ELON, N.C. (Interstat) — In a frantic Colonial Athletic Association clash that saw 15 lead changes and neither team lead by more than seven points, Chandler Cuthrell’s relentless interior attack propelled the Elon Phoenix to a narrow 79-76 victory over the William & Mary Tribe on Thursday night at Schar Center.

A crowd of 1,815 watched as the 6-foot-8 forward from Baltimore scored 18 points, including the decisive go-ahead layup with 1:34 remaining, to help Elon snap a two-game skid and improve to 13-9 overall. William & Mary, which had won three straight, fell to 14-7.

The game’s defining sequence unfolded in the final two minutes with the score knotted at 75. Elon’s Ned Hull stripped William & Mary’s Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi, leading to a fast break. Ja’Juan Carr, who orchestrated the Phoenix offense with 7 assists, found a cutting Cuthrell for a layup to put Elon ahead for good at 77-75.

William & Mary’s Kyle Pulliam answered with a driving layup to tie the game at 77 with 1:13 left, but Cuthrell again proved unstoppable in the paint. Isolated on the left block, he backed down his defender and dropped in a soft hook shot with 42 seconds left to restore Elon’s two-point lead at 79-77.

The Tribe had two chances to tie or take the lead in the final half-minute. After an Elon turnover, William & Mary set up for a final shot, but Reese Miller’s contested 3-point attempt from the wing with 7 seconds left missed. Elon’s Ja’Juan Carr secured the defensive rebound, was fouled, and missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving William & Mary one last desperation heave. A chaotic inbounds play resulted in a turnover, sealing the Phoenix victory.

The contest was a tale of two halves dominated by runs. William & Mary used a 15-2 spurt in the first half, fueled by three 3-pointers from Cade Haskins, to build its largest lead at 32-20. The Tribe took a 44-37 advantage into halftime behind efficient offense, scoring 32 points in the paint for the game.

Elon responded immediately after the break, opening the second half on a 13-2 run to reclaim the lead. The Phoenix attack was more balanced and assertive, scoring 42 second-half points by attacking the rim, where they finished with a 38-34 edge in paint points. They also capitalized on William & Mary’s mistakes, scoring 15 points off 10 Tribe turnovers.

Cuthrell was the focal point, but Elon received critical contributions across the lineup. Guards Ned Hull and Bryson Cokley each scored 14 points, with Hull hitting three 3-pointers. Forward Isaac Harrell added 13 points, and Randall Pettus provided a spark off the bench with 12 points. Carr’s floor leadership and defense, which included three steals and a block, were instrumental.

William & Mary was led by a trio of double-figure scorers. Ryan Jackson scored 13 points, many on tough interior finishes, while Chase Lowe and Cade Haskins each added 12. Haskins’ early shooting barrage from beyond the arc staked the Tribe to their early lead, but the team cooled considerably after halftime, scoring only 32 points in the second period.

The game was a statistical dead heat in many categories, reflecting the tight score. Elon shot marginally better from the floor, while William & Mary held advantages in fast-break points, 15-10. The difference came in key moments down the stretch, where Elon made the necessary defensive stops and Cuthrell delivered under pressure.

The win moves Elon to 4-4 in CAA play, while William & Mary drops to 5-3. According to Interstat’s ELO system, William & Mary entered with a narrow 50.4% probability to win and was a 1-point pregame favorite. The total score of 155 fell well under the over/under line of 168.

Elon next hosts Stony Brook on Saturday. William & Mary returns home to face Campbell on Saturday, looking to rebound from the narrow road defeat. The two teams will meet again in Williamsburg on Feb. 14.