ELON – Powered by a blistering first half and another career night from Chandler Cuthrell, the Elon men's basketball team rolled past Gardner-Webb 95-84 on Saturday night at Schar Center.
 
The Phoenix (3-1) shot 54.2% from the field and knocked down 16 3-pointers on a 51.6% clip (16 of 31), using a dominant opening 20 minutes to build a 49-27 halftime lead and control the game throughout.
 
Cuthrell led all scorers with a career-high 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-4 from deep and 6-of-10 at the free-throw line, and added eight rebounds. Randall Pettus II added a career-high 21 points and hit five 3-pointers, while Ja'Juan Carr scored nine points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting night and dished out six assists. Kacper Klaczek narrowly missed a double-double with seven points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Caleb Middleton provided a strong lift off the bench with seven boards and five points in 12 minutes.
 
Elon's early surge began with a 12-point run midway through the first half, highlighted by back-to-back threes from Pettus and a transition dunk by Cuthrell. The Phoenix hit 10 threes in the opening period and held Gardner-Webb (0-4) to 0-for-13 from beyond the arc to build their 22-point halftime advantage.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs battled back in the second half behind 22 points from Jacob Hudson and 11 from Curtis Williams, trimming the deficit inside single digits late. But Pettus responded with timely threes, and Cuthrell scored 16 second-half points to keep the Phoenix comfortably in front.
 
NOTABLES

• The Phoenix has scored 92-plus points in three of four games this season and is averaging a CAA-best 93.8 PPG.
• Chandler Cuthrell has scored 20-plus points in each of his first four games as a Phoenix. The graduate forward has set a career high in scoring in three of those games, with his 29 points Saturday being the latest personal best.
• Elon's 16-of-31 effort from 3-point range marks the second time in the Billy Taylor era that the Phoenix has made at least 15 threes while shooting 50% or better from beyond the arc. Elon last accomplished that feat with a 15-of-27 performance in a win at UNCW last season on Feb. 15, 2025.
• Pettus has made multiple 3-pointers in each of his first four games as a Phoenix.
• Eight different Phoenix made at least one 3-pointer.
• Isaac Harrell scored all eight of his points in the second half while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor with two triples.

 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix will face ACC foe Miami on the road next Thursday. Tipoff at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida, is at 7 p.m. ET and the nonconference game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.
 
SUPPORT THE PHOENIX
Fans can support Elon Athletics through the Phoenix Club. To purchase 2025-26 season tickets, visit TicketMaster.com/ElonTickets.
 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Elon men's basketball, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonMBasketball) and Instagram (@ElonMBasketball).