Phoenix Rising: Elon off to a surprisingly good start

Elon upset Hofstra 89-85 on the road and improved to 12-7 overall and 4-2 in the CAA, putting the Phoenix in a tie for second place in the conference.

Elon beat Hofstra 89-85 on the road in a hard-fought game at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. The victory left Elon 12-7 overall and 4-2 in the Coastal Athletic Association, tied with Hofstra and Charleston for second place. The program has had few winning conference seasons since joining the CAA and entered the season with low preseason expectations. Head coach Billy Taylor and leading scorer Chandler Cuthrell have been central to the team's recent performance. Key details: - Final score: Elon 89, Hofstra 85. - Elon is 12-7 overall and 4-2 in CAA play, tied for second in the league. - Chandler Cuthrell was a primary scorer and went 8-for-9 from the free-throw line; teammates Bryson Cokley (19), Kacper Klaczek (15) and Ja'Juan Carr (11) also scored in double figures. - Hofstra's Cruz Davis scored 33 and led a late push but missed several shots down the stretch; Hofstra entered the game 13-6 and 4-2 in the CAA. - After a loss at Northeastern, Elon reduced turnovers to seven and posted 22 assists on 29 field goals in the Hofstra game. Summary: Elon's win at Hofstra highlighted the team's depth and its current standing early in CAA play. Undetermined at this time.