DECATUR, Ill. – The Elmhurst College men's basketball team upped its CCIW record to 2-0 by holding off Millikin University for a 90-85 road win.
 
John Baines guided Elmhurst to the five-point win while facing his former boss and for Elmhurst head coach Mark Scherer. Elmhurst improved to 5-1 on the season while dealing Millikin its second straight loss (4-3, 0-2 CCIW).
 
Elmhurst seized control of the first half early. With the score knotted at 9-9, but the Bluejays ripped off a 13-4 run fueled by three pointers from Lance Garnder, Jake Rhode and Ryan Patton. Elmhurst led 24-15 midway through the half, but Millikin slowly chipped away, pulling to within a point with a 10-2 run over the next five minutes. Elmhurst led by just two points with two minutes remaining, but the Bluejays closed with a 7-2 run to take a 42-35 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
The Bluejays pushed their lead back to double digits early in the second half, building an 11 point cushion just three minutes into the half. Millikin answered back with a 9-2 run over the next 90 seconds to pull to within four points at 53-49, but the Bluejays scored the next six to extend their lead back to 10. The Big Blue trimmed the lead back to six with just over 14 minutes remaining, but Elmhurst ripped off a 9-0 run over a 2:10 span to take their biggest lead of the night at 15  (68-53) with 11:42 left to play.
 
Millikin slowly fought their way back into the contest as the Big Blue utilized a 22-11 run over the next eight minutes to trim Elmhurst's lead down to four points.  A three-pointer from Rhode gave Elmhurst some breathing room with a seven point lead with three minutes left, but the Big Blue managed to cut the lead back to five again with 1:12 left. Derek Dotlich delivered the knockout blow, splashing home a three-pointer with just 46 seconds left to play, giving Elmhurst an eight-point lead at 87-79. The Bluejays hit three free throws down the stretch to come away with the five-point win.
 
Elmhurst led for nearly the entire contest as the Bluejays were in front for over 38 minutes of action. Millikin led for only 12 seconds in the entire game.
 
Elmhurst enjoyed its best shooting night of the season as the Bluejays shot season-highs from the floor (30-of-57 for 52.6 percent) from three-point range (11-of-20 for 55.0 percent) and from the free throw line (19-of-24 for 79.2 percent).
 
Rhode, Patton and Jeremy Ireland combined to do the bulk of the damage for the Bluejays. The trio combined for 65 of the team's 90 points as 10 different Bluejays put points on the scoreboard in the victory. Ireland led the way with a game-high 25 points while shooting 10-of-14 from the floor. Rhode pumped in a season-high 23 points while shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and knocking down five three-pointers in the win. Patton also registered a season-high, scoring 17 while hitting three from beyond the arc. Dotlich came off the bench to score seven while Gardner and Lavon Thomas added five points apiece for the Bluejays.
 
Millikin shot 56.1 percent (32-of-57) from the floor (32-of-57), but just 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from three-point range. DeVante Harrell led the Big Blue with 20 points while Elijah Henry totaled 19 points and seven rebounds. Michael Beaty came off the bench to score 17.
 
Elmhurst hosts Wheaton College on Saturday, December 9.