Box Score DECATUR, Ill. - Needing a win to clinch the final spot in the CCIW Tournament, the Elmhurst women's basketball team stumbled in a 68-57 loss at Millikin University. 

The loss by the Bluejays sets up a tie for the final spot in the CCIW Tournament between Elmhurst and Millikin. Elmhurst needs to defeat North Central on Saturday and have Carthage defeat Millikin in order for the Bluejays to get into the CCIW tournament.

Elmhurst (13-11, 5-8 CCIW) scored the game's opening basket, but Millikin (11-14, 5-8) scored the next eight points to grab an 8-2 lead and quickly built a nine-point advantage at 16-7. Elmhurst pulled to within six points on numerous occasions in the first half, but Millikin closed the final four minutes of the half with an 8-3 run to open up a 34-23 lead at the break.

The Big Blue led by as many as 14 points early in the second half before the Bluejays surged back with a 10-1 run sparked by three-pointers from Claire Monroe and Karen Senette, slicing Millikin's lead down to just five points with 11:41 left to play.  The Bluejays trailed by five with six minutes remaining, but a 14-3 run keyed by eight points from Yip Ypya helped Millikin open up a 16-point cushion with just three minutes remaining and pull away for the victory.

Elmhurst shot just 38.8 percent for the contests (19-of-49) after struggling in the opening half (7-of-26 for 26.9 percent). The Bluejays were just 1-of-9 from downtown (11.1 percent) in the opening half, but hit 4-of-8 in the second half to finish at 29.4 percent from three-point range.Turnovers plagued the Bluejays as Millikin converted 23 Elmhurst turnovers into 23 points.

Fiona McMahon totaled a double-double to lead Elmhurst in the loss. McMahon dumped in a team-leading 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Melanie Schwerdtmann came off he bench to score 14 for the Bluejays while Senette added 10 points for the Bluejays. Katie Swanson chipped in with seven for the Bluejays.

Millikin shot an even 50.0 percent (30-of-60) from the floor. Ypya pumped in 21 points while shooting 9-of-17 from the floor. Brittany Czaplicki added 10 points and Bria Williams and Kelsey Going scored nine points apiece.

Elmhurst hosts North Central on Saturday, February 22, at 2:00 p.m.