ELMHURST, Ill. – Mikaela Eppard totaled 27 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Elmhurst women's basketball team to its eighth straight victory, an 85-71 win over North Park University.

Elmhurst upped its record to 16-3 overall and 8-2 in the CCIW with the win while North Park slid to 9-10 overall and 2-8 in the CCIW. Elmhurst finished the month of January with a perfect 7-0 record.
 
Elmhurst started strong, scoring the game's first six points, but North Park slowly chipped away at the Bluejays' lead. The Vikings closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to build a 19-15 lead after the first quarter.

North Park led by as many as five points in the second quarter before Elmhurst answered back. The Bluejays used 14-2 run to grab a 31-24 lead with four minutes remaining. The Bluejays led by as many as 12 points in the quarter and carried a 40-29 lead into the locker room at the half. Elmhurst outscored North Park 25-10 in the second quarter.
 
Elmhurst continued to pull away in the third quarter, turning a 14-point cushion into a 26-point advantage with a 12-0 run. Elmhurst led by as many as 27 and brought a 64-39 lead into the fourth quarter. North Park surged back in the fourth, pulling to within 18 with 6:43 left after opening the quarter with 11-4 run. The Vikings came no closer than 14 points though as Elmhurst came away with the 85-71 victory.
 
Elmhurst shot 51.7 percent (31-of-60) from the floor in the win. The Bluejays were solid from the foul line as well, converting 17-of-21 attempts (81.0 percent). Elmhurst dominated on the glass, outrebounding North Park 41-22 and scoring 21 second-chance points off of 16 offensive rebounds. 
 
North Park had no answer for Epard as the Elmhurst junior poured in 27 points while shooting 10-of-16 from the floor. She added a career-high 20 rebounds, the sixth-highest single-game total in Elmhurst history. Kaela Jones added 12 points and five assists while Michaela Kumer scored 11. Erika Johnson also reached double figures in scoring, finishing with 10 points.
 
North Park finished the contest shooting 46.6 percent (27-of-58) from the floor, including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from downtown. Liz Rehberger was a one-person wrecking crew for the Vikings, finishing with 38 points while shooting 16-of-21 from the field. Amani Davis and Hannah Rehfeldt added eight points apiece for the Vikings.
 
Elmhurst travels to Augustana College on Wednesday, February 1.