Box Score Game Book (PDF)
Game Book (html)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College men’s basketball team needed overtime, but defeated Elon 74-71 on Monday night at Benjamin Johnson Arena. The Terriers were down eight with five minutes to go and sent the game to overtime with two free throws by Tim Johnson. Junior Salters then scored nine of the Terriers’ ten points in overtime for the win.
Wofford is 8-9 overall and 4-4 in the conference, while Elon is 5-12 overall and 2-7 in the SoCon. The Terriers were led by Junior Salters with 20 points, while Tim Johnson had a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds. Noah Dahlman added 18 points. The Phoenix was led by Ola Atoyebi with 17 points and Monty Sanders with 15 points. Three Elon players had four rebounds each.
“For the first time tonight I saw some doubt being down nine with nine minutes to play,” said head coach Mike Young. “I was concerned about us. I saw some indecision, but to their credit big play after big play we chipped away and hung in there. We got some timely stops and put the ball in the post. Salters was Salters tonight. He was terrific and played his tail off, as a number of them did. Elon played very well in here and needless to say we are fortunate to get out of here with a win.”
In the first half, Wofford had a brief lead at 8-4 just four minutes into the game, then the Phoenix began to build a lead that reached six points on three occasions. The Terriers were able to take a lead at 29-28 after a basket from Tim Johnson with 5:17 left in the first half, however Elon was able to take a 37-34 lead at the break. The Phoenix shot 55.6% from the floor and from three in the first half.
To open the second half, Elon jumped out to an eight point lead at 44-36 at the 16:09 mark. A three pointer by T.J. Douglas at 8:59 gave the Phoenix their largest lead of the night at 57-48. Wofford battled back, but the lead was still eight with 5:32 on the clock at 60-52. Then, Noah Dahlman went on a 6-0 run and Junior Salters added a lay-up to tie the game at 60-60 with 2:34 remaining. Elon was up two with twenty seconds left, but Tim Johnson knocked down two free throws to tie the game. The Phoenix missed a shot at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Overtime began with a missed three by the Phoenix and after the rebound Wofford took the lead on a bucket from Junior Salters. The score was tied at 68 each, but then Elon took the lead with a basket from Terrance Birdette. Salters added two free throws to tie the game again at 70 all.
Elon’s Chris Long made one of two free throws, and then Salters took it to the basket for two and a free throw for a 73-71 lead with just 57 seconds on the clock. The Phoenix missed a three and Wofford’s Tim Johnson grabbed the rebound. Brad Loesing then added a free throw for a three point lead. After a final three attempt missed, Wofford had the 74-71 victory.
Wofford shot 50.0% from the floor and 45.5% from three. The Terriers were 77.3% from the line. The Phoenix shot 49.2% from the floor and 37.5% from behind the arc. Elon was 41.7% from the free throw line. Wofford had a 37-32 advantage on the boards and committed only twelve fouls in the game.
Wofford was without guard Corey Godzinski, who will miss approximately four weeks due to a broken hand. Matt Estep also missed the game due to injury. The game was the only home game in a two-week stretch that includes four road games. It was the second overtime game of the season for Wofford, and they are 1-1 in overtime games.
The Terriers have road games at Appalachian State on Thursday and at Western Carolina on Saturday before returning home on February 5 to host Chattanooga in a game to be televised by SportSouth.
