Box Score Box Score

ELMHURST, Ill. - Meghan Merklein scored 18 and Tess Godhardt recorded a double-double to lead the Elmhurst College women's basketball team to a 60-46 victory over Wheaton College at R.A. Faganel Hall.

Elmhurst (11-2, 2-0 CCIW) jumped out to a 24-20 halftime lead and gradually began to pull away in the second half. Leading by six, the Bluejays ripped of a 22-7 run to open up a commanding 50-29 lead with nine minutes left to play.

Wheaton (7-6, 0-2 CCIW) responded with a 9-0 run to pull to within 12 points, but the Bluejays were able to hold off the Thunder's late surge and earn the 14-point victory.

Elmhurst finished the game shooting 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the floor, including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from beyond the arc. The Bluejays were also solid from the foul line, hitting 73.3 percent (11-of-15) of their attempts. The Thunder struggled all game with their shooting, hitting only 30.2 percent (19-of-63) of its shots from the floor. Wheaton shot just 1-of-18 from three-point range (5.6 percent) and only 7-of-13  (53.8 percent) from the charity stripe.

Merklein shot 6-of-12 from the floor to finish with a game-high 18 points while also dishing out five assists. Godhardt totaled a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Nicki Shaffer came off the bench to score 11, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from long range. Megan Ney pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds while also totaling seven points.

Laura Karsten paced the Thunder in the loss, scoring 15 points and dishing out four assists. Brooke Olson added six points for the Thunder.

The Bluejays travel to North Central College on Wednesday, January 11.