Elon basketball off to historic start

Phoenix already one win better than last season’s win total

Elon head coach Billy Taylor watches from the sideline during an early season game against UNC. (Karl B DeBlaker / AP Photo)

The Elon Phoenix men’s basketball team is certainly one to keep an eye on this season.

Coach Billy Taylor, who’s in his third season at the helm at Elon, has led the Phoenix to its best start since joining Division I basketball with a 13-6 overall record and 4-2 conference record – good for fourth in the CAA.

It’s a major turnaround for the program who finished 11th in the conference with a 6-12 record two years in a row (13-19 overall in 2023-24 and 8-24 in 2022-23) and was selected to finish 12th in the CAA preseason poll.

“We’re really excited about the start that we’ve gotten off to,” Taylor said on the Elon Basketball Live radio show. “I’m really proud of our guys for the way that they’ve continued to play the game, the way we’ve responded after some tough losses or tough moments. Our guys have responded with positivity and really been tough minded and we’ve played some really good basketball and hopefully the best things are still yet to come.”

The Phoenix are getting a bit of recognition for their turnaround too as just a few days ago, Taylor was named the recipient of the Hugh Durham Award midseason coaching honor which is presented annually to the top mid-major coach.

Elon has had a strong and balanced offensive attack this season thanks to four starters all averaging in the double-digits and they’ve also enjoyed a solid rotation with eight players averaging over 14 minutes per game.

The Phoenix are averaging 75.8 points-per-game while allowing just 67.1, the second best margin in the conference.

“Our defense has really been connected, staying together, rotating, covering for each other and it’s really been great to see,” Taylor said. “Even if you can get by our guards, we still have that next level of defense protecting around the rim.”

Sophomore guard Nick Dorn is leading the way offensively for Elon with 15.4 points-per-game on 36.3% shooting from 3-point-range.

“I feel like it’s about just remaining confident in my game and knowing what I can do with my abilities,” Dorn said. “The work that I put in helps me do that. Just staying late in the gym every night. I just feel that whenever I shoot the ball, it’s going to go in. Just playing with that confidence and feeding into it and when we’re at home, just feeding off of the crowd and my teammates who are cheering me on, it just feels like you can’t miss.”

The name might be familiar to local fans too as the Elon standout is the son of former Tar Heel running back and defensive back Torin Dorn Sr. and brother of former UNC safety Myles Dorn and former NC State basketball player Torin Dorn Jr.

Elon also has a pair of twin guards, TJ and TK Simpkins, who are combining for 28.7 points, 5.6 assists and 2.8 steals per game as well.

But where Elon has really set themselves apart is off the glass. The Phoenix are leading the CAA in both offensive rebounding (14.0 per game) and defensive rebounding (28.4).

“You can clearly tell that was a point of emphasis for our team going into this offseason,” Taylor said. “We wanted to be tougher in the paint in terms of our ability to defensive rebound and offensive rebound and our guys have done that to an incredible level. I’m really proud of them for being able to go out and execute that.”

Senior forwards Matthew van Komen (8.2 rebounds) and Sam Sherry (8.1 rebounds) are leading the way off the boards with both ranked in the top-100 amongst DI men’s basketball for rebounds-per-game.

“Our guys have really been attacking the boards and we need to keep that up in order to keep up the success in the CAA and beyond,” Taylor said.

The Phoenix have put together a strong resume so far, with a 7-0 home record at Schar Center, but no win for them was as big as their 84-77 win over Notre Dame on Nov. 22 in South Bend.

Elon shot lights out that night at Purcell Pavilion, shooting 57.1% from the field and 46.7% from beyond the arc. They also outrebounded the Irish 35-24 that night.

That win was the Phoenix’s first Power 4 win since 2012 and its first time beating an ACC opponent since 2005. It was also a statement win for Taylor, who played for Notre Dame from 1992-95 and was even a captain his senior year.

“It did a lot for us,” Dorn said. “Just seeing what we did last year and then now seeing that we’re building on that and moving in the right direction and also just giving us those staple wins to where we know we can play with anybody. It’s just a matter of us doing that every night.”