ELON, N.C. – Behind 44 combined points from sophomore Nick Dorn and senior Sam Sherry, the Elon University men's basketball team earned a 70-62 win versus Hampton on Saturday night, Jan. 4, in the Phoenix's CAA home-opener at Schar Center.
 
Elon (11-4, 2-0 CAA) kept its undefeated home streak alive, improving to 6-0 inside Schar Center this season. Dorn led the Phoenix with 24 points for his fourth 20-point game of the season, with the Charlotte native knocking down five triples while going 9-of-13 from the free-throw line. Sherry added his fourth double-double of the year and his second 20-10 effort with 20 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. TJ Simpkins was the other Phoenix player in double figures with 11.
 
Hampton (8-7, 1-2 CAA) saw three players score in double figures with Daniel Johnson adding 15 off the bench. Noah Farrakhan had 14 for the Pirates while George Beale Jr. added 10.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Both teams were tied at 10-10 in the opening half after Brayden Crump split a pair of free throws. Hampton went on a 5-0 run to take a 15-10 lead and kept its five-point advantage going into the under-12 media timeout at 17-12.
• The Pirates went up 19-12 before the Phoenix answered with a 5-0 run of its own to cut its deficit to two, 19-17. Dorn was able to cut into Hampton's lead after knocking down a three with 9:39 left in the first period.
• Hampton went back up by seven, 24-17, after a Johnson dunk, but Elon responded with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 26-all. Sherry hit back-to-back baskets during the run including a jumper to tie the game with just over a minute remaining in the half.
• The Pirates went up by four, 32-28 after a three-pointer from Xzavier Long, but a dunk at the buzzer from Matthew Van Komen cut Hampton's lead in half, 32-30, as both teams went into the locker room at the break.
• Early in the second half, Elon trailed by three, 36-33, after a Kyrese Mullen layup, but a 7-2 run by the Phoenix helped the hosts get its first lead of the second half, 40-38. A Sherry layup at the 15:35 mark gave the Phoenix the go-ahead points.
• Long split a pair at the line to pull the Pirates within one, 40-39, but the Phoenix came back with another 7-2 run to take a 47-41 advantage with 13:43 left to play. Hampton fought back to cut it to a one-possession game, 47-45, with 12:47 remaining.
• A 10-2 run gave the Phoenix some breathing room, 57-47, with 6:42 left in regulation. Elon then took its largest lead of the contest, 63-51, after a pair of free throws from Dorn with 3:28 left to play.
• Elon matched its largest lead of 12, 65-53, on an Andrew King free throw with 1:18 remaining. The Pirates made a barrage of threes in the final minute to pull to six, 68-62, with 22 seconds left, but the Phoenix closed out the game with a pair of free throws to preserve the victory.
 
NOTES
• The Phoenix's 11-4 record is the program's best through 15 games at the Division I level. This is also the third time that Elon has begun the season 6-0 on its home floor at the D-I era.
• Elon improves to 2-0 for the first time in CAA play since Jan. 2, 2018, after a 75-72 win over Towson. After Saturday, the Phoenix is one of three teams unbeaten at 2-0 in the CAA along with College of Charleston and William & Mary.
• The Phoenix went 25-of-37 from the free throw line, the most free throws made by Elon since going 26-of-31 against James Madison on Jan. 25, 2020.
• Van Komen tied his season-high with six blocks, which is tied for the second-most rejections in school history in a single game. The Lehi, Utah, native has 42 blocks on the year, the seventh-highest single-season total in program history.
• Elon won the rebound battle, 40-33, improving to 11-1 when it wins the fight on the glass. It is also the 11^th game this season that the Phoenix has corralled 40 or more rebounds.
• The win improved the Phoenix to 3-1 all-time versus Hampton with Elon being undefeated versus the Pirates in the regular season. The eight-point victory is also the largest margin of victory for the maroon and gold in its series against the Pirates.
• The win was No. 246 for Elon head coach Billy Taylor in his career.
• The Phoenix held Hampton to 36.2 percent shooting from the field (25-of-69). It's the third straight game that the maroon and gold defense has held an opponent to less that 40 percent from the field.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix travels to William & Mary for a matchup against the Tribe next Thursday, Jan. 9. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. with the contest airing on the CBS Sports Network.