It was a close, hard-fought conference game, until the end. Then the pro prospect, Grant Riller, the conference-leading scorer, took over. Riller finished with 30 points on the night, after going 11-11 from the free-throw line, including 4 down the stretch that sealed the victory.
For Elon, junior forward Simon Wright did the grunt workload. He finished with a double-double having 17 points and 10 rebounds, 6-9 FG and 2-5 3P. They did a great job of finding Wright in the mismatches and allowing him to attack or pull up.
Looking through the post-game numbers, College of Charleston shot 33 free throws, making 81.8% of the attempts. College of Charleston also won the rebounding battle, 33-27. At the end of the day, as the old adage goes, make your free throws, and rebound the ball you will win a lot of games.
Games Most Valuable Player
Senior Grant Riller
This one wasn’t really in question, especially after the final five minutes Riller had. He scored the final 14 points of the game for College of Charleston, including a couple of daggers and then the four free throws to ice the game. Efficiency is the name of his game, very few wasted movements and motions.
Final Stats: 30 Points. 8-16 FG. 3-5 FT. 11-11 FT. 7 Boards. 3 Assists.
Game Most Outstanding Player
Senior Marcus Sheffield
This one could have gone to Wright as well, but it was clear that Elon looked to Sheffield down the stretch, at every opportunity. He showcased the ability to shoot the 3-ball, while initiating offense and touching the paint. He has great length which poses problems in certain situations, but his ability to shoot the ball will make his future very interesting after this season.
Final Stats: 19 Points. 7-14 FG. 3-5 3P. 6 Boards. 4 Assists.
Other Standouts
Junior Brevin Galloway – College of Charleston
Not only was Galloway essential in spreading the floor early (3-6 from 3 on the night), his defense was great. He was tasked with guarding Sheffield for most of the night and did well there. Off the ball, he collected deflections, always in the right spot. The epitome of a 3 & D performance.
Junior Simon Wright – Elon
Wright was a mismatch in this game, as Elon lined him up as an undersized 5 man for a lot of the night. He started early, showing he could shoot the ball, then he spent the second half facing up and getting downhill. Wright was 6-9 from the field with 17 points and 10 boards with 3 assists. Very steady.