ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team is back at home for its second straight CBS Sports Network broadcast as the Phoenix (11-5, 2-1 CAA) hosts Campbell (7-9, 2-1 CAA) for a league contest on Monday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. at Schar Center.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
• The game will air on the CBS Sports Network with Dave Ryan and Terrence Oglesby 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 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 X (formerly Twitter) by following @ElonMBasketball.
 
THE MATCHUP
• Monday will be the 40^th time that the two teams will meet on the basketball hardwood and the second year as CAA opponents. Elon leads the all-time series over its intrastate rival with a ledger of 24-15, but Campbell has won two straight over the Phoenix and three of the last four contests.
• Last season in its first year as CAA rivals, the Camels swept the Phoenix in both matchups during the regular season. The most recent game was a 69-67 heartbreaker as Campbell scored on a game-winning layup with four seconds left at Schar Center. Sam Sherry led four Phoenix players in double figures with 15 points.
• In their first CAA matchup against the Phoenix, the Camels came away with a 78-68 win on its home floor. Zac Ervin had 19 points for the maroon and gold off the bench to lead four players in double figures.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon was handed its first setback in four games and in CAA play as the maroon and gold fell at William & Mary on Thursday, 78-65. The win was the fourth straight for the Tribe over the Phoenix at Kaplan Arena.
• The Phoenix held an early 11-4 lead in the contest between the two previously unbeaten teams during league play. Elon led by as much as eight in the opening half, but saw its lead erased by the Tribe, who took their first advantage of the game, 30-28, with just under three minutes left in the first period. Nick Dorn scored an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Phoenix in front at the half, 31-30.
• The Tribe turned up its defensive pressure in the second half, holding the Phoenix to under 40 percent shooting as Elon went only 1-of-13 from downtown in the final period. William & Mary would score 48 points in the final stanza to improve to 3-0 in CAA play.
• Sam Sherry had 14 points for the Phoenix while adding his fifth double-double of the season with 11 rebounds. TJ Simpkins had 13 while Nick Dorn added 12. Matthew Van Komen rounded out the Phoenix top scorers with 10.
• Despite shooting 39.7 percent from the field overall in the game, Elon was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. The last time the Phoenix went perfect at the charity stripe was versus Hampton on Feb. 13, 2023, while also going 10-of-10.
 
SCOUTING CAMPBELL
• Led by longtime head coach Kevin McGeehan, Campbell is 7-9 on the season, including 2-1 in the CAA after a 66-55 win at Hampton on Thursday. The win improved the Camels to 4-6 on the road this season.
• Campbell is averaging 69.8 points on 43.1 percent shooting, including 32.6 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 67.7 points on 46.3 percent shooting from the field, including 30.1 percent from 3-point range.  The Camels are hitting on 78.4 percent from the free throw line, ranking 15^th overall in the nation in free throw percentage.
• Five players are averaging 8.6 points per game or better, including a pair of double-digit scorers in Jasin Sinani (13.3 ppg.) and Colby Duggan (11.7 ppg.), who have combined for 47 of the 119 made 3-pointers. Sinani is also the team's top distributor with a team-high 38 assists while averaging 5.1 boards per game. Nolan Dorsey leads the Camels in rebounds (5.4 rpg.) and in steals (26).
• The Camels were 14-18 overall last season and went 8-10 in its inaugural season in the CAA. Campbell was predicted to finish 13^th overall in the 2024-25 CAA Preseason poll.
• During his time as the head coach at Campbell, McGeehan has helped the Camels win four conference titles while being named the Big South Coach of the Year in 2018-19. He has posted an overall record of 176-191 at the helm of the Campbell program, including five winning seasons.
 
ELON BASKETBALL LIVE IS BACK
• Elon Basketball Live presented by Select Bank is back on Monday nights at MaGerks Pub and Grill in Elon, N.C., coinciding with the start of the new calendar year and the Phoenix's start in CAA basketball play. The show will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday nights with a couple of schedule exceptions.
• Elon Basketball Live is the exclusive chance for fans to hear directly from head women's basketball coach Charlotte Smith and head men's basketball coach Billy Taylor all winter long. The longtime voice of the Phoenix, Taylor Durham, will chat with both Smith and Taylor, along with player guests, about recent and upcoming games.
• Fans are invited to attend the broadcast live and can also listen via The Varsity Network app on their phone or smart device. The show will also be available on Tuesday morning via The Voices of Elon Athletics Podcast on Spotify.
• Due to the Phoenix men's basketball team playing Campbell on Monday night, next week's show will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
 
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
The Phoenix travels to Drexel for a matchup against the Dragons on Thursday, Jan. 16. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will stream on FloCollege (FloHoops).