ELON – The Elon men's basketball team returns to action Saturday after a seven-day break, hosting Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. ET inside Schar Center. The game will stream on FloCollege.
 
GAME INFORMATION

• Date & Time: Saturday, December 13 | 1 p.m. ET
• Location: Elon, North Carolina | Schar Center
• Watch: FloCollege | PxP: Taylor Durham | Analyst: Will Roberson
• Listen: Elon Sports Network | The Varsity Network App
• Live Stats: Statbroadcast

 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP – ELON vs. NIU

• Series record: Elon leads, 2-0
• Elon (5-4) and Northern Illinois (3-6) will meet for the second straight season, playing the back end of a home-and-home series.
• The Phoenix cruised to a 75-48 road win against the Huskies last November in DeKalb, Illinois. The 27-point victory snapped a streak of 24 consecutive nonconference road losses by the Phoenix dating back to 2018.
• Elon earned an 85-80 double-overtime victory over NIU in the programs' first meeting on Nov. 25, 2016, in DeKalb.
• Elon's Billy Taylor is 10-3 in his head coaching career against NIU. In addition to last season's victory in DeKalb, Taylor was 9-3 when facing the Huskies between 2008-13 as the head coach at Ball State.

 
STARTING FIVE
1. All Aboard The Cuthrell Train
Graduate forward Chandler Cuthrell has been one of the nation's most productive two-way performers, averaging 22.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game. His scoring average leads the CAA and stands third nationally, and he's shooting 54.4% from the floor. Cuthrell has lived at the free throw line, pacing the CAA and ranking 24th nationally with 58 makes on a league-high 81 attempts (71.6%). The Phoenix forward is one of only two Division I players averaging at least 22.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG this season, joining Duke's Cameron Boozer.
 
2. When It Rains…
Elon is one of the CAA's most prolific perimeter shooting teams, ranking first in the league in 3-pointers made per game (10.8) – also 31st nationally – and 3-point attempts per game (29.4), while sitting second in 3-point percentage (36.6%). The Phoenix opened the season with five straight games of 10-plus threes between Nov. 5-20 and added 11 against Furman on Dec. 3. All eight Phoenix who have made a 3-pointer this season have at least four, led by Randall Pettus II, who is shooting 46.9% from deep (30 of 64) with multiple makes in all eight games. Pettus leads the conference in both 3-point percentage and 3-point makes per game (3.33). Though early, Elon's 10.8 threes per game would set the program's Division I record; only three Phoenix teams in the Division I era (1999-present) have averaged double figures from beyond the arc.
 
3. Sharing Is Caring
The Phoenix has shared the basketball at an effective rate, ranking second in the CAA with 16.7 assists per game while leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.60). Ja'Juan Carr (2.87) and DeMarco Johnson (2.73) are 1-2 in the conference individually in assist-to-turnover ratio, giving Elon a steady presence at the point guard position. The Phoenix dished out 19 assists in its 73-52 win at Wofford last Saturday and has tallied at least 15 dimes in every game.
 
4. Calling For Backup
Sophomore Bryson Cokley has emerged as a reliable scoring spark off the bench and continues to expand his game as the season progresses. A transfer from George Mason – and originally a Wake Forest commit out of high school – Cokley ranks third on the team in scoring (12.4 PPG) while averaging 23.7 minutes in a reserve role. He has scored in double figures in eight of nine games, including each of the last five. The 6-foot-6 guard has also elevated his presence on the glass, averaging 6.4 rebounds over his past five outings after posting just 2.5 boards per game through the first four.
 
5. Maroon Travels
Elon has won its past two road games by a combined 56 points, defeating Appalachian State 88-53 in Boone on Nov. 24 before most recently stomping Wofford 73-52 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, last Saturday. The 35-point win against the Mountaineers stands as the program's largest margin of victory in a road game in its Division I era (1999-present). Elon looked ready to rewrite that record in Spartanburg last week when it took a 50-15 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Phoenix is 3-2 on the road this season and 6-3 in its past nine nonconference road games dating back to Nov. 20, 2024, when it bested Northern Illinois 75-48 in DeKalb.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix hosts Richmond next Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET inside the Schar Center.
 
SUPPORT THE PHOENIX
Fans can support Elon Athletics through the Phoenix Club. To purchase 2025-26 tickets, visit TicketMaster.com/ElonTickets.
 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Elon men's basketball, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonMBasketball) and Instagram (@ElonMBasketball).