ELON, N.C. (Interstat) — Christian May scored 22 points and UNC Wilmington used a dominant first half to cruise past Elon 76-57 in a Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Schar Center.

The Seahawks, who entered the contest with the conference’s best record, never trailed and built a double-digit lead less than seven minutes into the game. They led by as many as 19 in the first half and took a 35-24 advantage into halftime after holding the Phoenix to 24 points on 30% shooting from the field in the opening period.

UNC Wilmington improved to 26-5 overall and 16-2 in the CAA. Elon fell to 14-17 and 7-11.

The most important stretch of the game came early, as UNC Wilmington established immediate control. After Elon’s Bryson Cokley hit a jumper to make it 5-2, the Seahawks unleashed a 15-0 run over the next four and a half minutes. The surge was fueled by stifling defense and efficient offense, featuring a steal and a 3-pointer from May, a dunk from Noah Ross, and a layup from Patrick Wessler. By the time Elon’s Chandler Cuthrell made a pair of free throws at the 14:36 mark, the Seahawks led 17-4, and the Phoenix faced an uphill battle the rest of the night.

Elon could not cut the deficit to single digits at any point in the second half. Every time the Phoenix showed a flicker of momentum, the Seahawks had an answer, often from May. The junior guard from Edinburg, Virginia, hit four 3-pointers and added three assists and a block in 33 minutes.

Ross supported May with 17 points and four assists for UNC Wilmington. Wessler, the 7-foot center, provided a strong interior presence with 13 points and nine rebounds. Nolan Hodge contributed eight points, five assists and three steals, while Greedy Williams facilitated the offense with seven assists.

Elon was led by Cuthrell’s 19 points, though he needed 19 shots to reach that total. Cokley added 12 points for the Phoenix, who shot just 32% from the field as a team and were outrebounded 45-36.

The Seahawks’ defensive pressure was a constant, forcing 18 Elon turnovers which they converted into 21 points. UNC Wilmington also shared the ball effectively, tallying 21 assists on 29 made field goals.

With the victory, UNC Wilmington secured its 10th win in the last 11 games and maintained its position atop the CAA standings heading into the final week of the regular season. The Seahawks have now won both meetings with Elon this season, having previously defeated the Phoenix 65-54 on Feb. 12.

Elon, which has lost three of its last four, concludes its regular season on the road this weekend.

Attendance at Schar Center was 2,419.