ELON, N.C. – Sophomores Max Mackinnon and TK Simpkins combined for 51 points as the Elon University men's basketball team earned a 73-67 victory over Delaware on Thursday night, Feb. 15, in a CAA contest at Schar Center.
 
The win gave Elon (11-15, 4-9 CAA) its first win over the Blue Hens (16-10, 8-5 CAA) since 2019. The Phoenix also snapped its five-game losing skid at home with its first victory at Schar Center since defeating North Carolina A&T on Jan. 6.
 
Mackinnon set a new career-high with 26 points for the Phoenix while adding the seventh 20-point game of his career. Simpkins had a season-high 25 points, surpassing his previous best of 23 at Radford on Dec. 3. The duo combined to shoot over 50 percent from the field (18-of-32) with 11 rebounds and six assists between them.
 
Delaware had three players lead it offensively in double figures. Gerald Drumgoole Jr. had 24 points while Jyáre Davis added 19 with 11 rebounds. Christian Ray also had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Blue Hens.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• The Blue Hens took an 8-6 lead after a three-pointer, but a driving layup by Mackinnon and a three from Nick Dorn gave the Phoenix an 11-8 lead at the first media timeout.
• Delaware closed the gap to one, 11-10, after a Davis layup after the media timeout. LA Pratt put Elon up by four on a three-pointer with the Phoenix keeping a four-point advantage 16-12, at the next media timeout with 11:37 left in the opening half.
• A jumper by Mackinnon in the paint kept the Phoenix ahead with its four-point margin, 20-16, but the Blue Hens tied the game at 20-all after converting on an alley-oop dunk. Elon responded with an 8-2 run to go up 28-22 after a Simpkins pull-up jumper at the baseline with 4:29 left in the half.
• Elon went up by eight, 34-26, after a three at the top of the arc from Mackinnon with just under two minutes in the half. The Phoenix took its largest lead of the half, 38-29, after a pair of free throws by Simpkins, but Delaware hit a shot just before the horn to trim its deficit down to seven, 38-31, as both teams went into the halftime break.
• The Phoenix led 46-38 with 16:04 left in the game after two more Simpkins free throws. Elon matched that lead after Kendall Campbell was free for a layup to put the maroon and gold ahead 48-40.
• The Blue Hens battled back to trim Elon's lead to one with a 7-0 run. Davis hit a jumper followed by an alley-oop layup by Christian Ray on a fastbreak to bring Delaware within four. A three-pointer by Drumgoole Jr. brought Delaware within one, 48-47, forcing a Phoenix timeout.
• The Phoenix stopped the run momentarily with a Zac Ervin three from the top of the key to put Elon up four, 51-47. The Blue Hens however kept its momentum going, scoring six unanswered to take a 53-51 lead with 9:41 left to play.
• Mackinnon tied the game at 53-all after his jump hook in the lane. Delaware retook the lead after splitting a pair at the line, but Simpkins put the Phoenix back in front on a floater in the lane, putting the maroon and gold ahead 55-54.
• Delaware's Drumgoole Jr. hit a three-pointer with 5:03 left in the game, putting the Blue Hens up 57-55. Simpkins split a pair at the free throw line to bring the Phoenix within one, 57-56, before Davis did the same at the other end to give Delaware a two-point advantage, 58-56.
• The Phoenix tied the game at 58-all as Mackinnon was able to crash the offensive glass and get a putback. Elon went in front as Isaac Harrell hit a pair from the charity stripe that put the maroon and gold a 60-58 lead with 3:30 left to play.
• Davis split a pair of free throws at the line to bring the Blue Hens within one, 60-59, with just over three minutes left to play. Simpkins was able to respond on the other end, making a driving layup that put the Phoenix ahead 62-59.
• A defensive stand by the Phoenix off a block by Harrell gave the Phoenix a chance to close out the game. Mackinnon did just that as he found himself free for a three-pointer at the top of the key, pushing the Phoenix's advantage to six, 65-59, with just over a minute left in the game.
• Elon would ice the game at the free throw line in the final seconds as the Phoenix closed out with the 73-67 victory.
 
NOTES
• Mackinnon and Simpkins become the first set of Phoenix teammates to score 25 or more points since Tyler Seibring (28) and Dainan Swoope (25) did at William & Mary on Feb. 1, 2018.
• Elon snapped its eight-game losing streak versus the Blue Hens. The Phoenix last defeated Delaware on Jan. 31, 2019, with a 57-56 victory.
• The Phoenix forced 16 Delaware turnovers in the game, scoring 14 points off those miscues. On the other end, Elon allowed just six points off its nine turnovers.
• Elon had 13 steals in the contests, the second-highest in a game this season. Three players had three steals in Mackinnon, Campbell and Pratt while Harrell and Pratt had two thefts each.
• Simpkins also led the team in rebounds (six) and assists (four) while going 9-of-12 from the free throw line.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix begins a three-game road swing this Saturday, Feb. 17, as Elon travels to intrastate foe and CAA co-leader UNCW. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and will air on FloHoops.