Getting to the free-throw line is a major part of graduate forward Chandler Cuthrell’s game. He has attempted the 10th most free throws per game of any player in Division I men’s basketball this season, per ESPN. He was shooting 69% from the free-throw line through his first 27 games.
In his final four appearances, he only missed two.
As Cuthrell sank 11 of his 12 free throws at the Schar Center on March 2, he ended his only regular season with Elon men’s basketball on an emphatic, somber note.
Cuthrell — an energetic, lanky scorer who refuses to be denied at the rim — couldn’t miss from the penalty line. It’s an issue he’d been struggling with all season.
Cuthrell said the biggest change he made was taking his time. Early on, he was rushing each attempt. He had to make sure to breathe.
“So it’s just about relaxing and saving my time on the free-throw line,” Cuthrell said.
Patience, it turns out, has been a theme of his career.
Cuthrell’s path to Elon wasn’t direct. He spent two seasons at Odessa College in Texas before transferring to the University of Texas, San Antonio. After a year with the Roadrunners, he moved again. This time at Purdue University, Fort Wayne, where he was primarily used off the bench for his rebounding.
When Cuthrell transferred to Elon ahead of the 2025-26 season, hardly anyone saw an offensive explosion coming. But head coach Billy Taylor said he envisioned something different.
“What we saw on the film is exactly what he’s doing now,” Taylor said. “We knew he could get to the free-throw line and play with a really high level of efficiency.”
Cuthrell, who grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, returned to the Triad as part of Elon’s eight-player transfer class. He would soon become the face of it.
The graduate student exploded onto the scene in Elon’s first game of the season — scoring 21 points and grabbing 5 rebounds. It was a statline that foreshadowed his season standards.
Cuthrell averaged 20 points and 6.5 rebounds per-game in his sole year with Elon. He finished as the 33rd-best scorer in the country, according to ESPN. Taylor said he’s been the backbone of the team.
“What Chandler has done? I mean, it’s been a historic season,” Taylor said. “To elevate to 20 points per game in this league, it’s phenomenal. I’m so proud of him.”
On top of the jaw-dropping dunks, flashy post moves and knack for drawing fouls — what made Cuthrell’s season one to remember is his statistically unlikely jump in scoring.
Elon’s top-scorer averaged 6.1 points-per-game in his first four years of college, making his leap with the Phoenix a 13.9-point change.
According to ESPN data, only two Division I players have increased their scoring average by more in a single season. Cuthrell’s year as a Phoenix, win-or-lose, was a statistical anomaly.
When asked about the historic jump, Cuthrell pointed to sophomore teammate and fellow transfer, Bryson Cokley.
“This is the first time that somebody has believed at the level this staff does,” Cokley said. “It does a lot to your confidence, being able to go out there and play your game, and having the coaches’ trust.”
As Cokley spoke, Cuthrell nodded along, smiling at the notion of having a staff that believes in them.
Whether fans and staff foresaw Cuthrell’s offensive leap, the Coastal Athletic Association now recognizes it. The conference named Cuthrell to the CAA second team on Mar. 6, marking a career accomplishment on the graduate student’s long journey.
Although the Phoenix lost 76-57 to the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, on senior night, Cuthrell said it’s been an amazing year.
“It’s sad that, obviously, my last game in the Schar Center was ended like this,” Cuthrell said. “But it’s definitely been such a blessing. I love playing here.”
After stops at three different programs, Cuthrell needed just one season at Elon to show what he could become. For Taylor and the Phoenix, that belief turned into one of the most unlikely breakout seasons in the country.