ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's basketball team faces its first test against a ranked opponent of the season on the road against No. 25 Michigan on Monday night, Nov. 16, in the Crisler Center at 7 p.m.
The game will broadcasted on ESPN3. You can listen to the game live on WSML 104.5 FM/1200 AM with
Taylor Durham and John Roddey on the call on the Elon IMG Sports Network. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.
ELON AT MICHIGANMonday marks the first time that Elon and Michigan have faced off against each other. The Phoenix seeks its first victory over a ranked oppoenent during the program's Division I era. Michigan is currently ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll.
BATTLE 4 ATLANTISThe game between Elon and Michigan is part of the Battle 4 Atlantis Mainland Games. The Wolverines will participate in the main Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Paradise Island, Bahamas Thanksgiving week, Nov. 25-27, 2015 at Imperial Arena. Elon will host a Battle 4 Atlantis Mainland Tournament Nov. 25-27 at Alumni Gym, hosting Mount St. Mary's, Furman, and Texas A&M Corpus-Christi.
LAST TIME OUTElon opened the 2015-16 season with an 85-74 road win at Charlotte on Friday night at Halton Arena. Four players finished in double-figures against the 49ers,
Dmitri Thompson finished with a game-high and career-high 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds.
Tanner Samson (12),
Tyler Seibring (11), and
Dainan Swoope (11) also scored in double figures.
Luke Eddy set a new career-high dishing out eight assists, which was also a game-high.
Elon had a commanding 53-26 lead at the half, thanks in part to shooting 57.6 percent from the floor. With the win over Charlotte, it's the first season-opening road win for the Phoenix since the 2009-10 season at Lipscomb.
A LOOK AT ELON The Phoenix is coming off a 15-18 overall and 6-12 conference campaign in its inaugural year in the CAA under seventh-year head coach
Matt Matheny. Elon has a young squad this season with 10 of the 18 members either at freshman or sophomore status.
Elon welcomes back two starters from last season's squad in seniors
Tanner Samson (12.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and
Tony Sabato (3.5ppg, 2.3 rpg). The Phoenix is returning a total of 11 non-starters. Senior guard
Sam Hershberger joins Samson and Sabato make up this year's three-member senior class.
The Phoenix graduated one of the winningest classes in school history, as
Kevin Blake,
Austin Hamilton, and
Ryan Winters posted a total of 69 wins during their tenure -- the most by a senior class in program history during Elon's Division I era.
The team welcomes five newcomers to the squad this season, including
Sheldon Eberhardt (Fr., G, 6-5, 185, Apex, N.C.),
Karolis Kundrotas (Fr., F/C, 6-11, 240, Kaunas, Lithuania),
Steven Santa Ana (Fr., G, 6-4, 185, Charlotte, N.C.),
Tyler Seibring (Fr., F, 6-8, 225, Towanda, Ill.) and
Dainan Swoope (Fr., G, 6-0, 185, Kansas City, Kan.).
ELON ON THE BIG STAGEElon will appear on television eight times this season, including three occasions in Alumni Gym. American Sports Network (ASN) will carry Elon's home conference games against Drexel (Jan. 2), Hofstra (Jan. 9), and Towson (Feb. 6), in addition to the road non-conference game last Friday at Charlotte (Nov. 13).
Elon's road games at Michigan (Nov. 16) and at Syracuse (Nov. 21) will be broadcasted live on ESPN3, while the Phoenix's Dec. 28 matchup in Cameron Indoor Stadium vs. Duke will be carried on ESPNU.
UP NEXTElon's home opener is on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. against Belmont Abbey. The Phoenix will then hit the road for its second Battle 4 Atlantis Mainland Game on Saturday, Nov. 21, when they take on the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. The game against the Orange will be broadcasted on ESPN3.
