The Elon University men's basketball team split its two games in Cancun, Mexico as part of the Cancun Challenge. The Phoenix beat Morgan State University in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, Nov. 25 while falling to the University of North Florida on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Elon 74, Morgan State 73
The Phoenix trailed by as much as 19 in the second half but sophomore guard Luke Eddy drove down the right side and laid one in for the game-winning bucket with four seconds left.
The Bears led 66-47 with 7:41 to play before Elon went on a 25-5 run to take the lead on a jumper by freshman guard Elijah Bryant with 50 seconds to play. Morgan State's Blake Bozeman then helped the Bears retake the lead on a layup with 15 seconds to go.
Bryant led Elon with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting while grabbing six rebounds. Eddy had 12 points and four assists.
Morgan State led for more than 27 minutes of the game. Four players were in double figures, led by Bozeman with 16 points. The Bears went on a 14-3 run early in the second half to take a 57-39 lead.
North Florida 72, Elon 65
The Ospreys finished the game on a 12-2 run, thwarting another Elon comeback and taking the Mayan Division Championship in Cancun.
Elon junior guard Tanner Samson made a 3-pointer with 5:10 to play to the game at 60-60, but the Phoenix only managed two field goals for the remainder of the game.
Elon went up 43-38 in the second half, but North Florida answered with a 7-0 run to take the lead.
The Phoenix trailed by as much as 10 in the first half. Eddy drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut the North Florida lead to 33-30.
Eddy led Elon with 14 points, while Bryant had 10.
The Mayan Division consisted of Elon, North Florida, Liberty and Morgan State. The upper Riviera Division was made up of Virginia Tech, Northwestern University, Miami University (Ohio), and the University of Northern Iowa.
Elon is now 2-3 overall, and will conclude play in the Cancun Challenge with a trip to Oxford, Ohio, on Sunday, Nov. 30 to battle Miami.