Men's Basketball

NEWS 12/10/14 12:45pm

Column: Did USCAA opponents fog Elon's vision?

By Tommy Hamzik

The distraction of final exams whisked into the past, the Elon University men’s basketball team should have a clear set of eyes heading into Thursday’s game at the University of Missouri. But the two-game mini-homestand against two United States Collegiate Athletic Association opponents might have fogged up the Phoenix a bit as it prepares to face not only Missouri but second-ranked Duke University on Monday, Dec.

NEWS 12/7/14 7:54pm

Samson propels Elon past Central Penn

By Miles Garrett

The Elon University men’s basketball team struggled early on against the Central Pennsylvania College Knights. Things picked up in the second half though, with the Phoenix cruising its way to a 117-73 blowout win. Although the game could have been considered as an exhibition matchup, junior guard Tanner Samson was confident in his team’s ability to show up and play with intensity with a looming four-game road stretch ahead. “It’s a great test for us as a team,” Samson said.

NEWS 12/6/14 8:57am

Close games help Elon mature early in season

By Matt Krause

On the surface, the loss of four 1,000-point scorers would seem to provide the 2014-2015 edition of the Elon University men’s basketball team with a steep learning curve. But the players on the court aren’t the only difference for the Phoenix this season.

SPORTS 11/25/14 12:20am

Walk-on athletes find motivation to play through passions

By Zora Stephenson

Many walk-on athletes, who are on the roster but do not receive athletic scholarships, say they find their motivation by simply loving the game. "I get a high sense of fulfillment from playing," said Sam Hershberger, a junior on the men's basketball team. Hershberger was in contact with Elon coaches before enrolling in the university, but he said they were upfront in explaining he would be a walk-on athlete.

NEWS 11/16/14 9:32pm

Flaws exposed in Elon offense during loss to Charlotte

By Tommy Hamzik

Tentative, stagnant and slow are all accurate words to describe the Elon University men’s basketball team’s offense. There wasn’t any sense of connectivity, as the Phoenix couldn’t muster to deal with the length of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in a 73-60 loss on Sunday, Nov.

NEWS 11/15/14 12:09am

Eddy, Sabato star as Elon clips Florida Atlantic

By Miles Garrett

The Elon University Phoenix men’s basketball team opened up regular season play on Friday night by defeating the Florida Atlantic University Owls 64-58 at Alumni Gym. The Phoenix trailed the Owls for a majority of the game up until midway through the second half when sophomore guard Luke Eddy drained a 3-pointer to put Elon up 52-49. Eddy was a bright spot for the Phoenix, making his first career start in place of injured senior guard Austin Hamilton, by being one of Elon’s leading scorers with 13 total points. “I thought [Eddy] was very aggressive offensively,” Elon head coach Matt Matheny said.

NEWS 11/11/14 11:32pm

Elon to rely on strong guard rotation

By Tommy Hamzik

Despite the overarching theme of what the team has lost around Elon University men’s basketball , there’s a wealth of productive guard play returning in the 2014-2015 season. Three guards who started at least 10 games a year ago and two freshmen who could be looked to for big roles will join an Elon team that lost four 1,000-point scorers to graduation. Three-point specialist junior Tanner Samson leads the pack after averaging 9.4 points per game.

NEWS 11/7/14 10:48pm

Elon shakes off rust in exhibition victory over Emory & Henry

By Miles Garrett

It was an up and down game for the Elon University men’s basketball team on Friday night, Nov. 7 when it squared off for an exhibition matchup against the Emory & Henry College Wasps. In its first live-action game since a Southern Conference Tournament loss to Western Carolina University this past March, the Phoenix started out slow but managed to pull away in the second half, beating the Wasps 90-50 at Alumni Gym. Elon head coach Matt Matheny was optimistic about his team’s performance but recognized the youth and diversity of the roster. “This is brand new team,” he said.

NEWS 9/26/14 2:04am

Road games fill Elon men's hoops nonconference schedule

By Tommy Hamzik

The Elon University men's basketball team better pack its bags — and not just because of the travel that comes with joining the Colonial Athletic Association. The Phoenix will play just four home nonconference games during the 2014/2015 season, with two of them coming during the opening weekend of the season.

NEWS 9/4/14 11:33am

Elon men's basketball announces staff promotions, new hire

By Tommy Hamzik

In light of former associate head coach Tim Sweeney leaving last month, Elon University men's basketball coach has promoted some assistants and hired a new director of basketball operations. Assistants Jack Wooten and Monty Sanders were promoted to top assistant positions, and Chris Long, formerly the director of basketball operations, was promoted to an assistant coach.

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NEWS 11/26/2024 3:44pm
Elon uses peer institution as a benchmark, has one mutual peer

Elon has 15 peer institutions and 47 colleges and universities chose Elon as one of its peers, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Yet, none of Elon’s peers deemed Elon as one its peers, as of data from IPEDS for 2022-23. Many colleges and universities have not updated their peer institutions since then, with the exception of Furman University, where Elon is now one of its peers, according to its website. Elon selected its peers in 2022, Jason Husser, chair of Elon’s Long Range Planning Committee, said.

SPORTS 11/26/2024 11:48am
Elon University men’s basketball coach returns to alma mater, captures historic victory

When Elon University men’s basketball head coach Billy Taylor arrived at Purcell Pavilion for the team’s Nov. 22 matchup against Notre Dame, he led the team through the back garage door — walking through the tunnel like all visiting teams do when they come to play the Fighting Irish. But as Taylor walked through the tunnel, he noticed his old locker room on his right — the locker room that had held his jersey, shoes and all the gear he needed for the four years he spent playing for the Irish in the 1990s.

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