By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Elon will open its men’s basketball season against North Carolina on November 4 at Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
The Tar Heels, who won last season’s Atlantic Coast Conference regular season, announced their non-conference schedule last week.
The Phoenix last faced the Tar Heels in an 80-63 loss on Dec. 11, 2021. The Tar Heels have won the past 14 meetings.
Elon will be one of North Carolina’s 12 non-conference opponents. The last of those games for the Tar Heels is a December 29 home date vs. Campbell.
Elon’s full schedule has yet to be released. In last season’s opener, the Phoenix built a 21-point lead before losing 101-78 at Wake Forest.
Welcome aboard
Elon has added five newcomers to its roster, including a 7-foot-4 player.
Center Matthew Van Komen, who’s listed at 260 pounds, is a transfer from Hawaii Pacific. He had a season with Utah’s program followed by three seasons with St. Mary’s College.
T.J. Simpkins, twin brother of Elon guard T.K. Simpkins, has arrived after two seasons with Northwest Florida State, which is a junior college. He had a redshirt season followed by averaging a team-best 15 points per game last season.
Guard Andrew King is a transfer from Illinois-Chicago, where he had a redshirt season, after his first college season at Houston Christian.
Guard Jameel Rideout is on board after playing two seasons for Division II USC Aiken, starting in 62 of 63 games.
Trey O’Neil, a guard from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, will be in the freshman class after playing for IMG Academy’s post graduate team.
