GAME INFO
Thursday, Dec. 5 -- vs. Elon (Millis Center) 7 p.m.
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The High Point University men's basketball team (1-7) looks for its second consecutive home win when it hosts cross-triad foe Elon (3-6) in a Thursday evening (Dec. 5) matchup at the Millis Center.
 
There will be a free pregame tailgate with food, cash bar and activities from 5-7 pm, while the first 600 students will receive an HPU Ugly Christmas Sweater. Fans are encouraged to bring an unwrapped, unopened gift to benefit Fox 8 WGHP Gifts for Kids.
 
Matchup History

• Thursday's contest marks the 163rd time these two schools have met, with High Point leading the all-time series 86-76.
• This is the first time these teams have met since 2006, with High Point coming away with a 62-48 victory in the most recent matchup.
• This is the first time head coach Tubby Smith has faced the Phoenix in his 28 seasons as an NCAA DI head coach. He currently holds a 2-1 record against teams from the Colonial Athletic Association.
• Smith is familiar with Elon, having played the Phoenix 12 times during his playing career at High Point.

Panther Notes

• HPU returns home after falling 93-70 at North Florida on Monday night. Freshman Eric Coleman Jr. led the way for the Panthers, tying a career-high with 14 points while also recording three steals.
• Redshirt junior Cliff Thomas Jr. scored a season-high 11 points in the contest against the Ospreys while sophomore Curtis Holland III was also in double-digits, scoring 12 points.
• Holland III currently ranks eighth in scoring in the Big South, averaging 13.0 points per game.
• Freshman John-Michael Wright ranks second amongst rookies in the Big South with 11.4 points per game.
• Sophomore Caden Sanchez ranks eighth among big men in the conference in rebounding, grabbing 5.8 boards per game.
• Thomas Jr. currently ranks fourth in the Big South with a 1.1 blocks per game average, with Sanchez right behind with 1.0 blocks per game, good enough for fifth in the conference.

Across the Bench

• Elon comes from the Colonial Athletic Conference and currently sits at 3-6 on the season after finishing sixth in the conference last season.
• The Phoenix have played a tough schedule thus far, with games against ACC opponents UNC and Georgia Tech as well as Michigan of the B1G.
• First year coach Mike Schrage leads Elon into High Point after previously spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State.
• Marcus Sheffield II leads the way offensively for the Phoenix, averaging 17.4 points per game, sixth best in the CAA.  

Up Next: High Point is back in action on December 14th as it travels to Boca Raton to play Florida Atlantic.
 
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