[box] Elon University Phoenix @ University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs

ESPN3, 7 p.m. [/box]

The New York football Giants, as ESPN commentator Chris Berman often refers to them, won their last six games, including four in the playoffs, and seven of their last eight on the way to a Super Bowl championship.

They got hot at the right time. That’s what the Elon Phoenix men’s basketball team seems to be doing.

“We talked about the Giants a little bit,” Elon senior guard Drew Spradlin said when asked about the possible comparison.

The Phoenix and head coach Matt Matheny find themselves as winners of five of their last six, including a three-game winning streak (all at home) heading into tonight’s matchup at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, beginning a three-game road stretch.

“They’re tough, they’re one of the most talented teams in the league,” Spradlin said of Chattanooga. “They have some of the better players in the league. We’re going to have to go in playing really well to beat Chatt.”

The Phoenix (13-10 overall, 8-4 in the Southern Conference) has struggled on the road this season, going 4-7 away from Alumni Gym this season. Those four wins have included victories over Princeton University and UNC-Greensboro.

Last time the Phoenix played Chattanooga, Elon sophomore forward Lucas Troutman made a layup that put the Phoenix ahead by one then sprinted down the court 94 feet to block a Mocs’ shot. Free throws and other shots followed but Elon came out on top 88-87 Jan. 21.

“Our backs have been against the wall lately,” Matheny said afterwards. “We’ve lost some close games, but we had a choice throw in the towel or fight. And we are going to fight.”

That fight has shown up in the last three Elon games, all in the friendly confines of Alumni Gym. First was a double-overtime victory over the College of Charleston Feb. 2, then a hard-fought win over The Citadel in which Elon came back after going down by nine early Feb. 4, then a 23-point statement win over rival Appalachian State University Feb. 6.

All of this has been without freshman sensation guard Austin Hamilton, who has been out for the past week and missed all three home games with mononucleosis.

“I think he’s going to be a while,” Matheny said after the Appalachian State win. “He looked weak, he looked tired. He’s got a great smile, and he lost his smile. It’s going to take a while to regain his weight and his energy. I’d be shocked if he practices by Thursday or Friday or so.”

But sophomore guard Jack Isenbarger and Spradlin have picked up the slack in Hamilton’s absence. Isenbarger scored a career-high 34 points against The Citadel and averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game over the homestand. Spradlin, who replaced Hamilton in the starting lineup, has scored 13.7 points per game and chipped in four rebounds per contest.

Despite the great individual performances, the Phoenix keeps speaking to the togetherness of the team.

“We’re just playing together right now,” Spradlin said. “With Austin out, yeah you get tired of playing 30 minutes of game, but you get a nice rhythm going.”

The rhythm will have to continue against Chattanooga (9-16, 3-9 SoCon). The Mocs are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, their last win coming Jan. 12 at home against Wofford College. Since then, they’ve lost close games to Elon and Davidson College, beaten by more than eight by UNCG and Western Carolina University and blown out by 27 against Davidson Feb. 4. The Wildcats from Davidson started the game on a 20-6 run and never looked back, hitting a SoCon season-high 17 threes.

“We are just so beat up mentally and physically right now, but I have no doubt that we can get through it,” Chattanooga head coach John Shulman said. “We can have short memories. We have to get back home. We have to get fresh, get some of our players healthy and something good has to happen for us.”

Mocs’ senior forward Omar Wattad, who had 25 points against Elon in their first meeting, is leading Chattanooga with 13 points per game (good for 12th in the SoCon) and is third with 4.1 rebounds per game. Redshirt senior guard Keegan Bell is scoring 8.2 points per game and leads the team with 6.4 assists per game, first in the SoCon.

As Spradlin said, Chattanooga has some of the most talented players in the league. But they’re in the middle of a long losing streak, something the Phoenix will have to exploit. Especially after a much-needed two days off.

“We came out really aggressive and we pushed the ball really well and got us wide-open shots,” sophomore guard Sebastian Koch said following the Appalachian State win. “It was like a big confidence booster.”

“I think we just have to focus on every game, prepare well, take it game-by-game and once the conference tournament comes we want to be our best.”

[box]PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS

ELON: Sr. G Drew Spradlin (9.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg), So. G Jack Isenbarger (13.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg), So. G Sebastian Koch (9.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg), So. F Ryley Beaumont (6.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg), So. F Lucas Troutman (12.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

CHATT.: Sr. G Keegan Bell (8.2 ppg, 6.4 apg, 3.9 rpg), Sr. G Ricky Taylor (12.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg), Sr. F Omar Wattad (13.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg), Fr. F Lance Stokes (2.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg), Jr. F Drazen Zlovaric (10.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg)[/box]

[box]TID BITS

  • Mocs’ senior forward Chris Early was suspended indefinitely Dec. 16 for comments he made about Mocs’ head coach John Shulman on Twitter over the prior month. Among the things he said were: “I hate this man with a passion, each and every day I have to see him I become more and more miserable” and “I would run through hell in gasoline draws than to play for this man another year.” Sound familiar?
  • Troutman moved into Elon’s all-time career blocks list with two blocks against South Carolina. He is averaging 1.4 blocks per game, second-best in the league. He now has 80 blocks and is seventh place all-time at Elon.
  • A win over the Mocs’ would match Elon’s win total from all of last season (14).
  • Elon is 6-1 in games decided by five points or less this year.
  • In eight career games against Chattanooga, Spradlin is averaging 10.8 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game. In three games, Isenbarger is averaging 16.3 points against the Mocs.[/box]