Elon Loses in Double OT to Davidson

With a last second heave from beyond the three-point line, the Davidson Wildcats defeated the Elon Phoenix in double overtime 99-96 on senior night. The loss was the last regular season game for the Phoenix, who have experienced close, but losing, contests like Saturday night’s game all season long.

With 14 seconds left in double overtime, Chris Long extended the Phoenix lead to three on a free throw. But after a missed Davidson jumper, Nik Cochran grabbed an offensive rebound and passed it to Brendan McKillop who sank a triple with only three seconds left to tie the game.

Then, Adam Constantine’s inbound pass was stolen by Steve Rossiter, who stepped back beyond the three-point line, floated a prayer towards the basket and celebrated with his teammates when his miracle shot won the game for the Wildcats.

“If you ask anyone in the heavy weight bout tonight to shoot that shot 10 times, no one on the court can make that shot at a high percentage” Elon head coach Matt Matheny said. “But what’s important is that he made that one.”

The heartbreaking game had potential to be one of the most memorable wins of the season for the Phoenix. Not only was Saturday night’s loss the last game seniors Adam Constantine, TJ Douglas, John Ogolo and Devan Carter will play in the Nest, but it was also a matchup against coach Matheny’s previous team under which he coached. But a last second three pointer stole what could have been.

According to the Elon Athletics Department, the Phoenix haven’t beaten Davidson since December 2000, in a 74-69 win at Alumni Gym. The Wildcats are 13-0 against the Phoenix over the past six seasons.

The Phoenix will have an opportunity to redeem themselves though, since the first team they take on in the Southern Conference tournament will be the Davidosn Wildcats. While the sting of the loss is painful for the Phoenix, they won’t let the pain carry into the next game.

“We have a midnight rule. We’re going to let it hurt, it’s going to hurt, we’re going to let it hurt, we’re going to think about it,” Matheny said. “But when midnight comes we’re going to erase it.”

-David Hodges

Thursday Update February 25, 2010

SGA Election Results are in…

Executive President Votes:
Taylor Martin: 1183
Evan Davis: 1079

Executive Vice-President Votes:
Joel Slocum: 1206
Rachel Long: 1031

Watch the Entire February 22nd, 2010 Show

Two Serial Masturbaters at Large in Elon

When Lindsey Bourne got out of the shower the last thing she expected to see was a guy masturbating.

“I didn’t really realize what was going on, and then when I realized what he was saying and looked down it just all came together,” Junior Lindsey Bourne said.

She ran past the intruder to seek help. Because she was in a bathrobe she was without a cell phone. Bourne went to her neighbors, but no one was home. Scared she was being followed she locked herself in the bedroom.

“I just screamed and I was just terrified of what he was going to do,” Bourne added.

Bourne’s indecent exposure case was the first of three last week.

The second involved a man who followed an Elon senior as she was jogging by the intramural fields. Another was at 6:30pm on Friday when a student was walking through the Food Lion parking. She found a man gratifying himself in a champaign colored Honda sedan.

Bourne’s incident was unusual because it was the second time an intruder entered her house to expose himself. During the summer her roommate found a man doing the same act.

Police say there are two masturbators. One drives that champaign colored Honda. He is heavier and Hispanic. The person Bourne saw is a taller white male. This week the police are conducting line-ups and composite sketches.

New Credit Card Restrictions Could Affect Students

New credit laws went in effect today, and college students are among those affected by the changes. Among the new laws, anyone under 21 years old must have an adult cosigner on a credit card. For students, this is an issue as building credit is necessary.

“You have to have credit to do anything,” Freshman Samantha Siberini told Phoenix14News, “It’s a way of showing that you are trustworthy.”

Siberini has a credit card for emergencies, but she doesn’t spend excessively. She is trustworthy, but the government doesn’t think she should go it alone.

Jason Springer teaches the Real World Financial Literacy course at Elon, and he doesn’t think this is fair. “They’re an adult and they are 20 years old. Now the government is essentially telling them, ‘no you’re not responsible enough to make those decisions on your own,” he said.

Vice President of the State Employee’s Credit Union Windy Young disagrees. She said the changes will help students avoid massive debt upon graduation. “I think it’s going to be more positive for you,” she said.

But Professor Springer thinks students should take responsibility for their financial decisions. “Legally these people are adults and should be, I believe, treated as such,” he said.

Siberini agrees and says students should be able to figure it out for themselves. As for her spending habits, Samantha plans to keep paying the old fashion way, with cash.

“I have it and then I can hand it over and we’re done. I don’t have to worry about it later,” she added.

There is always an exception to the rue, and this is no different. Those under 21 years old with a substantial job can be approved alone as long as they can demonstrate an ability to pay. The new law also prevents credit companies from soliciting on college campuses, meaning free pizza and gifts will not longer be offered for students who sign up for credit cards.

Elon Police Target Drug Dealers in Latest String of Arrests

This investigation started the same way as the huge bust last May. First there is a routine traffic stop leading to an arrest. Then there is a negotiation ending in the handing over of information about the drug dealer.

In this case, Elon Police made a traffic stop that lead to the arrest of a person on drug charges.

“He agreed to provide information to do another drug buy,” Chief LaVell Lovette said.

And that informant gave up Thomas Hodges-Copple and Spencer Martel. Police got a search warrant to move in on the Oaks Apartment they live in.

Those officers ended the day with the arrest of Jordan McMahan. They seized his car and towed it out of the Harper Center lot.

Chief Lovette says this case has already caused the arrest of a major drug supplier in Burlington and could lead to more arrests.

Last year’s buts set off a firestorm of controversy over how the police handled the search and seizure process.

There has been no backlash from this case so far, but chief Lovette says the case last year was marred by misinformation. She also defends her officers’ right to protect themselves.

“We did find a couple of weapons, so just because they’re students doesn’t mean they don’t have the ability or capability of being violent,” Lovette said when referring to last year’s drug bust.

-Drew Smith

SGA Elections: Candidates speak with Phoenix14

SGA Elections are Tuesday and Wednesday, so Phoenix14News sat down with the candidates for three offices:

You can vote online starting Tuesday, by going to Elon’s Election Website

SGA Executive President
- Taylor Martin, sophomore
- Evan Davis, junior

SGA Executive Vice President
- Rachel Long, sophomore
- Joe Slocum, junior

Senior Class President
- Michael Nowak, junior
- Justin Peterson, junior

Taylor Martin and Evan Davis are running for Student Body President. Find out more about their experience and platforms, and the Outdoor Pool.

Joe Slocum and Rachel Long talk about the Vice Presidency and their qualifications.

Michael Nowak and Justin Peterson want to lead the Senior Class next year. Hear about their plans for graduation and their involvement in other campaigns.

Continue to see a panel discussion with all the candidates…

Student Calls In False Report In Wake Of Indecent Exposure Incidents

Emilia Sotolongo

An Elon student is out on bond after being arrested for calling in a false police report according to Elon Chief of Police LaVell Lovette.

Lovette said the female student called 911 Thursday claiming that a man, similar to the men involved in indecent exposure incidents Monday night, was following her.

The student said she was in Moseley parking lot when a man pulled up beside her. She called 911.

In an attempt to discover the suspect’s identity, Campus Police pulled security video footage from the parking lot. Police determined there was no suspect on the video and pulled the student in for questioning.

The student then confessed to making the whole thing up.

“She was interviewed and finally admitted that she lied,” Lovette said. “We definitely don’t need to be dealing with false reports. We don’t need to be wasting our time on that.”

UPDATE: Sotolongo spoke to Phoenix14News and said the call to 911 was legitimate. She said she was being followed and proceeded to get in her car and call 911. Sotolongo said she is disappointed that her concerns were not taken seriously. More on this during our live show on Monday.

The Elon Police has been investigating two indecent exposure reports from this week. Chief Lovette says the false report distracted her officers from finding the real suspects.

Lovette told Phoenix14News that Campus Police arrested the student Friday morning, but Campus Police would not confirm this and refused to release her name.

The Alamance County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that Emilia Sotolongo was booked through the county jail. She is charged with false report to police radio. Sotolongo is a sophomore at Elon.

Sotolongo was released Friday on $300.00 bond according to Alamance County court records.

Thursday Update February 18, 2010