Elon gives coach Billy Taylor an 84-77 win over his alma mater Notre Dame
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Nick Dorn scored 24 points and made 5 of 6 3-pointers, TK Simpkins added 17 points and Elon closed on a 10-2 run to give coach Billy Taylor an 84-77 win over his alma mater Notre Dame on Friday night.
Taylor was a member of the Fighting Irish from 1992-95, appearing in 112 career games while serving as a team captain his senior year. Taylor's last meeting with Notre Dame came on Nov. 27, 2006, as the head coach at Lehigh, when the Fighting Irish won 93-87.
Isaac Harrell made a contested layup in the lane with 1:03 remaining — for his only points of the game — to give Elon a 78-75 lead and Notre Dame called a timeout at the other end. The Irish got into the lane on their next possession, but Sam Sherry forced a bad shot and the Phoenix grabbed the rebound.
TK Simpkins found brother TJ Simpkins under the basket for an 80-75 lead and the Phoenix made four free throws to seal it.
TJ Simpkins scored 16 points off the bench and Sherry had 13 points and seven rebounds for Elon (3-2).
Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry combined for 47 points and nine 3-pointers for Notre Dame (4-1). Burton was 10 of 18 from the field, with four makes from 3, to score 25 points. Shrewsberry made five of his 11 3-pointers to finish with 22 points.
The Phoenix has a week off before facing Maine on Nov. 29 in Philadelphia at the Cathedral Classic Invitational. Notre Dame faces ranked opponents on back-to-back nights in Las Vegas next week, beginning with No. 24 Rutgers on Tuesday.