ELON, N.C. – Behind 47 combined points from TK and TJ Simpkins, the Elon University men's basketball team earned a 69-63 victory over CAA-leader Towson on Thursday night, Feb. 20, at Schar Center.
 
The Phoenix (17-11, 8-7 CAA) snapped the Tigers' 12-game win streak while winning its second straight game against a top four CAA opponent. TK Simpkins had his second straight strong game with 28 points while going 8-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-8 from three. TJ Simpkins added 19 with the twin brothers going 14-of-17 from the charity stripe.
 
Towson (18-10, 13-2 CAA) was led by Tyler Tejada and his 24 points. Dylan Williamson had 12 points while Tomiwa Sulaiman added 11 as the Tigers suffered their first setback since a 77-69 loss at College of Charleston on Jan. 4.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon started the game on a 5-0 run but saw the Tigers take the lead with a 6-0 run to go in front 6-5. The Phoenix retook the lead on a TK Simpkins three, but a 9-2 run by Towson put the hosts down 15-10 with 13:53 left in the opening half.
• Towson took a six-point lead, 18-12, after a Dylan Williamson three-pointer, but Elon answered with a 10-2 run to take the lead, 22-20, after an Andrew King putback layup off a Tigers' turnover.
• Both teams traded baskets over the next five minutes with seven ties or lead changes. The Phoenix broke a 29-29 tie with a 5-0 run capped by a TK Simpkins three to give Elon a 34-29 lead.
• Towson would tie the game at 34-34 after a Tejada jumper in the paint with 2:22 left in the first half. Elon came back with a 5-0 run to go ahead 39-34 before a last-second putback by the Tigers trimmed the Phoenix's lead to three, 39-36, going into the break.
• Elon opened with a jumper from TJ Simpkins in the second half to go up by five, 41-36. A 9-0 run by the Tigers put the Phoenix down 45-41 by the first media timeout of the second period.
• The Phoenix came back to tie the game at 46-all after a Brayden Crump jumper, but Towson responded with a jumper of its own to retake the lead. TK Simpkins however gave Elon the lead after hitting a three while getting fouled to put the Phoenix ahead 49-48 with 12:53 left to play.
• The game continued to remain tight over the next eight minutes of play with neither team gaining an advantage of more than one possession. Tejada made a pull-up jumper with 4:05 on the clock to give the Tigers a 61-58 advantage.
• The Simpkins twins proceeded to take over down the stretch for the Phoenix. TJ Simpkins hit a pair of free throws to cut Towson's lead within one, 61-60, before a pullup jumper from TK Simpkins gave the Phoenix the lead for good, 62-61, with 2:50 left in the game. The brothers continued to lead Elon on an 8-0 run, putting the maroon and gold ahead 66-61 with 1:31 left to play.
• Tejada hit a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left to make it a three-point game, but the Phoenix was able to convert on its free throws down the stretch to emerge with the 69-63 win.
 
NOTES
• TK Simpkins is averaging 30 points per game in his last two contests. The Brooklyn native is shooting 65.5 percent from the floor including a blistering 72.2 percent from three-point range (13-of-18).
• Elon snapped a four-game losing streak to the Tigers while also earning its first home win over Towson since Jan. 2, 2018.
• The Phoenix's eight wins in the CAA are the second-most for the program since joining the league.
• Sam Sherry had six rebounds on the night, surpassing 500 career rebounds. The senior is the 10^th player in school history at the Division I level with at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career.
• Matthew Van Komen nearly had a double-double with eight points and eight rebounds while also blocking three shots. It was the 19^th game this season with two or more blocks for the Lehi, Utah, native.
• Elon's 17 wins are the fourth-highest total for the program at the Division I level and the most since the Phoenix won 18 games in both 2013-14 and 2016-17.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix hosts William & Mary this Saturday, Feb. 22 for its regular-season home finale. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will stream on FloCollege (FloHoops).