Swoope scores 23 in 95-73 victory over William Peace.

The Elon University men’s basketball team flashed some offensive prowess Thursday, shooting 60.6 percent in the first half in a 95-73 exhibition win over William Peace University.

“We got a lot out of tonight and are very pleased with the experience,” head coach Matt Matheny said. “This is a team that needs to be constructed — we’re very early in the process and we need to build this team. Tonight was a great night of building.”

Matheny stressed that game was a big night for experimentation, using 11 players in the first half in different combinations, which Matheny wants to continue.

“Our practices have been really competitive,” Matheny said. “Some players are good one day, and others are good the next. So we’re gonna keep going with that.”

Freshman guard Dainan Swoope led the game with 23 points, going 7-of-10 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Overall, 10 different players scored for Elon in the victory.

“We moved the ball well on offense,” junior Luke Eddy said. “We can all shoot, other than me, of course — I don’t think I scored.”

Eddy did not score on six shots in the lone preseason game before the Nov. 13 season opener against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, but he did have eight assists in his first game back after a torn ACL.

“There were definitely ups and downs,” Eddy said. “But overall, I enjoyed it. I don’t know what I shot, but I’m happy. I really enjoyed it.”

The Phoenix shot 60.6 percent from the field in the first half, with 20 baskets spread across 10 players in the half. Swoope led all scorers at the break with 13 points, and freshman forward Tyler Seibring shot 4-of-4 with two 3-pointers.

The Pacers, who play in Division III’s USA South Atlantic Conference, were led by senior guard Tyquan Nolan, who went 5-of-6 (3-of-4 from 3-point) for 13 points. Sophomore guard Dmitri Thompson felt disappointed in his team’s defensive efforts against William Peace.

“We need to switch better — we didn’t switch well at all,” Thompson said. “We were late, like a step late on switches. Guard to guard, big to big. It wasn’t the Elon way, but we’ll get better at it.”