ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team is back on its home floor at Schar Center as the Phoenix (7-4) hosts fellow Piedmont Triad rival UNCG (6-5) on Saturday night, Dec. 21. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
• The game will stream on FloCollege (FloHoops) via a paid subscription.
• 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 Khirey Walker with the pregame show beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST
• 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
• Going into Saturday, Elon and UNCG have played 44 times on the basketball hardwood with the Phoenix holding a 26-19 advantage all-time.
• UNCG is the Phoenix's second-most faced team during its Division I era (since 1999-2000), with both teams having played each other 36 times. The series is deadlocked at 18-18.
• The Spartans have gotten the upper hand on the maroon and gold recently in the series, carrying a current win streak of six into Saturday's contest with three of those coming at Elon.
• Last season, the Elon was handed an 82-73 setback to its longtime I-40 rival at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Phoenix was down 15 points after the first half (50-35), but outscored the Spartans 38-32 in the second period in its attempt to erase its deficit. Rob Higgins led the Phoenix with 20 points while Sam Sherry registered a double-double with 16 points while tying the game-high with 11 boards.
• Elon's last win in the series came on Dec. 15, 2015, with the Phoenix taking a 79-69 win over the Spartans in Alumni Gym. Christian Hairston paced the Phoenix with a game-high 17 points on an efficient 7-for-10 shooting, while Tyler Seibring and Steven Santa Ana each added 13 points. Luke Eddy scored eight points and dished out a game-high nine assists.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon saw its four-game win streak come to an end on Wednesday, Dec. 18, with the Phoenix suffering an 84-58 setback at ETSU.
• The Buccaneers opened the game with a 16-3 lead and never looked back, holding the maroon and gold to 34 percent shooting overall and 23.1 percent shooting from three during the game. The Phoenix also shot less than 50 percent from the free throw line, converting 16-of-33 opportunities.
• TJ Simpkins had a game and season-high 27 points off the bench to lead the Phoenix. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native was 9-of-15 from the floor while playing a season-high 30 points. Nick Dorn was the other Phoenix player in double figures with 11 points.
• The 27 points off the bench for TJ Simpkins was the most for a Phoenix reserve since Dorn scored 25 off the pine versus Bridgewater last season.
 
SCOUTING UNCG
• Led by fourth-year head coach Mike Jones, the Spartans are 6-5 on the season after coming off an 86-37 win versus William Peace at home on Tuesday, Dec. 17. It was the third win out of the past four games for UNCG with two of those wins coming against other Piedmont Triad opponents High Point (72-68) and N.C. A&T (67-55).
• UNCG is averaging 72.1 points on 42.6 percent shooting, including 36.3 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 63.5 points on 38.9 percent from the field, including 28.2 percent from 3-point range. The Spartans are hitting on 73.2 percent from the free throw line. They have the 23^rd-best scoring defense in the nation, along with the No. 27-rated field goal percentage defense (26.9).
• Three players are averaging in double figures led by junior Kenyon Giles, who is averaging 16.0 points on 45.2 percent shooting. He is joined in double figures by junior Donovan Atwell (13.3 ppg.) and graduate student Ronald Polite III (12.0 ppg.). Redshirt junior Jalen Breath (7.5 ppg., 7.2 rpg.) is averaging a near double-double, including a team-high in rebounding.
• The Spartans went 21-11 overall and 12-6 in the SoCon at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. This season, UNCG was voted to finish sixth in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll with Atwell voted to the conference's preseason All-SoCon team.
• Jones is the 10th head coach in UNCG men's basketball history. He has led his teams to Big South championships, the NCAA tournament, and has seen his players go on to success in the NBA while posting an overall record of 238-193 in his 14 seasons as a head coach.
 
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.
 
2023-24 REWIND
• The Phoenix returned nine players from its squad a season ago including three starters. 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.
 
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 will be idle for the holiday break before hosting Marshall in its final nonconference game on Saturday, Dec. 28. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will stream on FloCollege.