WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Elon University men's basketball team had a hard-fought battle on the road at Monmouth with the Phoenix falling to the Hawks, 79-76, on Thursday, Feb. 27 at OceanFirst Bank Center.
 
Elon (17-13, 8-9 CAA) saw three players score in double figures with TK Simpkins leading the way with 22 points. Sam Sherry had 20 while Brayden Crump scored a season-high 13 off the bench. Matthew Van Komen just missed out on a double-double with eight points and 12 rebounds.
 
Monmouth (12-18, 10-7 CAA) had Abdi Bashir Jr. score a game-high 29 points while Cornelius Robinson Jr. added 21. Jaret Valencia contributed with 17 off the bench as the Hawks split the season series versus Elon.
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon got off to a fast start, leading the hosts by eight by the first media timeout. An Isaac Harrell three-pointer put the maroon and gold ahead 10-2 before both teams traded buckets on the next few possessions. Another three, this time made by Sherry, gave the Phoenix a 15-7 advantage going into the under-16 media timeout in the first half.
• A pull-up three from Simpkins gave the Phoenix an 11-point lead, 18-7, with 13:38 remaining in the first half. Monmouth got its deficit down to five, 18-13, after a 6-0 run capped by a pair of free throws from Madison Durr.
• Elon got its lead back up to 10, 23-13, after Simpkins converted on a three-point play. The Hawks pulled within seven, 23-16, but the Phoenix went on an 8-3 run to take a 31-19 lead after a Crump layup.
• An offensive board and putback from Isaac Harrell gave the Phoenix a 38-26 lead with 3:57 left in the half. Monmouth, however, went on a 10-2 run to cut Elon's lead to four, 40-36, with just under 45 seconds left until the half. A pair of free throws from Crump helped extend Elon's advantage to six, 42-36, which would set as the score going into halftime.
• Going into the second half, Monmouth kept cutting into Elon's lead throughout the first seven minutes of the period, getting as close as one, 47-46, after a three from Bashir Jr. The Phoenix responded with a Simpkins three on the other end to put Elon back up four, 50-46.
• Elon went back up by four, 52-48, after a Sherry basket, but Monmouth would erase that lead with an 8-0 run to give the Hawks a 56-52 advantage. The Phoenix responded with a 5-0 to retake the lead, 57-56, after Crump knocked down a three with 9:30 left in the game.
• The game would have nine ties or lead changes over the next five minutes of play. A hook shot by Crump would tie the game at 66-all with 4:49 left in the contest, but Monmouth made a triple to go back up by three, 69-66. An alley-oop to Van Komen brought the Phoenix within one, 69-68, going into the under-four media timeout.
• Elon would make it a one-possession game a few times down the stretch, but could not convert the evasive go-ahead bucket as the Hawks took the 79-76 win.
 
NOTES
• Monmouth's win ties the all-time series versus Elon to 2-2. It was also the Hawks' first win versus the Phoenix on its home floor.
• Simpkins scored 20 or more points for the seventh time this season while Sherry had his fifth 20-point performance on the year.
• Andrew King tied his season-high with seven assists in the contest. The Phoenix, Ariz., native had five rebounds while playing 39 minutes in the contest.
• Elon won the rebounding battle, 37-25, with the Phoenix getting 14 boards on the offensive end. The Phoenix scored 20 points off those second-chance opportunities.
• This was the second game this season that Elon did not record a block in the contest. The Phoenix was also not credited with a block at Drexel on Jan. 16.
 
UP NEXT
Elon's regular season schedule concludes 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.