ELON, N.C. – Rob Higgins’ frantic three-pointer, off a fast break at the buzzer, lifted Elon to an 82-79 victory over luckless Presbyterian at Schar Center on Monday night.

The Blue Hose, down 19 points in the second half, tied the score with four seconds to play on Jonah Pierce’s third-chance bucket off Trevon Reddish-Rhone’s second-chance miss.

Elon (4-3) scorched PC from behind the arc, popping 12/27 three-pointers while the Blue Hose were connecting on 5/18. Overall, Presbyterian (5-3) outshot the Phoenix, .493 (34/69) to .410 (25/61). Elon committed five more turnovers (20-15) but outrebounded PC, 40-37, led by T.K. Simpson’s nine.

The Phoenix put five players – Zac Ervin (18), Nick Dorn (14), Higgins (14), Simpkins (13) and Max Mackinnon (11) – in double figures. Presbyterian had four: Pierce (19), Marquis Barnett (14), Kaleb Scott (14) and Samage Teel (13).

Reddish-Rhone led the Blue Hose in rebounds with seven. He, Barnett and Teel each distributed four assists.

Presbyterian only spent 17 seconds in the lead all night, and that was after Teel’s lay-in off a turnover 15 seconds into the game.

An Ervin three-pointer gave Elon its biggest first-half lead, 28-12, at the 10:20 mark. A Barnett bucket with 1:05 to go pulled PC within six (43-37). The halftime score was 45-37.

Elon opened the second half with an 11-2 rally that boosted its lead to 56-39 on Dorn’s three-pointer. A Higgins three pointer gave the Phoenix their biggest lead, 67-48, with 12:27 remaining.

Then Presbyterian went to work, scoring the next 12 points.

Scott’s dunk at 5:28 brought the Blue Hose within six (72-66). Two Scott free throws narrowed it to five at 1:27. Carl Parrish’s three-pointer made it a two-point game at 0:48, Pierce’s bucket tied it.

Then … hustling heartbreak at the buzzer.

The Blue Hose take on Virginia Military in Lexington on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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