ELON, N.C. – The Presbyterian Blue Hose (5-3) had a furious second half rally erasing a 19-point deficit with three seconds on the clock, however, Elon's Rob Higgins knocked down a long three from the top of the key at the buzzer giving the Elon Phoenix (4-3) the 82-79 win.
Jonah Pierce paced the Blue Hose with 19 points while shooting 9-for-12 from the field.
Marquis Barnett and
Kaleb Scott each tallied 14 points.
Samage Teel rounded out the Blue Hose double-figure scorers with 13 points.
Carl Parrish scored nine points in his first career start.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF – Teel scored the game's first two points on a fast-break layup just 15 seconds into the game. Elon scored the next eight points taking an 8-2 lead two minutes into the contest. A basket inside from
Trevon Reddish-Rhone and four straight points from Pierce paced the Blue Hose on a 6-0 scoring run tying the score at eight. Then, Elon converted on three free throws ending the Blue Hose's scoring run. Reddish-Rhone scored inside to get the Blue Hose within one point, 11-10. Then, Elon scored 10 straight points pushing their lead to 21-10 at the 12:29 mark. Elon's lead ballooned to 16 points, 28-12, at the 10:20 mark of the half. The Blue Hose scored 10 of the next 12 points cutting Elon's lead to 30-22 after a free throw from
Kobe Stewart with just under eight minutes left in the half. Elon pushed their lead back to double-digits. The Blue Hose trailed Elon, 43-30 with 2:55 left in the half, PC closed the half on a 7-2 scoring run cutting Elon's halftime lead to 45-37.
SECOND HALF – Elon scored 11 of the half's first 13 points increasing their lead to 17 points, 56-39, two and a half minutes into the second half. After a three by Teel at the 15:38 mark, the Blue Hose had cut Elon's lead to 12, 58-46. Then, Elon went on a 9-2 scoring run increasing their lead to a game-high 19 points, 67-48, at the 12:27 mark. Behind the scoring of Pierce, Scott, Barnett, and Reddish-Rhone, Presbyterian went on an 11-0 run capped off by a basket from
Kory Mincy cutting Elon's lead to 67-59 with 8:39 on the clock. Elon converted on a three-point play pushing their lead back to double-digits. PC answered with a three from Barnett. The Blue Hose were able to cut Elon's lead to six points on two occasions over the next few minutes. With 2:12 left on the clock, Elon's lead had ballooned back up to double-figures, 79-68. The Blue Hose went on a furious 11-0 scoring run behind six points from Scott, and a corner three from Parrish culminating in Pierce's stickback layup with three seconds on the clock tying the score at 79. At the buzzer, Higgins connected on a three-point basket giving Elon the 82-79 win.
NOTES
- Presbyterian finished the game with a season-high 56 points in the paint.
- Pierce recorded his second straight double-figure scoring game with a season-high 19 points. He also grabbed four rebounds in the game.
- Barnett's 14 points marked his sixth double-figure scoring game of the season and the 25th of his career. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished out four assists, and recorded four steals.
- Scott's 14 points marked his third double-digit scoring game of the season. He also grabbed five rebounds in the game.
- Teel reached double-figure points for the seventh straight game with 13 points. He also dished out four assists in the game.
- The Blue Hose dished out a season-high 19 assists. Trevon Reddish-Rhone also had four assists in the game. Kobe Stewart posted three assists.
NEXT GAME
The Blue Hose conclude their two-game road swing in Virginia against VMI this Saturday, December 2 at 1 p.m.
