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TK Simpkins at the free throw line at Drexel on Jan. 16
Troy L. Sayles

Men's Basketball Troy L. Sayles, Associate Director of Athletic Communications

Phoenix Closes Out Road Swing at Delaware Saturday

at Delaware
Saturday, Jan. 18 | 2:00 p.m.
Newark, Del.
Bob Carpenter Center
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Live Stats
Elon Notes (.PDF)
ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team closes out its two-game road trip with a matchup at Delaware on Saturday, Jan. 18. Tip-off between the Phoenix (13-5, 4-1 CAA) and the Blue Hens (10-8, 3-2 CAA) is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center.
 
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 with the pregame show beginning at 1:30 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 X (formerly Twitter) by following @ElonMBasketball.
 
THE MATCHUP
• The Blue Hens lead the all-time matchup over the Phoenix, 12-9, as the two teams play for the first and only time during this regular season on Saturday.
• Elon won the most recent contest last season, 73-67, on its home floor at Schar Center. The victory was the Phoenix's first over the Blue Hens since 2019, snapping an eight-game losing streak.
• TK Simpkins scored 25 points in the contest for the maroon and gold while also leading the Phoenix in rebounds (six) and assists (four) while going 9-of-12 from the free throw line. The Phoenix also 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.
• The Blue Hens have won eight straight versus the Phoenix at home going into Saturday. Elon's last win at Delaware came on Feb. 27, 2016, with the Phoenix earning a 77-59 verdict.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon began its road trip with a 65-54 victory at Drexel on Thursday, improving to 4-1 in league play. The win was the Phoenix's first at the Dragons since 2017.
• Sam Sherry had 19 points to lead the Phoenix while almost adding his seventh double-double with nine rebounds. TJ and TK Simpkins both scored 15 for Elon with TK matching a season-high with four made three-pointers.
• Drexel opened the game with an early 6-2 lead, but the Phoenix took the lead around the 15-minute mark in the opening period which it never relinquished for the remainder of the game. Elon would lead by as much as 11 in the first half before taking a 37-31 advantage into the break.
• After a scoring lull to start the second half by the Phoenix allowed the Dragons to pull within two, 37-35, Elon responded with a 10-2 run to go in front by double figures, 47-37. Drexel would make one more run to cut it to a one-possession game, 53-50, with five minutes left to play, but an Elon 10-3 run that followed essentially closed out the game for the visitors.
• Elon outscored the Dragons in the paint, 32-20, and also outrebounded Drexel, 33-25. The Phoenix now improves to 13-2 this season when it wins the battle on the glass.
 
SCOUTING DELAWARE
• In his ninth season at the helm of the Delaware men's basketball program, Martin Ingelsby has led the Blue Hens to a 10-8 record this season and a 3-2 mark in the CAA. Delaware defeated Stony Brook 84-74 on Thursday, improving to 6-2 at Bob Carpenter Center.
• Delaware is averaging 79.7 points on 47.4 percent shooting, including 37.9 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 76.9 points on 43.1 percent shooting from the field, including 34.9 percent from 3-point range.  The Blue Hens are hitting on 77.7 percent from the free throw line.
• The Blue Hens are one of the better shooting teams in the CAA, leading the league in field goal percentage. Delaware also sits 27th nationally in free throw percentage and 25th in three-point percentage.
• All five main starters for the Blue Hens are averaging in double figures led by senior forward John Camden, who is averaging 17.2 points on 48.3 percent shooting with team-bests in rebounds (5.6 rpg.) and three-pointers (47). Senior guard Niels Lane is averaging 14.4 points on 52.2 percent shooting with 4.4 rebounds and 14 blocks. Guards Cavan Reilly and Erik Timko are averaging 12.1 and 11.8 points per game, respectively, while Izaiah Pasha is averaging 11.4 points and has a team-high 51 assists.
• The Blue Hens went 19-14 last season with a 10-8 ledger in the CAA, tied for sixth in the standings. This season, Delaware was predicted to finish fifth in the 2024-25 CAA Preseason poll.
• Under Ingelsby, Delaware has garnered three CAA Rookie of the Year awards, 21 All-CAA honors, and six All-District nods. The 24th head coach in Blue Hens' history, Ingelsby helped the program to the 2022 CAA Championship title and an NCAA Tournament First Round appearance. His overall record at Newark is 141-125.
 
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.
 
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 begins a four-game homestand at Schar Center next Thursday, Jan. 23, as Elon welcomes Monmouth. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will stream on FloCollege (FloHoops)
 
-- ELON --
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Players Mentioned

Nick Dorn

#0 Nick Dorn

G
6' 7"
Sophomore
Sam Sherry

#4 Sam Sherry

F
6' 11"
Senior
TK Simpkins

#3 TK Simpkins

G
6' 4"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Nick Dorn

#0 Nick Dorn

6' 7"
Sophomore
G
Sam Sherry

#4 Sam Sherry

6' 11"
Senior
F
TK Simpkins

#3 TK Simpkins

6' 4"
Junior
G