ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team travels to UNCW for a CAA road contest on Saturday, Feb. 15. Tip-off time between the Phoenix (15-11, 6-7 CAA) and the Seahawks (21-5, 11-2 CAA) is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Trask Coliseum.
 
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 6:30 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
• Intrastate foes since 1974, Elon and UNCW will face each other for the 33^rd time on Saturday. The Seahawks lead the all-time series over the maroon and gold, 17-15. Saturday is the first and only regular-season meeting between the two schools this year.
• UNCW has won four of the past five contests, but the Phoenix won the most recent matchup in thrilling fashion last season. A tip-in at the buzzer by Isaac Harrell helped Elon to a 73-72 victory at UNCW, spoiling a sellout crowd at Trask Coliseum with its first home loss of the season. Elon shot 49 percent from the floor (28-of-57) while also shooting 47 percent from three-point range (9-of-19). The Phoenix held the Seahawks to 28 percent shooting from three (8-of-29).
• The last time Elon has won two straight at UNCW came on Feb. 6, 2020, in a 62-56 victory then an 80-77 win on Feb. 27, 2021, courtesy of a Kris Wooten three-pointer at the buzzer.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• The Phoenix suffered its third straight loss in heartbreaking fashion in its last game on Thursday, falling to Piedmont Triad rival North Carolina A&T, 60-59. The loss was also only the third of the season overall for the maroon and gold on its home floor at Schar Center.
• Elon led by as many as 11 points in the first half before going into the break with a 36-31 advantage over the Aggies. A 10-2 run at the start of the second half helped give North Carolina A&T a 41-39 lead.
• After the Aggies took a 51-48 lead with 7:31 remaining, Elon responded with a 9-0 run to go in front by six, 57-51, with 3:22 remaining. N.C. A&T responded with a 9-2 spurt over the next three minutes to retake the lead, 60-59, after a go-ahead three-pointer.
• Despite a couple of chances down the stretch to take the lead, Elon could not convert and suffered its first loss to the Aggies since 2023.
• TJ Simpkins led three Elon players in double figures with 14 points followed by TK Simpkins with 11. Matthew Van Komen nearly had a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.
• Van Komen added four blocks in the game, increasing his total to 61 on the year. He becomes just the second player in school history to reach 60 or more blocks in a single season behind Lucas Troutman's school-record 64 he had in 2012-13.
 
SCOUTING UNCW
• Led by fifth-year head coach Takayo Siddle, the Seahawks are 21-5 on the season and are 11-2 in league play, which is second in the CAA standings behind Towson at 12-1. UNCW has won nine straight including an 86-66 victory over College of Charleston on Thursday for a season sweep over the Cougars.
• UNCW is averaging 80.4 points on 47.0 percent shooting, including 34.8 percent from 3-point range, while allowing opponents to score 70 points on 42.8 percent shooting, including 31.8 percent from 3-point range. The Seahawks are connecting on 72.5 percent from the free throw line and rank 18^th in the country in free throw attempts per game at 23.5. UNCW is also 19^th in the NCAA in rebound margin at 7.1.
• Seven players who have appeared in at least five games for the Seahawks are averaging at least 7.7 points including a pair of double-digit scorers. Graduate student Donovan Newby is averaging 15.3 points on 40.6 percent shooting, including 60 made 3-pointers on 37.7 percent shooting. Redshirt junior Khamari McGriff is averaging 11.6 points on 66.7 percent shooting to go with 4.2 rebounds per game. Newby has a team-high 88 assists while graduate student Sean Moore leads the Seahawks on the glass at 6.6 rebounds per game.
• Coming off a 21-10 ledger last season and a 12-6 mark in CAA play, the Seahawks were selected to finish third in the 2024-25 CAA Preseason poll.
• Siddle has a 100-44 record as the head coach at UNCW. In four seasons at the helm, Siddle has piloted UNCW to its first road win over a ranked opponent in school history at No. 12 Kentucky on Dec. 2, 2023, in Rupp Arena, a regular season title in the CAA, two in-season tournament crowns and the 2022 College Basketball Invitational Championship. The Seahawks have advanced to CAA championship games in 2022 and 2023.
 
TAYLOR HONORED WITH HUGH DURHAM AWARD MIDSEASON COACHING HONOR
• Elon head coach Billy Taylor was honored as the recipient of the midseason Hugh Durham Award as announced by CollegeInsider.com on Jan. 16. The Hugh Durham Award is presented annually to the top mid-major college basketball coach in Division I.
• Taylor has led the Phoenix to one of its best starts in its Division I history this season as Elon is 15-9 on the year. Among the notable victories this season for the Phoenix includes Elon's 84-77 win at Notre Dame on Nov. 22. It was Elon's first win over a Power 4 opponent since 2012 and its first win over an ACC foe since 2005.
• The Hugh Durham Award is presented annually to the nation's top mid-major coach. The award is named in honor of Hugh Durham who had retired at the end of the 2004-05 season. Durham is one of just twelve coaches to have led two different programs to the NCAA Final Four (Florida State in 1972 and Georgia in 1983). He is the only coach among that group to have led both schools to their lone Final Four appearance.
 
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 closes out its regular-season home schedule next, starting with a contest against Towson next Thursday, Feb. 20. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. at Schar Center and will be streamed on FloCollege (FloHoops).