Nick Dorn scored 24 points and hit the go-ahead basket with 94 seconds left as Elon executed down the stretch in an 84-77 victory over Notre Dame on Friday night in South Bend, Ind.
The Phoenix (3-2) earned their second straight win and never allowed Notre Dame to surge ahead in coach Billy Taylor’s return to his alma mater. Elon earned the win by outscoring the Fighting Irish 10-2 over the final 1:34.
Dorn made 8 of 10 shots and answered a tip-in by Notre Dame’s Kebba Njie with a layup to put the Phoenix up 76-75.
The Phoenix took a 78-75 lead on a basket by Issac Harrell with 63 seconds left. TJ Simpkins converted a tip-in for a five-point lead with 26 seconds remaining, and following a turnover by Notre Dame’s Braeden Shrewsberry, Simpkins sank two free throws to seal it with 10 seconds to go.
TK Simpkins scored 17 points and six assists, and twin brother TJ Simpkins contributed 16 points for Elon. Sam Sherry chipped in 13 and blocked Markus Burton at the rim with 50 seconds left.
The Phoenix shot 57.1 percent from the floor and outrebounded Notre Dame 35-24.
Burton led the Fighting Irish (4-1) with 25 points but missed two layups in the final 50 seconds. Shrewsberry added 22 for Notre Dame, which shot 36.7 percent in the second half and 47.5 percent overall.
After overcoming a seven-point deficit, Notre Dame held a 46-41 lead by halftime. The Fighting Irish took a 53-45 edge on a floater by Shrewsberry with 17:34 left but Elon countered with a 13-3 run and took a 58-56 lead on a lob dunk by TJ Simpkins with 13:15 left.
Elon held a 70-67 lead after two foul shots by Sherry with 5:46 left and led 72-70 on another basket by Sherry less than a minute later. The Fighting Irish took a 73-72 lead on a Davis free throw with 4:22 but managed just four points the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media
