ELMHURST, Ill. - The 23rd-ranked Elmhurst University men's basketball team opened the 2022-23 campaign Thursday evening, taking down Transylvania University 97-68 at R.A. Faganel Hall.

The Bluejays (1-0) overcame a slow first half which included 12 turnovers forced by the Pioneers (0-1) to come out victorious in the season opener, answering by outscoring Transylvania 56-28 in the second half to pull away. Elmhurst was led by senior guards Ocean Johnson (27 points, eight rebounds three assists) and Wesley Hooker (21 points, 2 assists), while senior forward/center Jonathan Zapinski led the Bluejays on the boards tallying 12 rebounds and blocking three shots. The Pioneers were led by 17 points from Matthew Teague, who also added a team-high five rebounds and four assists.

Prior to tipoff, Elmhurst Athletics honored the 2022 men's basketball team with the unveiling of the 2022 NCAA national runner-up banner now proudly hanging on the west end of R.A. Faganel Hall. Nearly 60 past and present Bluejays and their family and friends were in attendance to celebrate the historic 2022 team, who set a school record 27 victories en route to a magical postseason run which saw the Bluejays win their second CCIW Tournament in three seasons and culminated in NCAA national runner-up honors.

HOW IT HAPPENED

It was a back-and-forth affair in the first half, with the two teams exchanging leads 11 different times. The Bluejays jumped out to an early 6-2 lead before the Pioneers gained momentum to tie it up. A seven point scoring run fueled by Johnson and Hooker gave the Bluejays a five point lead halfway through the period, but the Pioneers again stormed back, capitalizing on 12 first-half turnovers by scoring 17 points off Bluejay miscues to keep it close. Hooker was able to keep Elmhurst ahead, scoring ten of his 14 first-half points in the final half of the period to give the Bluejays the narrow 41-40 lead heading into the break.

Transylvania was able to keep the game within reach to begin the second half, quickly regaining the lead with a layup from Hunter Penn to move the score to 42-41. A Johnson three gave the Bluejays the lead back for good as the Bluejays built a six-point lead with 13 minutes to go in the half. Elmhurst turned it on following a Johnson trey, which sparked a 22-7 Bluejay scoring run spanning five minutes of game clock to push the score to 81-57, the Bluejays' largest lead of the game. Junior forward Anthony Scales provided the spark for the Bluejays in the second period, scoring nine of his 13 total points in the final period, helping the Bluejays to the 97-68 victory. 

UP NEXT

Elmhurst will turn it around quickly, traveling to Alma, Mich. to take on Alma College at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 12.

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