Game #17: Elon

Elon Phoenix

On Saturday, January 4th the Elon Phoenix will make their final road trip to the Ramsey Center as a Southern Conference member.  The Phoenix are a respectable 7-7 over-all entering their first conference game of the season, but only 2-3 in away games and 0-3 in neutral site games.

Elon leads the overall series with WCU, 54-39 but the Cats have lead the series since Elon joined the Southern Conference, 12-10.  Elon won both games games last season

The 2013 SoCon Coach of the Year, Matt Matheny's Phoenix were selected preseason favorites in the Southern Conference, having returned their entire starting line up and coming off last year's Southern Conference North Division Championship and 21-win season. Lucas Troutman, Jack Isenbarger and Ryley Beaumont were named to the preseason all-conference team, so this should be Elon's year to excel.

However, the Phoenix are coming off an embarrassing 48-86 loss to Duke in Greensboro on Tuesday. The Phoenix were held to 18 points in the first half.  "We were beaten in every situation," Elon coach Matt Matheny said after the game.

Elon is currently putting up 79 points per game, hitting 48.6% field goals, and is averaging 9.3 three-point field goals per game and are hitting 72.7% as a team in free throws.  The Phoenix have four players scoring in double figures.  Senior forward Lucas Troutman (6-10, 228) leads scoring with 15.2 points per game, followed by senior guard Sebastian Koch (6-8, 205) with 13.1 ppg, sophomore guard Tanner Samson (6-4, 195) with 12.1 ppg, and senior forward Ryley Beaumont (6-7, 220) with 10.3 ppg.

Elon's probable starting line-up:
#21 Ryley Beaumont, 6-7, 220 (forward)
#31 Lucas Troutman, 6-10, 228 (forward)
#24 Sebastian Koch, 6-8, 205 (guard)
#3 Tanner Samson, 6-4, 195 (guard)
#10 Austin Hamilton, 5-10, 190 (guard)

RealTimeRPI.con  projects 5 point loss for the Catamounts, final score 73-78


Rankings-
RPI:   Elon- 97   WCU  248
Sagarin:   Elon - 149  WCU - 218
Pomroy:   Elon-123   WCU- 215
Massey:   154  WCU: 216













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