Box Score FULTON, Mo. - The Elmhurst men's basketball team suffered a 70-66 season-opening loss to Westminster College (Mo.) in the team's first-game at the CCIW/SLIAC Challenge.

The two teams traded buckets for the majority of the first 15 minutes of the opening half. Elmhurst led 24-22 with five minutes to play in the half, but Westminster closed the half on a 15-3 run to build a 37-27 lead at halftime.

Westminster pushed their lead up to 13 points at the start of the second half, before Elmhurst rattled closed to within three points with a 14-4 run over a three minute span. Trailing by four with 8:23 left, the Bluejays closed to within a point after a three-point play from Nick Sanford. Westminster answered back with a 10-0 run over the next 2:30 to open up a 65-54 lead with 5:31 left to play. The Bluejays pulled to within five point on a Pat Coleman bucket with 1:33 left. Elmhurst came within three points after a pair of free throws from Kenny Payonk with 17 seconds remaining, but Westminster split a pair of free throws in the final seconds to secure the victory.

Elmhurst finished the contest shooting 44.2 percent (23-of-52) from the floor. After struggling in the opening half (8-of-25 for 32.0 percent), the Bluejays shot 55.6 percent (15-of-27) in the second half. The Bluejays struggled from downtown, hitting just 2-of-14 attempts (14.3 percent).

Sanford led Elmhurst with a double-double, totaling 17 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Wuest added 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Payonk came off the bench to score 13 and grab six rebounds. Bryant Ackerman added nine points for the Bluejays in the loss.

Westminster finished the contest shooting 42.3 percent (22-of-52) from the floor. The Bluejays were 23-of-29 from the foul line (79.3 percent).

Joe James scored a game-high 22 points to pace Westminster. Brandon Moore added 19 points and five rebounds while Verdis Lee Jr. added 14 points and seven rebounds.

Elmhurst takes on Greenville College on Saturday, November 16.