ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team hits the road on Thursday night, Feb. 27, as the Phoenix (17-11, 8-8 CAA) takes on Monmouth (11-18, 9-7 CAA) at the OceanFirst Bank Center. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
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 along 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
• Both teams are meeting for the second time this season and the fourth overall in their series histories. The Phoenix holds a 2-1 advantage over the Hawks with a win at home and at Monmouth.
• Elon hosted Monmouth on Jan. 23 earlier this season and came away with an 83-71 victory over the Hawks. TJ Simpkins scored 26 points off the bench to lead the Phoenix, going 7-of-13 from the field and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line. TK Simpkins added 18 while Nick Dorn (13) and Sam Sherry (12) rounded out the top Phoenix scorers.
• Elon held the Hawks to 39 percent shooting (23-of-59) in the game while converting 46 percent of its own shots (25-of-54). It was the 11th time this season that the Phoenix has held an opponent to less than 40 percent shooting from the floor.
• The Phoenix played at Monmouth during the 2022-23 season with Elon coming away with a 75-68 verdict over the Hawks. Sean Halloran led Elon with 16 points, adding seven rebounds and three assists as all five Phoenix starters scored in double figures.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon was handed a 79-70 setback versus William & Mary in its final home game last Saturday. The Tribe was able to sweep the regular season series over the Phoenix with William & Mary getting its first win at Elon since 2019.
• TK Simpkins had a game-high 30 points while going 9-of-18 from the floor and 9-of-12 from the free throw line. Sam Sherry added 19 points for the Phoenix with eight rebounds. It was Simpkins' second 30-point performance in his last three games.
• Matthew Van Komen grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Phoenix – his tenth game of the season with double-digit boards. He also had three blocks in the contest.
• The Phoenix held a 28-23 advantage in the opening period against the Tribe, but an 18-0 run from the visitors resulted in William & Mary taking a 41-28 lead. The Tribe would go into the locker room with a 46-31 advantage at the half.
• Elon would get its deficit as close as seven points in the second half, but could not get any closer as the Phoenix saw its Senior Night spoiled by the Tribe.
 
TK SIMPKINS NAMED CAA CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• For his efforts last week, TK Simpkins was named the CAA Co-Player of the Week on Monday, Feb. 24. It was the second career weekly honor for the Brooklyn, N.Y., native.
• Simpkins averaged 29.0 points per game this week while shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three-point range. The junior guard scored 28 points in Elon's win over CAA-leader Towson last Thursday, handing the Tigers its first loss since Jan. 4 to snap a 12-game win streak. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native added 30 points on Saturday versus William & Mary, his second 30-point game in his past three outings. Simpkins was also 16-of-21 from the free throw line and had a pair of blocks in both contests for Elon last week.
 
SCOUTING MONMOUTH
• Led by 14th-year head coach King Rice, Monmouth has an 11-18 overall record and a 9-7 ledger in the CAA standings. The Hawks have won two straight after winning versus Northeastern and at Hofstra.
• Monmouth is averaging 70.3 points on 40.9 percent shooting, including 34.5 percent from 3-point range, while allowing 75.9 points on 43.9 percent shooting, including 33.3 percent from 3-point range. The Hawks are among the best shot blocking teams in the country, ranking 64^th nationally.
• Two players are averaging in double figures led by the CAA's leading scorer - sophomore Abdi Bashir Jr. - who is averaging 20.1 points on 37.9 percent shooting, including 39.1 percent from 3-point range, to go with a team-high 110 made three-pointers. Junior Madison Durr is averaging 13.1 points on 40.5 percent shooting as well as having a team-high in assists (90).
• The winningest Division I coach in school history, Rice has accumulated 218 wins over his career as well as a trio of MAAC Coach of the Year honors and three MAAC regular season titles. He has won the John McLendon National Coach of the Year honor, while being named a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award.
 
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 16-11 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
Elon's regular season schedule comes to a close on Saturday, March 1, as the Phoenix travels to Stony Brook. Game time is set for 6 p.m. and will air on the CBS Sports Network.