DECATUR, Ill. – Marissa Urso scored a career-high 28 points as the Elmhurst women's basketball team held off a second-half rally to come away with a 92-85 road victory over Millikin University.
 
Elmhurst improved to 8-9 overall and evened its CCIW record at 4-4 at the midway point of the conference season. The Bluejays seized control of the contest in the second quarter, and opened up a 15-point lead late in the third quarter, before rallying from a one-point deficit in the fourth quarter to leave with the seven-point victory.
 
The opening quarter featured seven ties and three lead changes before Elmhurst grabbed a 21-19 lead following a Kween Jean jumper late in the quarter. After Millikin pulled even at 21-21 at the start of the second, the Bluejays scored the next seven points to open up a 28-21 lead. Millikin chipped the lead back down to one at 28-27, but Elmhurst used a 15-5 run over the next four minutes to open up an 11-point cushion at 43-32. The Bluejays led 46-37 at the half after shooting over 60 percent (19-of-29) for the game's first 20 minutes.
 
Elmhurst started quickly in the third quarter, expanding its lead to 15-points (62-47) at the midway point of the third. Elmhurst led by 15 with 3:21 left in the quarter, Millikin closed the quarter on an 11-3 run to cut the Bluejays' lead down to seven. The Big Blue kept coming in the fourth, starting on an 8-2 run to pull to within one with 7:42 left. Elmhurst pushed its lead back to four on a Marissa Urso three-pointer, but the Big Blue scored the next five, taking the lead on an Aubrey Staton triple with 6:11 left. The two teams traded points and leads for the next minute as Elmhurst reclaimed the lead for good with five minutes to play on a pair of free throws from Urso. Millikin stayed within striking distance over the final five minutes, pulling to within two points with 1:23 left, but four straight points from Urso and a free throw from Kelly Weyhrich helped the Bluejays pull away for the win.
 
Six Bluejays reached double figures in scoring with Urso enjoying a career-night. Urso poured in a career-best 28 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the floor, including 5-of-6 from downtown. She added four assists and two steals in the victory. Kelle Clay added 15 points while shooting 6-of-9 from the field. Lauren Golff shot a perfect 5-of-5 to score 12. Weyhrich, Lisa Logan and Courtney O'Donnell finished with 10 points apiece for the Bluejays. Weyhrich tallied eight assists and a team-leading five rebounds in the victory.
 
The Bluejays shot a season-high 60.0 percent from the floor in the victory, hitting 33-of-55 attempts. Elmhurst also hit a season-best 73.3 percent (11-of-15) from three-point range while winning the rebounding battle 34-30.
 
Yanni Saddler led Millikin in the loss with a team-best 26 points, shooting 10-of-21 from the floor. Staton added 24 points while hitting 9-of-22 attempts, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. Jordan Hildebrand added 14 points and five assists for the Big Blue. Millikin shot 47.1 percent (33-of-70) from the floor, including 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from downtown.

Elmhurst hosts Carthage College next Wednesday, January 23.