HAMPTON, Va. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to steady themselves in the Colonial Athletic Association race meet Thursday when the Elon Phoenix visit the Hampton Pirates. Elon (13-10) enters the 7 p.m. contest at the Convocation Center having dropped three of its last four, including a 72-68 home loss to Stony Brook on Saturday. The Phoenix are led by dynamic guard Chandler Cuthrell, who has scored at least 17 points in eight consecutive games. He is averaging 19.6 points per game during that stretch, including a 23-point effort in a win at Hofstra on Jan. 17. Hampton (10-13) has lost three straight, most recently an 82-50 defeat at Towson where the Pirates struggled offensively. The Pirates will rely on forward Xzavier Long to control the interior. Long is coming off an 11-rebound, two-block performance against Towson and has been a consistent presence on the boards, pulling down nine or more rebounds in three of his last five outings. The matchup pits Elon’s scoring prowess against a Hampton team seeking defensive resilience. In their last meeting, a non-conference game last season, Elon secured a 78-71 victory. The Phoenix hold the edge in the current standings, but both teams are jockeying for position ahead of next month’s conference tournament. For Elon, support for Cuthrell will be key. Bryson Cokley and Ja’Juan Carr each added 11 points in the loss to Stony Brook. Hampton needs more consistent scoring beyond Etienne Strothers, who had 10 points against Towson, to complement Long’s interior work. The game is the only scheduled meeting between the teams this regular season. Elon continues its road trip at UNC Wilmington on Feb. 12, while Hampton hosts William & Mary on Saturday.