coming away with a 100-62 victory. Hunter McIntosh led the way for the Phoenix, dropping 16 points and two rebounds in a team-high 34 minutes. Darius Burford added 12 points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes for Elon.
 
PRESEASON PRAISE
• Junior guard TK Simpkins was named to the 2024-25 Preseason All-CAA as the league announced its preseason awards on Oct. 18. Simpkins is the second Phoenix to earn a spot on the All-CAA preseason team in the past two seasons.
• The Brooklyn, N.Y., native was the Phoenix's top scorer at 13.8 points per game and in total assists with 90. He also finished second on the squad at 4.7 rebounds per game while pacing the Phoenix in free throws made at 128 while hitting 74 percent from the charity stripe.
• During the CAA season, Simpkins upped his scoring average to 14.6 per game and tied for the team-lead in rebounds per contest (4.9) while dishing out 3.7 assists per game. He was also active on the defensive end, recording 45 steals on the season. He scored in double figures 21 times in 2023-24.
 
SCOUTING ELON
• The Phoenix returns nine players from its squad a season ago including three starts. Overall, Elon brings back 54 percent of its scoring, 66 percent of its rebounding, 43 percent of its assists and 41 percent of its three-point field goals from 2023-24.
• Elon is coming off a season ranking third in the CAA in three-point field goal percentage (35.2), fourth in three-point attempts (24.4) and fourth in steals per game (6.3). The Phoenix also posted its first winning record on its home floor at Schar Center for the first time in the seven-year facility (excluding the truncated 2020-21 COVID season).
• Along with Simpkins, Elon's other returning starters are senior forward Sam Sherry and sophomore guard Nick Dorn. Both players averaged over nine points per game while starting at least 22 games for the maroon and gold.
• Head coach Billy Taylor begins his third season at the helm of the Phoenix men's basketball program. Taylor helped the Phoenix to post its first winning record at the Schar Center last season while also helping the maroon and gold earn a pair of wins versus teams with an RPI/NET rating of 150 in UNCW and Delaware.
 
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA
• The Tar Heels begin the 2024-25 season ranked ninth in the AP Top 25 poll and tenth in the USA Today Sports Coaches poll. North Carolina went 29-8 last season culminating with a trip to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Tar Heels return 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and 2024-25 preseason first-team All-America guard RJ Davis to this year's lineup, alongside returning starting point guard Elliot Cadeau.
• Davis was also selected to the preseason watchlist for the 2024-25 Naismith Trophy and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Player of the Year awards. The White Plains, N.Y., native led the ACC in scoring at 21.4 points per game.
• Hubert Davis begins his fourth season as the head coach at his alma mater and his 13^th overall on the Tar Heel coaching staff. Davis has won National and ACC Coach-of-the-Year honors, led the Tar Heels to 78 wins, a 43-17 record in ACC play, a Final Four berth, an ACC regular-season championship, 19 road wins and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in his first three years as head coach.
 
TICKETS ON SALE
• Single-game tickets are available for purchase on ElonTickets.com. Single-game tickets begin at $20 for men's basketball. Fans are able to purchase a book of 10 ticket vouchers for $100. These vouchers are redeemable for a ticket to any Elon men's regular season home game. Ticket vouchers must be redeemed for a reserved seat ticket prior to entry. This can be done at the Schar Center Box Office during regular business hours (M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) or starting 90 minutes prior to tipoff.
• Elon men's basketball season tickets are just $170. For Phoenix Club donors at the Elon Society level, courtside seats are $210, and access to the Sunbrella Club is $360. The Sunbrella Club provides private access to a cash bar and food buffet catered by Harvest Table with a rotation of menus for each game.
• For more information, visit ElonTickets.com or call the Elon Ticket Office at 336-278-6750.
 
UP NEXT
Elon hosts Bluefield (Va.) in its home opener on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Schar Center. Tipoff between the Phoenix and the Rams is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will stream on FloCollege.